Filed Date: Sept. 15, 1998
Closed Date: Nov. 7, 2000
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During the period from at least 1988 until January 1, 1994, five female janitors who worked in the School City of East Chicago, a school district in Northern Indiana, were assigned to and allowed by the school district to work only seven hour shifts, while their male counterparts were assigned and allowed to work eight hour shifts. The female janitors lost hourly earnings due to the school district's practice of limiting their hours. The five female janitors then filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq. The EEOC investigated the charges and found reasonable cause to believe the Title VII allegations were true. After unsuccessful attempts to conciliate the matter, the EEOC referred the charges to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
On September 15, 1998, the DOJ reached an agreement with the school district and filed a complaint against it in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana under Title VII on the same day. In the complaint, the DOJ sought an injunction prohibiting the school district from engaging in its discriminatory practice as well as compensatory backpay for female janitors who were adversely affected by such practice. This was the sixth case filed by the DOJ since 1993, alleging that women had not been given equal access to higher paying custodial jobs in public schools.
According to a DOJ press release, under the agreement, the school district would create a fund of $250,000 to compensate all female janitors who lost money as a result of its sex discrimination regarding working hours. Furthermore, the school district agreed to pay the attorneys' fees for the five female janitors.
Even though we had little information about any injunctive relief, it is highly likely that the agreement contained the relief sought in the complaint, requiring an end to the school district's discriminatory practice in question. On September 24, 1998, the District Court (Judge James T. Moody) issued a consent decree, and approved the DOJ's proposed monetary relief determinations on August 16, 1999. This ended the case.
Summary Authors
Emma Bao (8/9/2013)
Davilo, Carol (Indiana)
DeGuilio, Jon E. (District of Columbia)
Fenton, William B. (District of Columbia)
Lee, Bill Lann (District of Columbia)
Balanoff, James (Indiana)
Moody, James Tyne (Indiana)
Last updated March 20, 2024, 3:17 a.m.
State / Territory: Indiana
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 15, 1998
Closing Date: Nov. 7, 2000
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Five female janitors who were assigned and allowed to work shifts of fewer hours than their males counterparts by their employer, a school district in Northern Indiana.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
School City of East Chicago (East Chicago, Lake), School District
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Amount Defendant Pays: $250,000 + attys' fees
Order Duration: 1998 - None
Content of Injunction:
Issues
Discrimination-area:
Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)
Discrimination-basis:
Affected Sex or Gender: