North Star Owner Sued For Harassment

MINNEAPOLIS - A former Minnesota North Stars employee accused owner Norm Green of hiring her to be his "personal ornament" and forcing her and others to endure verbal and physical abuse with sexual overtones in order to keep their jobs.

In a lawsuit filed in Hennepin County District Court, Kari Dziedzic said Green kissed female employees and required them to kiss him. He routinely commented on women's physical appearance and makeup, the suit said.

It also alleges that Green commented on Dziedzic's clothing, calling it "very sexy." And after the hearings to confirm Clarence Thomas as a U.S. Supreme Court justice, Green told Dziedzic that he would be "knocked out in a minute" if he tried to be a justice, the suit alleges.

Several times, Green slapped Dziedzic as she was about to eat, warning her that she would get fat and that the "package," as he referred to her, would then be less attractive, the suit says.

It also alleges that Green told Dziedzic, 30, that she needed to enhance the "package" if she wanted to find a man to marry.

Although her suit is the only one filed against Green, who bought the team in 1990, it alleges that his offensive behavior extended to a number of employees.

Green, in Dallas, said in a prepared statement: "I'm surprised, frustrated and saddened about the lawsuit filed in Minnesota. As I have stated many times, I know now, that some of my behavior in the office have been misunderstood or misinterpreted."

Judith Bevis Langevin, his attorney, said: "It is fairly typical of sexual harassment cases that I've seen before, and we intend to vigorously defend (Green)."

Ron Rosenbaum, Dziedzic's attorney, said, "We had hoped to resolve this amicably without a lawsuit. It was only after he (Green) closed the door on any resolution other than going to court."

He said working for the North Stars appeared to be a dream job for Dziedzic, a sports fan. She grew up in an athletic family. Her brother plays hockey for the Minnesota Gophers and her father, Walt Dziedzic, a Minneapolis City Council member, was a football player.

Kari Dziedzic was working in Washington as the scheduler for Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., when she was recruited by the Stars in September 1991. Her suit says Green told her the job would be as his executive assistant.

"In fact, her chief role was to be Green's personal ornament rather than his executive assistant," the suit says.

She resigned in August.

The sexual-harassment allegations first became public in November in an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Dziedzic was one of three women who was quoted as saying Green had acted inappropriately.

He apologized. He said he was hurt and didn't realize that his behavior was bothersome. He said he then took a sensitivity course and learned that harassment meant intimidation in the workplace.

The suit claims that after the allegations surfaced and Green began talking about relocating the team, sports columnists and commentators with sources inside the Stars organization began to report that the real reason for the team's departure was Dziedzic's complaints.

The suit asks for damages of at least $50,000 and an unstated amount of punitive damages.