On March 2, 2001, African-American Sunoco employees in the Philadelphia area filed a complaint against Sunoco Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging racial discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000e) and the ...
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On March 2, 2001, African-American Sunoco employees in the Philadelphia area filed a complaint against Sunoco Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging racial discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000e) and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (42 U.S.C. § 1981). The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, sought damages for opportunities and pay lost due to racial discrimination. Specifically, the plaintiffs contended that Sunoco had consistently discriminated against African-American employees in hiring and promotions.
On July 11, 2003, the court (Judge Clifford Scott Green) approved certification of a class consisting of all African-American Sunoco employees employed in the Philadelphia area from January 1, 1996 through the present.
On December 3, 2004, Judge Green granted final approval to a class-wide settlement on behalf of approximately 200 current and former Sunoco employees. Sunoco agreed to pay $3.59 million to the class members along with an additional payment of $260,000 to the named representatives of the class. Individual awards ranged from $2,500 to $75,000. Sunoco further agreed to pay $1.5 million in attorneys' fees and $150,000 in costs. The case is now closed.
David Miller - 04/01/2010
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