Yesterday, the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) announced that it has established a Third-Party Neutral Mediation Program. The MHRC is the state agency charged with investigating complaints of employment discrimination. Mediation is a process where a neutral mediator attempts to facilitate the resolution of a dispute. In employment cases, the mediator meets with the employer and the employee, or applicant, and attempts to help them settle the employee’s, or applicant’s, claims.
“This new program will allow the commission to resolve cases at an early stage in the commission’s investigation process, and help the parties resolve their disputes with a feeling that they have been heard, without investing substantial time and money in litigation,” said MHRC Chair Paul Vestal.
If you have a case before the MHRC that is slated to go to mediation, you can contact the Maine Employee Rights Group (MERG) for a free consultation and, potentially, retain MERG to represent you at the mediation.