Clearwater resident Heidi Hovis was recently named the new St. Cloud enforcement officer for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR).

 

Hovis stepped into her new role Dec. 1, and is based out of the human rights department’s regional office in St. Cloud, which is located in City Hall. Currently St. Cloud is the only regional office outside of the Twin Cities. 

 

“Having an office in St. Cloud helps us to be available,” said Hovis. “People can walk in with claims. It increases accessibility and we can be a face for the department.”

 

Before accepting her new position, she spent two years working as an attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.

 

As enforcement officer, Hovis takes calls and investigates claims of discrimination from all over the State, as well as working with employers to review policies and procedures to prevent discrimination in the future.

 

“The Dept of Human Rights has three specific duties,” said Hovis. “Education for the community, outreach for the community and enforcement work.”

 

MDHR has their own education and outreach events, as well as attending community events and partnering with other agencies. Hovis recently had an event at a local church where she spoke with attendees about their rights and what they can do about discrimination. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day she attended an education breakfast at St. Cloud State University.

 

“My biggest goal is to have an effective presence in St. Cloud,” said Hovis. “There hasn’t been anyone in this position fulltime in a long time, so a lot of work needs to be done.”

 

She said disability and employment issues continue to be one of the largest areas of discrimination they see. Age discrimination is also common, especially with Central Minnesota’s aging population. 

 

There are a number of other protected classes that the public should also be aware of, including race, color, creed, religion, sex, public assistance, marital status and family status.

 

“The best way to protect your rights is to take action right away,” advised Hovis. “We can only bring a charge of discrimination if it happened within the last year.”

 

One thing Hovis said people don’t realize is there’s no charge or cost to them to go through MDHR.

 

“The thought of hiring an attorney often scares people off,” she said. “It’s a difficult process, people don’t know what to expect. The entire process has no cost to them, which is really important.”

 

“We’re a neutral enforcement State agency. We don’t represent the client, we enforce the MN Human Rights Act, Statute 363A. 

 

If a case goes to trial, the attorney general’s office represents the client.

 

“Our goal is to prevent discrimination in Minnesota,” said Hovis. “It’s a macro approach. We can’t stop discrimination that’s already happened, but we have the power to prevent it from happening again.”