Case: EEOC v. AMERICAN BOTTLING CO

1:03-cv-06365 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: Sept. 10, 2003

Closed Date: 2004

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The EEOC's Chicago district office sued American Bottling Company, a soft-drink producer and distributor, on July 20, 2003 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The EEOC's complaint alleged that ABC violated Title VII when it discriminated based on race (African American) by creating a racially hostile work environment. The parties entered into a two-year consent decree on December 1, 2004, which required the defendant to pay $80,000 in damages; conduct Title VII training for all employees; create an anti-discrimination policy; post notice of Title VII rights; and send annual reports to the EEOC regarding compliance.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (6/13/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:03-cv-06365

Docket

EEOC v. American Bottling Company, The

Dec. 1, 2004

Dec. 1, 2004

Docket
1

1:03-cv-06365

Complaint

EEOC v. The American Bottling Company

Sept. 10, 2003

Sept. 10, 2003

Complaint

1:03-cv-06365

Consent Decree

EEOC v. The American Bottling Company

Dec. 2, 2004

Dec. 2, 2004

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 20, 2024, 3:19 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
20

MOTION by plaintiff EEOC to compel discovery responses (Attachments); Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 07/30/2004)

July 20, 2003

July 20, 2003

1

COMPLAINT; jury demand - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of Jeanne B. Szromba, Noelle Christine Brennan, John C. Hendrickson as attorney(s) for plaintiff ( No summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3) (jmp) (Entered: 09/10/2003)

Sept. 10, 2003

Sept. 10, 2003

2

WAIVER of service of summons as to defendant sent on 09/10/03. (jmp) (Entered: 10/20/2003)

Oct. 17, 2003

Oct. 17, 2003

3

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant by Elizabeth A McDuffie, and Jerry Duane Brown. (jmp) (Entered: 11/06/2003)

Nov. 6, 2003

Nov. 6, 2003

4

AGREED MOTION by defendant for extension to serve its responsive pleading ; Notice of agreed motion; Notice of filing and Certificate of Service. (jmp) (Entered: 11/13/2003)

Nov. 6, 2003

Nov. 6, 2003

5

MINUTE ORDER of 11/12/03 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing set for 11:00 a.m. on 12/10/03. Defendant's agreed motion for extension to serve its responsive pleading to 12/02/03 is granted [4-1]. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 11/13/2003)

Nov. 12, 2003

Nov. 12, 2003

6

ANSWER and affirmative defenses by defendant to plaintiff's complaint [1-1]; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 12/05/2003)

Dec. 2, 2003

Dec. 2, 2003

7

CORPORATE DISCLOSURE by defendant (jmp) (Entered: 12/05/2003)

Dec. 2, 2003

Dec. 2, 2003

8

MOTION by plaintiff to withdraw attorney appearance of Noelle C. Brennan ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 12/10/2003 (Entered: 12/10/2003)

Dec. 3, 2003

Dec. 3, 2003

9

MINUTE ORDER of 12/10/03 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held and continued to 11:00 a.m. on 03/17/04. Plaintiff's withdrawal of the appearance of Noelle C. Brennan as one of the attorneys for plaintiff is granted [8-1]. Discovery is to be completed by 03/31/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 12/11/2003)

Dec. 10, 2003

Dec. 10, 2003

10

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff to extend discovery closure date ; Notice of filing and Certificate of Service. (jmp) (Entered: 03/18/2004)

March 9, 2004

March 9, 2004

11

MINUTE ORDER of 3/17/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held and continued to 11:00 a.m. on 05/05/04. Joint motion to extend discovery closure date is granted [10-1]. Discovery extended to 04/30/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 03/18/2004)

March 17, 2004

March 17, 2004

12

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff to extend discovery closure date ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 04/22/2004)

April 14, 2004

April 14, 2004

13

MINUTE ORDER of 4/21/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 a.m. on 06/02/04. Joint motion to extend discovery closure date since parties have been trying to resolve this case is granted [12-1]. Discovery is extended to 06/01/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 04/22/2004)

April 21, 2004

April 21, 2004

14

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff and defendant to extend discovery closure date ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 05/20/2004)

May 13, 2004

May 13, 2004

15

MINUTE ORDER of 5/19/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 a.m. on 06/16/04 . i Joint motion to extend discovery closure date is granted [14-1]. Discovery extended to 07/06/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 05/20/2004)

May 19, 2004

May 19, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 6/4/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 6/24/04 . Mailed notice (clw) (Entered: 06/04/2004)

June 4, 2004

June 4, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 6/4/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 6/23/04 . Mailed notice (clw) (Entered: 06/04/2004)

June 4, 2004

June 4, 2004

16

MOTION by plaintiff EEOC to compel discovery responses ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 06/24/2004)

June 21, 2004

June 21, 2004

17

MINUTE ORDER of 6/23/04 by Hon. William T. Hart: Status hearing held. Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses [16-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 06/30/04. No notice (jmp) Modified on 06/24/2004 (Entered: 06/24/2004)

June 23, 2004

June 23, 2004

18

MINUTE ORDER of 6/30/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing set for 11:00 a.m. on 09/08/04. Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses is granted [16-1], subject to a protective order. Discovery is extended to 08/31/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 07/01/2004)

June 30, 2004

June 30, 2004

19

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for plaintiff by Diane Ilene Smason. (air) (Entered: 07/21/2004)

July 20, 2004

July 20, 2004

21

MINUTE ORDER of 7/28/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses is granted [20-1], defendant to comply by 08/25/04. Discovery is extended to 10/13/04. Mailed notice by judge's staff (jmp) (Entered: 07/30/2004)

July 28, 2004

July 28, 2004

22

MOTION by defendant Amer Bottling Co for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 08/19/2004 (Entered: 08/19/2004)

Aug. 6, 2004

Aug. 6, 2004

23

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff and defendant to stay proceedings pending settlement resolution ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 08/19/2004 (Entered: 08/19/2004)

Aug. 13, 2004

Aug. 13, 2004

24

MINUTE ORDER of 8/18/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset for 11:00 a.m. on 09/15/2004. Joint motion to stay proceedings pending settlement resolution is granted [22-1]. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 09/15/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 08/19/2004)

Aug. 18, 2004

Aug. 18, 2004

25

MINUTE ORDER of 9/15/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing re-set for 11:00 a.m. on 09/22/04. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 09/22/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 09/17/2004)

Sept. 15, 2004

Sept. 15, 2004

26

MINUTE ORDER of 9/22/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is moot. No notice (jmp) (Entered: 09/23/2004)

Sept. 22, 2004

Sept. 22, 2004

27

NOTICE by defendant Amer Bottling Co of filing and Certificate of Service regarding Consent Decree. (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

Nov. 16, 2004

Nov. 16, 2004

28

NOTICE by defendant Amer Bottling Co of filing and Certificate of Service regarding Consent Decree Addendum. (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

Nov. 24, 2004

Nov. 24, 2004

29

MINUTE ORDER of 12/1/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : The parties have agreed that this action be re solved by entry of a consent decree; each party to the consent decree shall bear its own expenses, costs and attorneys' fees. Court retains jurisdiction to enforce the consent decree for a period of two years. (Entered Consent Decree. Entered Consent Decree Addendum). terminating case Mailed notice by judge's staff (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

Dec. 1, 2004

Dec. 1, 2004

Case Details

State / Territory: Illinois

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 10, 2003

Closing Date: 2004

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers.

Plaintiff Type(s):

EEOC Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

EEOC

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

American Bottling Company (Northlake, IL), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Monetary Relief

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Damages

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Amount Defendant Pays: 80000

Order Duration: 2004 - 2006

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Monitoring

Issues

General:

Pattern or Practice

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits