Case: EEOC v. Pallett Companies

1:16-cv-00595 | U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Filed Date: March 1, 2016

Closed Date: 2018

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On March 1, 2016, the EEOC filed this lawsuit under Title VII and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 against Pallet Companies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The complaint was filed on behalf of a female employee who alleged she had been unlawfully discharged on the basis of sexual orientation when she tried to file a complaint about sexual harassment. The EEOC sought monetary and injunctive relief.The complaint alleged that, in 2014, the employee was sexually hara…

On March 1, 2016, the EEOC filed this lawsuit under Title VII and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 against Pallet Companies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The complaint was filed on behalf of a female employee who alleged she had been unlawfully discharged on the basis of sexual orientation when she tried to file a complaint about sexual harassment. The EEOC sought monetary and injunctive relief.

The complaint alleged that, in 2014, the employee was sexually harassed by her supervisor regarding her sexual orientation as a lesbian. She filed a complaint about the harassment to Human Resources through the employee hotline. A Human Resources representative asked her to resign from her position. When she refused, she was discharged.

The parties immediately entered settlement discussions, and quickly came to an agreement. On June 28, 2016, Judge Catherine C. Blake approved the parties' joint consent decree. The remedy included a payment of $182,2000 to the employee, which covered $7,200 in back pay with interest and $175,000 in compensatory damages. Pallet Companies was also ordered to contribute $10,000 annually to the Human Rights Campaign for two years. In addition, the consent decree ordered the defendant to implement policies on sexual orientation and no retaliation. The agreement specified training, monitoring, and notice and posting standards for Pallet Companies to meet.

The decree provided that the court would retain jurisdiction over this matter and the parties for two years, until June 28, 2018.

The two years of enforcement passed without any further litigation, and the case is now closed.

Summary Authors

Susie Choi (1/22/2017)

Michael Beech (3/23/2019)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4287683/parties/us-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-pallet-companies/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Adams, Raechel (Maryland)

Akhavan, Nakkisa (Maryland)

Altmeyer, Helen Campbell (Maryland)

Anderson, Suzanne M (Maryland)

Andre, Beatriz Biscardi (Maryland)

Attorney for Defendant
Judge(s)

Blake, Catherine C. (Maryland)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Adams, Raechel (Maryland)

Akhavan, Nakkisa (Maryland)

Altmeyer, Helen Campbell (Maryland)

Anderson, Suzanne M (Maryland)

Andre, Beatriz Biscardi (Maryland)

Antanaitis, Claudia (Maryland)

Arendes, Jennifer L. (Maryland)

AUSA, AUSA (Maryland)

Backhaus, William C (Maryland)

Bannon, Jeffrey C (Maryland)

Baran, Andrea G. (Maryland)

Bean, Julie Steptoe (Maryland)

Berwick, Meredith (Maryland)

Biscardi, Beatriz (Maryland)

Blackman, Amos Ben (Maryland)

Boulton, Jennifer L (Maryland)

Bunch, Kelly J (Maryland)

Burstein, Jeffrey (Maryland)

Butler, Michelle T (Maryland)

Byrd, Mildred (Maryland)

Calhoun, June Wallace (Maryland)

Canino, Robert A. (Maryland)

Carrillo, Gina Erin (Maryland)

Che, May R (Maryland)

Cheung, Raymond T. (Maryland)

Chicago, AUSA - (Maryland)

Chien, Marsha Jade (Maryland)

Chukwu, Chioma Ifeyinwa (Maryland)

Clark, Joel Philip (Maryland)

Cohen, Ethan M.M. (Maryland)

Cole, Holly Waldron (Maryland)

Coleman, Charles Franklin (Maryland)

Connor, Patrick M. (Maryland)

Cooper, Ronald S (Maryland)

Costas, Toby W (Maryland)

Cowart, Dylan T. (Maryland)

Curtin, Nora E. (Maryland)

Davis, Alexandra V (Maryland)

Davis, Chandra Cain (Maryland)

Dawkins, Robert K. (Maryland)

DeCamp, Aaron R. (Maryland)

Deck, Dayna F. (Maryland)

Denig, Jessica A (Maryland)

DiSavino, Rosemary (Maryland)

Doty, Grant R. (Maryland)

Dreiband, Eric S (Maryland)

Dubey, Devika S (Maryland)

Ebron, Erania (Maryland)

Elkin, Laurie S. (Maryland)

Esparza-Cervantes, Elizabeth (Maryland)

Ezie, Andrea Chinyere (Maryland)

Farrell, Michael J. (Maryland)

Feldman, Laura R. (Maryland)

Fiorito, Bradley S. (Maryland)

Fischer, Kurt S (Maryland)

Flores, Carmen (Maryland)

Fox, Amber Trzinski (Maryland)

Fox, Rosemary J (Maryland)

Garcia, Nechole M (Maryland)

Garcia, Lorena (Maryland)

Garcia-Bautista, Lorena (Maryland)

Gochanour, Gregory M. (Maryland)

Gov, Alysia Desiree (Maryland)

Gov, Samuel Lynn (Maryland)

Gov, James L. (Maryland)

Gov, Gwendolyn Young (Maryland)

Gov, Gerald L. (Maryland)

Gov, C. Emanuel (Maryland)

Gov, Marsha Lynn (Maryland)

Gov, Christopher Woolley-Federal (Maryland)

Gov, P. David (Maryland)

GOVT, Michael J. (Maryland)

GOVT, Rumduol Vuong (Maryland)

Graham, John Mark (Maryland)

Graziano, Louis (Maryland)

Griffiths, Nancy (Maryland)

Grossman, Elizabeth (Maryland)

Guerrier, Charles Edward (Maryland)

Gusewelle, Anne E. (Maryland)

Hamilton, Deborah Lois (Maryland)

Healy, Teri L. (Maryland)

Hendrickson, John C. (Maryland)

Henry, Ann Marie (Maryland)

Hernandez, Lisa H. (Maryland)

Hernandez, Evangelina Fierro (Maryland)

Hill, Keith T. (Maryland)

Holman, Patrick J (Maryland)

Horn, Stephen M. (Maryland)

Hulett, Denise Marie (Maryland)

Igoe, Carol (Maryland)

Isenhart, Jessi (Maryland)

Jauregui, Juan Carlos (Maryland)

Johnson, Dana C. (Maryland)

Jones, Anica C. (Maryland)

Jr, Robert A (Maryland)

Juarez, Edward (Maryland)

Juge, Gregory T. (Maryland)

Kamp, Jean P. (Maryland)

Kelleher, Lauren J (Maryland)

Kennedy, Melvin D. (Maryland)

Kiel, Gerald S (Maryland)

Kingsley, Andrew Burke (Maryland)

Kinne, Paul A. (Maryland)

Kittle, Rita Byrnes (Maryland)

Laura, Peter F. (Maryland)

Lawrence, Debra Michele (Maryland)

Laws, Keyana C. (Maryland)

Lee, Damien Anthony (Maryland)

Lee, James L. (District of Columbia)

Lee, Jeff A (Maryland)

Lee, Jeffrey A. (Maryland)

Lepak, Thomas Scott (Maryland)

Li, Derek W (Maryland)

Liem, Connie K (Maryland)

Linehan, Katie N. (Maryland)

Lopez, P. David (District of Columbia)

Mallik, Amrita (Maryland)

Marino, Stephanie (Maryland)

McBride, Dennis Raymond (Maryland)

McClinton, Gregory L. (Maryland)

McCoy-Cruz, Kimberly A. (Maryland)

Miller, Gerald L (Maryland)

Mitchell, Marcia L. (Maryland)

Molina, Claudia M (Maryland)

Monahan, Camille A (Maryland)

Morocco, Maria Luisa (Maryland)

Mrizek, Richard John (Maryland)

Mulaire, Justin (Maryland)

Murray, Steven Lee (Maryland)

Murray, Gregory A. (Maryland)

Naccarato, Elizabeth A (Maryland)

Nardecchia, Natalie (Maryland)

Navarre-Davis, Alexandra V (Maryland)

Neary, Kathleen M. (Maryland)

Nodler, Heather (Maryland)

Noh, Sue J. (Maryland)

Northrup, Kate (Maryland)

Nyfeler, Suzanne L. (Maryland)

O'Brien, Michael J. (Maryland)

Offen-Brown, David F. (Maryland)

Oliver, Renay Michelle (Maryland)

Oppenheim, Harriett F (Maryland)

Oram, Kathleen (Maryland)

Ordonio-Dixon, Linda Susan (Maryland)

Palmer-Denig, Jessica A (Maryland)

Park, Anna Y (Maryland)

Parker, Russell P (Maryland)

Pearson, Gina Elaine (Maryland)

Peck, Jonathan T. (Maryland)

Peral, Cesar J (Maryland)

Peters, Kirsten J. (Maryland)

Peterson, Melanie M. (Maryland)

Phillips, Ronald L. (Maryland)

Pladson, Nicholas J (Maryland)

Pope, Larry Eugene (Maryland)

Reams, Gwendolyn Young (District of Columbia)

Riccardi, Sebastian Daniel (Maryland)

Rice, Liane Tai (Maryland)

Rivera, Jadhira Virginia (Maryland)

Robertson, Michelle M (Maryland)

Rose, Robert D. (Maryland)

Rucker, Marsha Lynn (Maryland)

Sacher, James Philip (Maryland)

Salacuse, Maria (Maryland)

Sanghvi, Ami (Maryland)

Schmitt, Suzanne Julia (Maryland)

Seely, Barbara A (Maryland)

Sellers, Catherine N. (Maryland)

Shultz, Miles (Maryland)

Smason, Diane Ilene (Maryland)

Smith, C Emanuel (Maryland)

Stanley, John F. (Maryland)

Staudt, David J. (Maryland)

Steele, Roberta (Maryland)

Steenbergh, Rachael S. (Maryland)

Stewart, Ronald S (Maryland)

Stith, Rebecca S. (Maryland)

Sustaita, Rodolfo Lucio (Maryland)

Sustaita, Rudy Lucio (Maryland)

Szromba, Jeanne B. (Maryland)

Tamayo, William Robert (Maryland)

Thanasombat, Sirithon (Maryland)

Thompson, Eric Stephen (Maryland)

Thornton, Lillian M. (Maryland)

Tomlinson, Robert F (Maryland)

Tyndall, Brian C (Maryland)

Vance, Carrie Noelle (Maryland)

Varma, Maneesh (Maryland)

Vasichek, Laurie A (Maryland)

Viramontes, Victor (Maryland)

Vuong, Rumduol (Maryland)

Waldron, Gordon G. (Maryland)

Walker, Grayson Sang (Maryland)

Weisberg, Robert E. (Maryland)

Welsh, Blaine T (Maryland)

White, Lindsey Anne (Maryland)

Whitehead, Jamal N (Maryland)

Yau, Eric (Maryland)

Zimmerman, Katherine Abigail (Maryland)

Zugerman, Joshua E. (Maryland)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:16-cv-00595

Docket [PACER]

EEOC v. Pallet Companies

June 28, 2016

June 28, 2016

Docket
1

1:16-cv-00595

Complaint

EEOC v. Pallet Companies

March 1, 2016

March 1, 2016

Complaint
9

1:16-cv-00595

Consent Decree

June 28, 2016

June 28, 2016

Order/Opinion

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4287683/us-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-pallet-companies/

Last updated Feb. 12, 2024, 3:01 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against Pallet Companies d/b/a IFCO Systems NA, Inc., filed by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(Fox, Amber) (Entered: 03/01/2016)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

March 1, 2016

March 1, 2016

RECAP
2

REQUEST FOR WAIVER of Service sent to Marc Antonetti, Esq. on 03/01/2016 by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Waiver of Service due by 4/1/2016. (Fox, Amber) (Entered: 03/01/2016)

March 1, 2016

March 1, 2016

PACER
3

WAIVER OF SERVICE Executed by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Pallet Companies served on 3/1/2016, answer due 5/2/2016. (Fox, Amber) Modified on 3/18/2016 (dass, Deputy Clerk). (Entered: 03/17/2016)

March 17, 2016

March 17, 2016

PACER
4

Joint MOTION to Stay and Incorporated Memorandum of Law by Pallet Companies Responses due by 5/2/2016 (Scully, Elizabeth) (Entered: 04/14/2016)

April 14, 2016

April 14, 2016

PACER
5

Marginal ORDER GRANTING 4 Motion to Stay. Status Report due 7/5/16. Signed by Chief Judge Catherine C. Blake on 4/14/2016. (hmls, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 04/15/2016)

April 15, 2016

April 15, 2016

PACER
6

MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Kevin W. Shaughnessy ( Filing fee $ 50, receipt number 0416-6070939.) by Pallet Companies (Scully, Elizabeth) (Entered: 06/13/2016)

June 13, 2016

June 13, 2016

PACER
7

PAPERLESS ORDER granting 6 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Kevin W Shaughnessy. Directing attorney Kevin W Shaughnessy to register online for CM/ECF at https://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/attyregB/inputProHac.asp. Signed by Clerk on 6/15/2016. (srd, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 06/15/2016)

June 15, 2016

June 15, 2016

PACER
8

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT /CONSENT DECREE by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Fox, Amber) (Entered: 06/23/2016)

1 Exhibit A

View on PACER

June 23, 2016

June 23, 2016

PACER
9

CONSENT DECREE and approval. Signed by Chief Judge Catherine C. Blake on 6/28/2016. (dass, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 06/28/2016)

June 28, 2016

June 28, 2016

Case Details

State / Territory: Maryland

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 1, 2016

Closing Date: 2018

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

EEOC, on behalf of a LGBT employee

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

Pallet Companies, 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: 202,000

Order Duration: 2016 - 2018

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Monitoring

Training

Issues

General:

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

LGBTQ+:

LGBTQ+

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Sexual orientation

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits