Case: EEOC v. Coit Services, Inc.

2:02-cv-00668 | U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona

Filed Date: April 11, 2002

Closed Date: Dec. 22, 2006

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The Phoenix Office of the EEOC filed this action in the District Court for the District of Arizona. The Defendant was Coit Services, Inc., a cleaning service for carpet and upholstery. The controversy involved the alleged sexual harassment of the Complainant and subsequent retaliation by refusing to promote her after she made a complaint. The lawsuit was filed in April of 2002 and was eventually resolved by consent decree in December of 2003. The complainant, who intervened in the case, was entitled to a written apology. The company was required to pay the gross sum of $190,000. In addition, employees would be required to attend annual training and the company had to keep documentation regarding discipline for violations, but to not keep documents on employees who file a complaint. The decree was to last for two years.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (6/30/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:02-cv-00668

Docket [PACER]

Dec. 22, 2003

Dec. 22, 2003

Docket
33

2:02-cv-00668

Consent Decree

EEOC v. Coit Services

Dec. 22, 2003

Dec. 22, 2003

Settlement Agreement

2:02-cv-00668

Litigation Settlement Report

EEOC v. Coit Services Inc

No Court

Dec. 22, 2003

Dec. 22, 2003

Press Release

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 29, 2024, 3:04 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT FILED (ESH) (Entered: 04/12/2002)

April 11, 2002

April 11, 2002

2

Party elects assignment of case to district judge ; mag election form ddl satisfied 4/25/02 (MAP) (Entered: 05/02/2002)

April 25, 2002

April 25, 2002

3

MINUTE ORDER that pursuant to Local Rule 1.2(e), a request has been received for a random reassignment of this case to a District Judge FURTHER ORDERED Case reassigned by random draw to Judge Susan R. Bolton All further pleadings shall now list the following COMPLETE case number: CIV-02-668-PHX-SRB (cc: all counsel/SLV/SRB) [3-2] (MAP) (Entered: 05/02/2002)

May 2, 2002

May 2, 2002

4

MOTION to intervene as a pla by Linda L Jones [4-1] (DMT) (Entered: 05/13/2002)

May 9, 2002

May 9, 2002

5

RETURN OF SERVICE EXECUTED summons/complaint upon dft Coit Services Inc on 5/1/02 in Burlingame, CA (DMT) (Entered: 05/20/2002)

May 16, 2002

May 16, 2002

7

Party elects assignment of case to district judge (MAP) (Entered: 05/20/2002)

May 17, 2002

May 17, 2002

8

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton designating action a standard track case; prel scheduling conf set for 9:45 7/22/02 (cc: all counsel) (DMT) (Entered: 06/05/2002)

June 5, 2002

June 5, 2002

9

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton granting motion to intervene as a pla by Linda L Jones [4-1]. Linda Jones to file separate complaint in this action within 30 days of the date this order is filed. (cc: all counsel) (DMT) Modified on 06/07/2002 (Entered: 06/07/2002)

June 7, 2002

June 7, 2002

10

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton ; prel scheduling conf reset for 9:45 7/24/02 . Joint proposed case management pla due 5 days prior to scheduling conference (cc: all counsel) (DMT) (Entered: 06/19/2002)

June 19, 2002

June 19, 2002

11

COMPLAINT of Intervenor Linda L Jones FILED (DMT) (Entered: 07/09/2002)

July 5, 2002

July 5, 2002

12

ANSWER to intervention complaint [11-1] by dft Coit Services Inc (MAP) (Entered: 07/16/2002)

July 15, 2002

July 15, 2002

13

JOINT PROPOSED CASE MGT PLAN (former emp) (Entered: 07/18/2002)

July 17, 2002

July 17, 2002

14

MINUTE ENTRY before Mag Judge Virginia A. Mathis for Judge Susan R. Bolton. Crt Rptr: Kristen Bethel. Appearances: Ralph Chamness for pla; John Ogden for dft. Preliminary scheduling conference held. The Court enters the following deadlines: discovery ddl set for 5/2/03; dispositive motions due 6/6/03; motions in limine to be filed by 10/13/03 w/ Responses due 10/22/03 - no Reply; PTO ddl set for 10/20/03. IT IS ORDERED setting Pretrial conference on 10/27/03 at 10:00 a.m. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED setting jury trial on 11/12/03 at 9:00 a.m. Estimated length: 10 to 14 days. Rule 16 Scheduling Order to follow. A copy of the Joint Proposed Pretrial Order provided to counsel this date. [cc: SRB] [14-2] (MAW) (Entered: 07/24/2002)

July 24, 2002

July 24, 2002

15

ORDER by Magistrate Judge Virginia A Mathis for Judge Susan R. Bolton ; discovery ddl set for 5/2/03 ; dispositive motions due 6/6/03 ; PTO ddl set for 10/20/03 ; Pretrial conference set for 10:00 10/27/03 ; trial set for 9:00 11/12/03 (cc: all counsel) (DMT) (Entered: 07/25/2002)

July 25, 2002

July 25, 2002

16

NOTICE of compliance of initial disclosure statement pursuant to FRCivP 26(a) by pla (DMT) (Entered: 08/27/2002)

Aug. 23, 2002

Aug. 23, 2002

17

NOTICE of compliance of initial disclosure statement pursuant to FRCivP 26(a) by dft (DMT) (Entered: 09/13/2002)

Sept. 10, 2002

Sept. 10, 2002

18

NOTICE of service of discovery by dft Coit Services Inc . (DMT) (Entered: 09/18/2002)

Sept. 17, 2002

Sept. 17, 2002

19

NOTICE of compliance of first supplemental disclosure statement pursuant to FRCivP 26(a) by dft Coit Services Inc (DMT) (Entered: 09/26/2002)

Sept. 24, 2002

Sept. 24, 2002

20

STIPULATION for Extension of Time until 11/1/02 for Linda Jones, intervening plaintiff, to File Objections or to Respond to Discovery Requests by pla, dft, intervenor-plaintiff (SAT) (Entered: 10/23/2002)

Oct. 21, 2002

Oct. 21, 2002

21

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton granting Stipulation for Extension of Time until 11/1/02 for Linda Jones, intervening plaintiff, to File Objections or to Respond to Discovery Requests by pla, dft, intervenor- plaintiff [20-1] (cc: all counsel) (SAT) (Entered: 10/23/2002)

Oct. 23, 2002

Oct. 23, 2002

22

NOTICE of service of discovery by dft Coit Services Inc serving; First Request for Production of Documents and First Set of Interrogatories. (KMG) (Entered: 11/08/2002)

Nov. 4, 2002

Nov. 4, 2002

23

NOTICE by intervenor-plaintiff Linda L Jones of service responses to defendant's first request for production of documents (TCA) (Entered: 11/13/2002)

Nov. 7, 2002

Nov. 7, 2002

24

NOTICE of service of first request for production of documents (discovery) by pla on 11/21/02. (former emp) (Entered: 11/26/2002)

Nov. 22, 2002

Nov. 22, 2002

25

NOTICE of service of EEOC's response to dft's first request for production of documents on 12/9/02 (discovery) by pla EEOC. (former emp) (Entered: 12/12/2002)

Dec. 11, 2002

Dec. 11, 2002

26

MOTION to extend all scheduled dates for a period of 90 days by pla, dft, intervenor-plaintiff [26-1] (CMM) (Entered: 03/03/2003)

Feb. 27, 2003

Feb. 27, 2003

27

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton granting motion to extend all scheduled dates for a period of 90 days by pla, dft, intervenor-plaintiff [26-1] ; discovery ddl reset for 8/1/03 ; dispositive motions now due 9/5/03 ; PTO ddl reset for 3/22/04 Pretrial conference reset for 10:00 3/29/04 ; jury trial reset for 9:00 4/13/04 (cc: all counsel) (CMM) (Entered: 03/10/2003)

March 10, 2003

March 10, 2003

28

STIPULATION to extend time to respond to discovery by pla EEOC, dft Coit Services Inc (MAP) (Entered: 05/05/2003)

April 30, 2003

April 30, 2003

29

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton granting stipulation to extend time to respond to discovery by pla EEOC, dft Coit Services Inc - to and including 5/14/03 (cc: all counsel) (CMM) (Entered: 05/16/2003)

May 16, 2003

May 16, 2003

30

JOINT MOTION to extend discovery and dispositive motion deadlines for a period of 60 days by pla, dft, movant [30-1] (CMM) (Entered: 08/01/2003)

July 29, 2003

July 29, 2003

31

ORDER by Judge Susan R. Bolton granting motion to extend discovery and dispositive motion deadlines for a period of 60 days by pla, dft, movant [30-1] ; discovery ddl reset for 10/1/03; dispositive motions now due 11/1/03; PTO ddl reset for 3/22/04; Final Pretrial conference reset for 10:00 3/29/04 ; jury trial reset for 9:00 4/13/04 (cc: all counsel) (CMM) (Entered: 08/05/2003)

Aug. 5, 2003

Aug. 5, 2003

33

CONSENT JUDGMENT by Judge Susan R. Bolton: to dismiss case ; ORDERED ADJUDGED AND DECREED: 1) this decree resolves all claims of the Commission, Intervenor Linda L Jones, and all potential class members against dft Coit, including back pay, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, interest, injunctive relief, attorney's fees and costs; Coit Services Inc and its officers, agents, employee, successors, assigns and all persons in active concert or participation with it, both at the time that this decree becomes effective and for the duration of this decree, are permanently enjoined for the duration of the decree from (a) discriminating against or sexually harassing any employee; (b) retaliating against any employee because he or she: (i) opposes or opposed discriminatory practices made unlawful by Title VII; (ii) files or filed a charge of discrimination or is assisting or has assisted or participated or is participating in the filing of a charge of discrimination; or (iii) assists, assisted, particpates or participated in an investigation or proceeding brought under Title VII; without admitting liability, Coit Services shall pay the gross sum of $190,000.00....; Coit shall provide Ms Jones with the written apology attached as exhibit A; Coit shall carry out policies and practices that help assure a work environment free from sexual harassment and that allows employees to raise concerns or complaints without retaliation about matters made unlawful by Title VII; Coit shall post, for the duration of this decree, in a prominent place frequented by its employees at its facility located in Phoenix, AZ....; Cout shall provide training to the employees, supervisors and managers of its store in Phoenix, AZ on gender discrimination and retaliation....; Coit shall promptly and appropriately investigate all complaints of sexual harassment by employees of its store in Phoenix, AZ; Coin shall not retain documents related to the investigation in the personnel file of any employee who complains of harassment; Coit shall report in writing to the Regional Attorney...beginning 6 mos from the date of the entry of this decree and thereafter every 6 mos for the duration of the decree....; the Commission shall have the right to enter and inspect Coit's premises...upon 10 days written notice to Coit's counsel, Mark Ogden of Littler Mendelson in Phoenix, to ensure compliance with this decree and Title VII's prohibition of sexual harassment and retaliation; the parties shall each bear their own costs... and shall bear their own attorneys' fees; the duration of this consent decree shall be 2 years from its entry (cc: all counsel/jgm drawer) (LAD) (Entered: 12/22/2003)

Dec. 22, 2003

Dec. 22, 2003

Case Details

State / Territory: Arizona

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 11, 2002

Closing Date: Dec. 22, 2006

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

EEOC on behalf of female employees claiming sex harassment and retaliation.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

EEOC Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

EEOC

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Coit Services, Inc. (Phoenix, AZ), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

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: 190000

Order Duration: 2003 - 2005

Content of Injunction:

Apology

Discrimination Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Implement complaint/dispute resolution process

Issues

General:

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Promotion

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits

Private Party intervened in EEOC suit