A multi-layer brush for making sliding contact with a commutator of an electric motor, includes a body and a shunt. The body includes a first electrically conductive layer, a second electrically conductive layer, and a partition layer disposed between the first and second conductive layers and electrically separating the first and second conductive layers. The shunt is coupled to the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer has a thickness greater than a thickness of the second conductive layer and the partition layer has a lateral leakage resistance greater than the longitudinal resistance of the first and second conductive layers.