Case: EEOC v. Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.

1:99-cv-00884 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Filed Date: June 15, 1999

Closed Date: 2002

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In June 1999, the Indianapolis Office of the EEOC brought this lawsuit against Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc. and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union #'s 1424 and 1048 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. We do not have a copy of the complaint; therefore, the exact allegations involved are unknown. It appears from the consent decree that the EEOC alleged a violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The parties soon settled the lawsuit in August 1999 through a consent decree. This decree required the defendants to: pay $3,550,000 to compensate individuals who were given smaller severance packages than younger employees, create a settlement fund of $7,100,000, to post notice of Anti-Discrimination Policy, and to remove all discriminatory language from their collective bargaining agreement. Complainant Thelma Dalton was added to the settlement in August 2000 following a fairness hearing.

Summary Authors

Keri Livingston (11/13/2007)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10820364/parties/eeoc-v-thomson-consumer-electronics-inc/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

FARNSWORTH, JO ANN (Indiana)

Attorney for Defendant

COPUS, DAVID (Indiana)

JR, EDWARD FILLENWARTH (Indiana)

KING, G (Indiana)

SWIDER, DAVID (Indiana)

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:99-cv-00884

Docket

EEOC v. Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc

Aug. 24, 2000

Aug. 24, 2000

Docket
27

1:99-cv-00884

Consent Decree

EEOC v. Thompson

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10820364/eeoc-v-thomson-consumer-electronics-inc/

Last updated Feb. 22, 2024, 3:10 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
34

LETTER re early out -Rita L. Smith eod 03/13/00 [PE] (Entered: 03/13/2000)

March 13, 1999

March 13, 1999

PACER
1

COMPLAINT eod 06/16/99 [PM] (Entered: 06/16/1999)

June 15, 1999

June 15, 1999

PACER
2

CIVIL COVER SHEET eod 06/16/99 [PM] (Entered: 06/16/1999)

June 15, 1999

June 15, 1999

PACER
3

MAGISTRATE'S NOTICE eod 06/16/99 [PM] (Entered: 06/16/1999)

June 15, 1999

June 15, 1999

PACER
4

SUMMONS issued eod 06/16/99 [PM] (Entered: 06/16/1999)

June 15, 1999

June 15, 1999

PACER
5

MAGISTRATE'S NOTICE -Pltf eod 06/18/99 [PM] (Entered: 06/18/1999)

June 17, 1999

June 17, 1999

PACER
6

NOTICE of initial enlargement of time -cs Defts (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Union Local Nos. 1424 and 1048) eod 07/01/99 [PM] (Entered: 07/01/1999)

July 1, 1999

July 1, 1999

PACER
7

APPEARANCE of Edward J. Fillenwarth, Jr., on behalf of Intern'l brotherhood of electrical workers, union local nos. 1424 and 1048 -cs Deft eod 07/01/99 [PM] (Entered: 07/01/1999)

July 1, 1999

July 1, 1999

PACER
8

MOTION TO ADMIT counsel Pro Hac Vice cs DEFT THOMSON CONSUMER eod 07/08/99 [LMW] (Entered: 07/08/1999)

July 7, 1999

July 7, 1999

PACER
10

APPEARANCE of G Roger King, David Copus, Gregory Guevara, David Swider and Steven Rudolf on behalf of the deft-Thomsom Consumer Electronics c/s eod 07/08/99 [CBU] (Entered: 07/08/1999)

July 7, 1999

July 7, 1999

PACER
11

NOTICE OF PARTIES' FIRST EXTENSION OF TIME for the deft-TCE to and including 8/6/99 to respond to the complt c/s DEFT eod 07/08/99 [CBU] (Entered: 07/08/1999)

July 7, 1999

July 7, 1999

PACER
9

RECEIPT #36146 for Pro Hac Vice $30.00 eod 07/08/99 [LMW] (Entered: 07/08/1999)

July 8, 1999

July 8, 1999

PACER
12

ENTRY grants the admission of G. Roger King and David Copus on behalf of the deft cm JDT eod 07/09/99 [CBU] (Entered: 07/09/1999)

July 8, 1999

July 8, 1999

PACER
13

REQUEST for settlement conference -Parties eod 07/16/99 [PM] (Entered: 07/16/1999)

July 16, 1999

July 16, 1999

PACER
14

ENTRY - Parties shall appear by counsel and in person and shall submit (not file) a confidential statement to the mag judge setting forth their respective settlement positions on or before 8/2/99 c/m crd JPG eod 07/23/99 [SWM] (Entered: 07/23/1999)

July 22, 1999

July 22, 1999

PACER
15

ORDER GRANTS parties joint motion for a settlement conference (See NR. 14) c/m crd JPG eod 08/04/99 [SWM] (Entered: 08/04/1999)

July 29, 1999

July 29, 1999

PACER
16

APPEARANCE (additional) of Andrew M. McNeil on behalf of Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. -cs Deft eod 08/09/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/09/1999)

Aug. 6, 1999

Aug. 6, 1999

PACER
17

NOTICE of anticipated settlement and motion for time -cs Deft (Thomson Consumer Electonics, Inc) eod 08/09/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/09/1999)

Aug. 6, 1999

Aug. 6, 1999

PACER
18

ORDER Approves Deft's Notice of Anticipated Settlement and Motion for Time -cm JDT eod 08/09/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/09/1999)

Aug. 9, 1999

Aug. 9, 1999

PACER
19

RETURN of service by CMRRR dated 07/30/99, Sylvester Baker eod 08/11/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/11/1999)

Aug. 11, 1999

Aug. 11, 1999

PACER
20

RETURN of service by CMRRR dated 07/22/99, William Cook eod 08/11/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/11/1999)

Aug. 11, 1999

Aug. 11, 1999

PACER
21

RETURN of service by CMRRR dated 06/17/99, Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. eod 08/11/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/11/1999)

Aug. 11, 1999

Aug. 11, 1999

PACER
22

MOTION TO AMEND Complaint -cs Pltf eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

PACER
23

Memorandum in support of Pltf's Motion to Amend Complaint -Pltf eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

PACER
24

ORDER Grants Pltf's Motion to Amend Complaint -cm JDT eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

PACER
25

AMENDED COMPLAINT -Pltf eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

PACER
26

Motion (Joint) for Entry of a Consent Decree -Parties eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

PACER
27

CLOSED Judgment Consent -cm JDT OBV 45 PG 639 eod 08/17/99 [PM] (Entered: 08/17/1999)

Aug. 17, 1999

Aug. 17, 1999

Clearinghouse
28

Proposal on the Distribution of Damages and Procedures for Class Member Notification and a Fairness Hr'g -cs Pltf eod 01/20/00 [PE] (Entered: 01/20/2000)

Jan. 14, 2000

Jan. 14, 2000

PACER
29

ORDER Grants Pltf's Proposal. If no objections to the proposed distribution of the damage fund are filed w/in 135 days of the date of this Order, the Commission shall request the Court to issue an order approving the distribution of damages as proposed by the Commission -cm JDT eod 01/20/00 [PE] (Entered: 01/20/2000)

Jan. 20, 2000

Jan. 20, 2000

PACER
30

NOTICE of Correspence from Norman H. Gonterman -cm JDT eod 02/01/00 [PE] (Entered: 02/01/2000)

Jan. 31, 2000

Jan. 31, 2000

PACER
39

LETTER regarding settlement -Wilma Jerrell eod 06/12/00 [PE] (Entered: 06/12/2000)

Feb. 12, 2000

Feb. 12, 2000

PACER
31

NOTICE of correspondence (objection) from Patricia Williams of Bloomington, In. - cm JDT eod 02/15/00 [AP] (Entered: 02/15/2000)

Feb. 15, 2000

Feb. 15, 2000

PACER
32

NOTICE of correspondence (objection) from Kenneth Hays of Bedford, In. eod 03/07/00 [JMC] (Entered: 03/07/2000)

March 6, 2000

March 6, 2000

PACER
33

NOTICE of correspondence from Estel Spinks of Bloomington, IN. eod 03/09/00 [PE] (Entered: 03/09/2000)

March 7, 2000

March 7, 2000

PACER
35

LETTER requesting to be added to settlement -Thelma Dalton eod 03/22/00 [PE] (Entered: 03/22/2000)

March 22, 2000

March 22, 2000

PACER
36

LETTER regarding previous letter of 01/27/00 -cs Norman Gonterman eod 03/23/00 [PE] (Entered: 03/23/2000)

March 23, 2000

March 23, 2000

PACER
37

LETTER regarding settlement -Robert J. Empson eod 05/03/00 [PE] (Entered: 05/03/2000)

May 2, 2000

May 2, 2000

PACER
38

LETTER regarding settlement -Anna Dunning eod 06/06/00 [PE] (Entered: 06/06/2000)

June 5, 2000

June 5, 2000

PACER
40

MEMORANDUM of law in response to objections to proposed distribution plan -cs PLTF eod 06/16/00 [PE] (Entered: 06/16/2000)

June 16, 2000

June 16, 2000

PACER
41

NOTICE ASSIGNS HEARING to 07/28/00 at 10:30AM Room 307 (JDT) c/m eod 06/26/00 [PE] (Entered: 06/26/2000)

June 23, 2000

June 23, 2000

PACER
42

MOTION FOR CONT OF SCHEDULED fairness hearing currently set for 07/28/00 -cs PLTF eod 06/29/00 [PE] (Entered: 06/29/2000)

June 28, 2000

June 28, 2000

PACER
43

ORDER REASSIGNS HEARING to 08/10/00 at 10:00AM Room 307 (JDT) c/m eod 06/29/00 [AP] (Entered: 06/29/2000)

June 29, 2000

June 29, 2000

PACER
44

COURTROOM MINUTES - Hrg held on Fairness Hearing. See Minute Entry - JDT eod 08/10/00 [AP] (Entered: 08/10/2000)

Aug. 10, 2000

Aug. 10, 2000

PACER
45

SUBMISSION of proposed order -cs PLTF eod 08/22/00 [PE] (Entered: 08/22/2000)

Aug. 21, 2000

Aug. 21, 2000

PACER
46

SUBMISSION of revised proposal on the distribution of damages adn damage calculations -cs PLTF eod 08/22/00 [PE] (Entered: 08/22/2000)

Aug. 21, 2000

Aug. 21, 2000

PACER
47

ORDER the court accepts and approves the revised proposal on the distribution of damages which includes Thelma Dalton, submitted by the EEOC on 08/21/00 -cm JDT eod 08/24/00 [PE] (Entered: 08/24/2000)

Aug. 24, 2000

Aug. 24, 2000

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: Indiana

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: June 15, 1999

Closing Date: 2002

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

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Private Entity/Person

Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc., Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621 et seq.

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:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Amount Defendant Pays: 71,100,00

Order Duration: 1999 - 2002

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Monitoring

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discrimination-basis:

Age discrimination

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits