Case: EEOC v. Regal-Beloit Corporation

1:04-cv-02706 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: April 15, 2004

Closed Date: Dec. 13, 2004

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Case Summary

In April 2004, the Chicago office of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against the Regal-Beloit Corporation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleged that the defendant discriminated against the claimant by subjecting him and other employees to racial (black) and national origin (Hispanic and Polish) harassment and discharging the claimant because of his involvement with an investigation of a complaint of harassment. The case settled during a s…

In April 2004, the Chicago office of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against the Regal-Beloit Corporation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleged that the defendant discriminated against the claimant by subjecting him and other employees to racial (black) and national origin (Hispanic and Polish) harassment and discharging the claimant because of his involvement with an investigation of a complaint of harassment. The case settled during a settlement conference, and the court entered a consent decree in December 2004.

The two year consent decree required the defendant to refrain from discrimination and retaliation, pay the claimants $50,000, post notice, keep record of complaints of racial/national origin harassment complaints, allow the EEOC to review its compliance, give the EEOC reports every six months on any complaints of racial/national origin harassment, and provide training for all employees on racial harassment and the prevention of such harassment.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (7/25/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:04-cv-02706

Docket

EEOC v. Regal-Beloit Corp.

Dec. 13, 2004

Dec. 13, 2004

Docket
1

1:04-cv-02706

Complaint

April 15, 2004

April 15, 2004

Complaint
17

1:04-cv-02706

Consent Decree

Dec. 13, 2004

Dec. 13, 2004

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated Jan. 27, 2024, 3:27 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT; jury demand - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of John C. Hendrickson, Gregory M. Gochanour, Ethan M.M. Cohen as attorney(s) for plaintiff EEOC ( No summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3). (jmp) (Entered: 04/15/2004)

April 15, 2004

April 15, 2004

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SCHEDULE set on 4/23/04 by Hon. Rebecca R. Pallmeyer : Status hearing set before Judge Pallmeyer for 9:00 on 6/16/04, courtroom 2119. Mailed notice (etv) (Entered: 04/23/2004)

April 23, 2004

April 23, 2004

2

WAIVER of service of summons as to defendant Regal-Beloit Corp sent on 04/16/04. (jmp) (Entered: 05/11/2004)

May 5, 2004

May 5, 2004

3

WAIVER of service of summons as to defendant Regal-Beloit Corp sent on 04/16/04. (jmp) (Entered: 05/18/2004)

May 17, 2004

May 17, 2004

4

ANSWER by defendant to complaint [1-1]. (gcy) (Entered: 06/15/2004)

June 9, 2004

June 9, 2004

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5

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT by defendant. (gcy) (Entered: 06/15/2004)

June 9, 2004

June 9, 2004

6

REFERRAL ORDER: Case referred to Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown for settlement conference. Mailed notice. (etv) (Entered: 06/16/2004)

June 16, 2004

June 16, 2004

7

MINUTE ORDER of 6/18/04 by Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown : This matter having been referred to Magistrate Judge Brown for a settlement conference, an initial status hearing is set before Magistrate Judge Brown at 9:00 a.m. on 07/15/04 in courtroom 1812 for the purpose of setting a date for the settlement conference. Counsel for parties shall review the enclosed Standing Order for settlement conference before appearing for the initial status hearing. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 06/21/2004)

June 18, 2004

June 18, 2004

8

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant Regal-Beloit Corp by Jeffrey Paul Clark, Robert K. Sholl and George N. Vurdelja Jr.; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 06/22/2004)

June 21, 2004

June 21, 2004

9

JOINT STATUS REPORT by parties to Magistrate Judge. (lc) (Entered: 07/14/2004)

July 12, 2004

July 12, 2004

10

MINUTE ORDER of 7/15/04 by Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown : Status hearing held. Settlement conference set for 11/04/04 at 1:30 p.m. Plaintiff shall serve its settlement letter on defendant pursuant to paragraph one of this Court's standing order for settlement conference by 09/30/04. Defendant shall serve its responsive letter to plaintiff's demand letter by 10/14/04. Plaintiff's counsel shall fax or deliver copies of the letters to this Court's chambers by 10/28/04. Notices mailed by judge's staff (hp) (Entered: 07/16/2004)

July 15, 2004

July 15, 2004

11

NOTICE by plaintiff EEOC of filing of original signature page of George N. Vurdelja, Jr. to joint status report (Attachment). (jmp) Modified on 07/26/2004 (Entered: 07/26/2004)

July 19, 2004

July 19, 2004

12

MINUTE ORDER of 9/15/04 by Hon. Rebecca R. Pallmeyer : Status hearing held and continued to 11/18/04 at 9:00 a.m. Parties to review with Magistrate Judge Brown the question of whether medical discovery is required prior to settlement conference. Mailed notice (rmm) (Entered: 09/16/2004)

Sept. 15, 2004

Sept. 15, 2004

15

CONSENT by defendant to exercise of jurisdiction by a United States Magistrate Judge. (rbf) (Entered: 11/10/2004)

Nov. 4, 2004

Nov. 4, 2004

13

MINUTE ORDER of 11/4/04 by Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown : Settlement conference held at which a binding settlement agreement was reached. Status hearing set for 9:45 a.m. on 12/02/2004. If the consent decree has been entered prior to the status hearing, the status will be cancelled and counsel will not be required to appear. Mailed notice by judge's staff (jmp) (Entered: 11/08/2004)

Nov. 4, 2004

Nov. 4, 2004

14

CONSENT by plaintiff to exercise of jurisdiction by a United States Magistrate Judge. (rbf) (Entered: 11/10/2004)

Nov. 4, 2004

Nov. 4, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 11/5/04 by Hon. Rebecca R. Pallmeyer : Status hearing set for 11/18/04 is stricken. Mailed notice (etv) (Entered: 11/05/2004)

Nov. 5, 2004

Nov. 5, 2004

16

REASSIGNMENT ORDER of 11/10/04 This case is reassigned to the Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown from the Hon. Rebecca R. Pallmeyer pursuant to General Local Rule 73.1 Terminating the case referral to Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown (For further details see order). Mailed notice (rbf) (Entered: 11/10/2004)

Nov. 10, 2004

Nov. 10, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 11/30/04 by Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown : At the parties' request, status hearing reset to 9:45 12/10/04 . Mailed notice (gmr) (Entered: 11/30/2004)

Nov. 30, 2004

Nov. 30, 2004

17

MINUTE ORDER of 12/13/04 by Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown: The parties having reached a binding settlement agreement, this case is dismissed with prejudice, with the Court to retain jurisdiction to enforce the Consent Decree for a period of two (2) years from the entry of the Consent Decree. Terminate case. (Entered consent decree (Attachment.)) (Entered notice to all regal employees.) Notices mailed by judge's staff (rmm) Modified on 12/15/2004 (Entered: 12/15/2004)

Dec. 13, 2004

Dec. 13, 2004

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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: April 15, 2004

Closing Date: Dec. 13, 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

Regal-Beloit Corporation (Chicago, 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: 50000

Order Duration: 2004 - 2006

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Monitoring

Issues

General:

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination-basis:

National origin discrimination

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits

National Origin/Ethnicity:

Indian