In September 2004, the Tampa and Miami offices of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against Patterson Companies, Inc. and Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The complaint alleged that the defendant subjected the claimant to sexual harassment and retaliation because of her sex. More specifically, one of the claimant's co-workers sexually harassed the claimant and the defendant did not take prompt corrective action for harassment that they were aware or should have been aware of its occurrence. The defendant retaliated against the claimant for complaining of the sexual harassment by placing her on a "performance plan" which caused her constructive discharge. The case settled by entry of a consent decree in December 2005.

The three year consent decree required the defendant to refrain from discrimination and retaliation; establish a written policy against sexual harassment; provide training for all of its employees; post notice of the defendant's compliance with Title VII; keep all employment and/or investigative records relating to any complaint of sexual harassment; give the EEOC annual reports on compliance with the decree; and pay the claimant $150,000 in back pay, damages, and attorney's fees.

The docket sheet does not show any further enforcement took place; the case was presumably closed in 2008.

Kevin Wilemon - 06/18/2007
- 06/10/2017


compress summary