Jenson first began working at the site in March 1975 and, along with other women, endured a continuous stream of hostile behavior from male employees, including sexual harassment, abusive language, threats, stalking and intimidation.

[2] In another case, a woman named Judy Jarvela who also worked at the mine reported multiple instances where she came back to her locker with semen on her clothing.

In January 1987, the state's agency requested that Ogelbay Norton Co.,[7] a Cleveland, Ohio-based part-owner of the mine, pay US$6,000 in punitive damages and $5,000 to Jenson for mental anguish, but the company refused.

[8] On August 15, 1988, attorney Paul Sprenger filed Lois E. Jenson and Patricia S. Kosmach v. Eveleth Taconite Co. in the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.

A liability trial began on December 17, 1992, in front of Judge Richard Kyle in St. Paul, Minnesota, and six months later, he ruled that the company should have prevented the misconduct.

Patrick J. McNulty of Duluth was named special master a few months later to oversee a trial that would determine the amount of money owed to the women in damages.

The retired federal magistrate permitted lawyers from the mine company to obtain medical records of all of the women for their entire lifetimes.

On March 28, 1996, McNulty released a 416-page report that called the women "histrionic," made public details about their private lives, and awarded them an average of $10,000 each.