Case: EEOC v. MERCHANTILE THRIFT /VALUE VILLAGE

4:02-cv-01348 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Filed Date: April 16, 2002

Closed Date: Oct. 2, 2003

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The Houston District Office of the EEOC filed this suit against Mercantile Thrift Stores Inc., who own and operate Value Villages, in April of 2002, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The basis of the suit was discrimination against African-Americans in their hiring process in addition to retaliation against one of the complainants. From the docket it appears that the case proceeded rather slowly and without any major events. Eventually the parties settled the cas…

The Houston District Office of the EEOC filed this suit against Mercantile Thrift Stores Inc., who own and operate Value Villages, in April of 2002, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The basis of the suit was discrimination against African-Americans in their hiring process in addition to retaliation against one of the complainants. From the docket it appears that the case proceeded rather slowly and without any major events. Eventually the parties settled the case.

The settlement included injunctive relief as well as monetary relief. The class of complainants were to be given preferential hiring treatment which included being the first people offered entry level jobs, and a piece of the $100,000 placed in an escrow fund. Also notice of Title VII rights were to be posted in all Value Village Stores and the defendant was to keep records of African-American applications. The $100,000 in damages was to be paid mostly to the victim of the retaliation, and then the remainder to be split up as deemed appropriate by the EEOC.

Summary Authors

Alex Bean (6/4/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

4:02-cv-01348

Docket [PACER]

EEOC v. Mercantile Thrift

Oct. 2, 2003

Oct. 2, 2003

Docket
4

4:02-cv-01348

Memorandum Order

EEOC v. Mercantile Thrift

May 1, 2002

May 1, 2002

Order/Opinion
13

4:02-cv-01348

Agreed Order

EEOC v. Mercantile Thrift

Oct. 3, 2003

Oct. 3, 2003

Order/Opinion

Resources

Docket

Last updated Feb. 15, 2024, 3:03 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT by EEOC filed; (bchurchill) (Entered: 04/16/2002)

April 16, 2002

April 16, 2002

2

Order setting Initial Pretrial and Scheduling Conference on 1:30 9/6/02 before Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore and Order to Disclose Interested Persons, filed. ( Signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) Parties notified. (bchurchill) (Entered: 04/16/2002)

April 16, 2002

April 16, 2002

1 SUMMONS issued for Mercantile Thrift (bchurchill) (Entered: 04/16/2002)

April 16, 2002

April 16, 2002

4

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER Regarding Discovery, Motions, Motions for Summary Judgment and Analogous Motions to Dismiss , entered. Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) (hlerma) (Entered: 05/01/2002)

April 30, 2002

April 30, 2002

5

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT by EEOC, (Answer due 7/20/02 for Mercantile Thrift ) amending [1-1] complaint; no new ptys added, filed. (fmremp) (Entered: 07/10/2002)

July 10, 2002

July 10, 2002

6

ANSWER by Deft Mercantile Thrift (Added attorney V Scott Kneese) to Pltf's amended complaint, filed. (sjones) (Entered: 07/16/2002)

July 15, 2002

July 15, 2002

7

CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTED PARTIES by Mercantile Thrift , filed. (hlerma) (Entered: 08/15/2002)

Aug. 14, 2002

Aug. 14, 2002

8

JOINT DISCOVERY/Case Management Plan by EEOC, Mercantile Thrift , filed. (kprice) (Entered: 08/23/2002)

Aug. 23, 2002

Aug. 23, 2002

9

Minute entry: Scheduling conference held. Apps: T Browne, C James f/pltf, L Carter f/deft. terminated deadlines Scheduling order entered. Ct Reporter: Bruce Slavin . (amaly) (Entered: 09/12/2002)

Sept. 6, 2002

Sept. 6, 2002

10

SCHEDULING ORDER setting Amending of pleadings 11/1/02 ; Joining of parties 11/1/02 ; Pltf expert witness list submitted by 5/1/03 ; Deft expert witness list submitted by 6/1/03 ; Discovery cutoff 9/1/03 ; Deadline for filing all dispositive motions 10/1/03 ; Deadline for filing non-dispositive motions 10/1/03 ; Deft shall supply pltf with a final version of its pretrial order by 12/16/03; Pretrial order to be submitted on or before 12/19/03 ; Docket call deadline 1:30 12/26/03, entered. Parties notified. Trial Term: January 2004. ETT: 5 days; jury. ( Signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) (ltien) (Entered: 09/13/2002)

Sept. 13, 2002

Sept. 13, 2002

11

JOINT MOTION for agreed protective order by EEOC, Mercantile Thrift , filed (amaly) (Entered: 04/17/2003)

April 16, 2003

April 16, 2003

12

AGREED PROTECTIVE ORDER , entered. Parties ntfd. ( Signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) (amaly) (Entered: 04/22/2003)

April 21, 2003

April 21, 2003

13

AGREED ORDER , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) (amaly) (Entered: 10/03/2003)

Oct. 1, 2003

Oct. 1, 2003

14

FINAL JUDGMENT , entered. This action is dismissed. Parties ntfd. ( signed by Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ) (amaly) (Entered: 10/03/2003)

Oct. 1, 2003

Oct. 1, 2003

Case closed (amaly) (Entered: 10/03/2003)

Oct. 2, 2003

Oct. 2, 2003

Case Details

State / Territory: Texas

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 16, 2002

Closing Date: Oct. 2, 2003

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

Mercantile Thrift Stores Inc. (Houston), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

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:

Voluntary Dismissal

Amount Defendant Pays: 100000

Content of Injunction:

Follow recruitment, hiring, or promotion protocols

Comply with advertising/recruiting requirements

Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Issues

General:

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Hiring

Promotion

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits