Filed Date: Dec. 3, 1999
Closed Date: April 22, 2006
Clearinghouse coding complete
On December 3, 1999, a female employee of the Northshore Mining Company filed a class action complaint under both Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et. seq., and the Minnesota Human Rights Act ("MHRA"), Minn. Stat. § 363.01 et. seq. against the Minnesota corporation Northshore Mining Company in the United States District Court of the District of Minnesota.
The plaintiff, represented by private counsel, asked the court for both monetary damages and injunctive relief, charging the Company with discriminating against women in terms of training, promotions and overtime pay. The plaintiffs claimed through expert statistical analysis that between 1994 and 2000, female hourly workers at Northshore on average received $2,920 less regular pay and $821 less overtime pay than their male counterparts. Also, on average it took women longer to receive promotions at Northshore than it did male employees.
During the summer of 2002, the parties briefed and filed motions for class certification and summary judgment. On September 15, 2003, the court (Judge Michael J. Davis) conditionally granted the Plaintiff's Motion for Class Certification. The class was conditionally certified as: All hourly and non-exempt females employed by Northshore Mining Company on or after April 24, 1998, who had been, were being or would be discriminated against with regard to the terms and conditions of their employment because of their gender. Also on that date, Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment was denied.
On February 21, 2006, the court (Judge Davis) issued the Order for Final Approval of Class Settlement. The agreement provided for injunctive and monetary relief, consisting of implementing a variety of changes relating to its training, promotion and job assignment policies, to be effective no later than sixty days after the Final Approval Date. Northshore Mining Company also agreed to pay the sum of $1,300,000.00 to be divided accordingly amongst interested parties. The details of the distribution were specified in the Settlement Agreement.
Summary Authors
Nathaniel Koslof (4/8/2008)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4676688/parties/mathers-v-northshore-mining-co/
Davis, Michael James (Minnesota)
Erickson, Raymond L. (Minnesota)
Mihalek, Joseph J. (Minnesota)
Bray, Kathleen S. (Minnesota)
Davis, Michael James (Minnesota)
Erickson, Raymond L. (Minnesota)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4676688/mathers-v-northshore-mining-co/
Last updated Feb. 23, 2024, 3:17 a.m.
State / Territory: Minnesota
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study
Private Employment Class Actions
Key Dates
Filing Date: Dec. 3, 1999
Closing Date: April 22, 2006
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
All hourly and non-exempt females employed by Northshore Mining Company on or after April 24, 1998, who had been, were being or would be discriminated against with regard to the terms and conditions of their employment because of their gender.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Northshore Mining Company, Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
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: $1,300,000.00
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Utilize objective hiring/promotion criteria
Follow recruitment, hiring, or promotion protocols
Comply with advertising/recruiting requirements
Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)
Discrimination-basis:
Affected Sex or Gender: