Case: EEOC v. LA CRUZ AZUL DE PUERTO RICO

3:99-cv-01410 | U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico

Filed Date: April 14, 1999

Closed Date: Nov. 29, 2000

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In April 1999, the New York office of the EEOC and the U.S. Attorney's Office of San Juan brought this ADA suit against La Cruz Azul (Blue Cross) de Puerto Rico in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The complaint alleged that the defendant, an insurance company, discriminated against the claimant by implementing, maintaining, administering a health care plan with limited coverage for HIV and AIDS carriers. The case settled by entry of a consent decree in November 2000. Th…

In April 1999, the New York office of the EEOC and the U.S. Attorney's Office of San Juan brought this ADA suit against La Cruz Azul (Blue Cross) de Puerto Rico in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The complaint alleged that the defendant, an insurance company, discriminated against the claimant by implementing, maintaining, administering a health care plan with limited coverage for HIV and AIDS carriers. The case settled by entry of a consent decree in November 2000.

The five year consent decree required the claimant to refrain from retaliation and discrimination; post notice; review, approve, and formally adopt its non-discrimination policy; distribute the non-discrimination policy; pay the claimant $200,000 in compensatory damages; provide ADA training for all of its managers, non-managerial officers, and employees; continue to allow the claimant to send health benefit claims to the defendant; continue to waive the six month health benefit claim requirements; provide the EEOC with a written statement for submitting and administering Medicare claims; reimburse the claimant for claims of coverage under Medicare; and offer and administer extended health insurance coverage for the claimant provided that he is terminated from his current employer.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (7/23/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

3:99-cv-01410

Docket (PACER)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico

March 14, 2003

March 14, 2003

Docket
8

3:99-cv-01410

Order [Re: Motion to Compel]

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico

April 20, 2000

April 20, 2000

Order/Opinion
10

3:99-cv-01410

Order

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico

Aug. 17, 2000

Aug. 17, 2000

Order/Opinion
19

3:99-cv-01410

Consent Decree

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico

Nov. 29, 2000

Nov. 29, 2000

Settlement Agreement

La Cruz Azul (Blue Cross) of Puerto Rico to Pay $200,000 in Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico

No Court

Dec. 6, 2000

Dec. 6, 2000

Press Release

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 2, 2024, 3:10 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT (ct) (Entered: 04/15/1999)

April 14, 1999

April 14, 1999

2

ANSWER to Complaint by La Cruz Azul de PR (Attorney Rosa M. Mendez-Santoni), (ov) (Entered: 06/15/1999)

June 14, 1999

June 14, 1999

3

ORDER recussing himself from any participation in this case ( signed by Judge Salvador E. Casellas ) (ov) (Entered: 06/24/1999)

June 23, 1999

June 23, 1999

4

Memorandum of the Clerk reassigning case to Chief Judge Laffitte (ov) (Entered: 06/29/1999)

June 24, 1999

June 24, 1999

CASE reassigned to Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte (ov) (Entered: 06/29/1999)

June 24, 1999

June 24, 1999

5

INITIAL SCHEDULING CONFERENCE ORDER setting Joining of parties,amending of pleadings by 12/15/99 ; Discovery cutoff 4/10/00 ; Motion Filing deadline on 4/24/00 ; Settlement Conference on 2:00 10/18/00 ; Pretrial Conference for 2:00 10/18/00 ; Jury Trial set for 9:00 11/13/00 . ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 09/20/1999)

Sept. 20, 1999

Sept. 20, 1999

6

ORDER the Court has received a letter mot from Atty Andree Peart, who states that he is pltfs atty. Letter mots are not used in this Court. For the Court to consider a mot, it must be filed with the Clerk. Therefore, the Court orders pltfs not to submit any more letter mots. Pltf should review Local Rule 311.11. ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 03/10/2000)

March 10, 2000

March 10, 2000

7

MOTION by Equal Employment Opp to Compel deft to anwer interrogatories w/documents attached in support thereof (il) (Entered: 03/30/2000)

March 29, 2000

March 29, 2000

8

ORDER granting [7-1] motion to Compel deft to anwer interrogatories, etc., as stated herein. ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 04/20/2000)

April 20, 2000

April 20, 2000

9

MOTION by Equal Employment Opp for Sanctions , w/attachs. Response due 7/26/00 . (ov) (Entered: 07/14/2000)

July 12, 2000

July 12, 2000

10

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE: Deft is OSC by 8/28/00 why it should not be entered in default as a sanction for failing to comply with the Court's order dtd 4/19/00 (dkt#8) and for failing to comply with pltfs discovery req. Response due on 8/28/00 for La Cruz Azul de PR . ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 08/17/2000)

Aug. 17, 2000

Aug. 17, 2000

11

ORDER set Pretrial/Settlement Conference for 2:00 10/18/00 before Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (np) (Entered: 09/19/2000)

Sept. 19, 2000

Sept. 19, 2000

12

ORDER The Court hereby enters deft in default for failure to comply with the Court's OSC, etc., as stated herein. ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 09/27/2000)

Sept. 27, 2000

Sept. 27, 2000

13

MOTION by La Cruz Azul de PR to request order for relief from jdmt Response due 10/23/00 . (il) (Entered: 10/11/2000)

Oct. 10, 2000

Oct. 10, 2000

Settlement Conference held before Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte (il) (Entered: 10/19/2000)

Oct. 18, 2000

Oct. 18, 2000

14

Minute entry: PTC/stlmt cnf held on 10/18/00. Pltf is granted until 10/31/00 to inform the Court the status of the proposed settlement. set Advise Court of Settlement deadline to 10/31/00 ( Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 10/19/2000)

Oct. 19, 2000

Oct. 19, 2000

15

MOTION SUBMITTING draft consent decree w/attachment by Equal Employment Opp (il) (Entered: 11/03/2000)

Nov. 2, 2000

Nov. 2, 2000

16

ORDER [15-1] miscellaneous Noted. Pltf shall file a motion informing status of settlement negotiations. JT set for 11/13/00 is continued. set Motion Filing deadline to 11/15/00 , terminated deadlines ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (ni) (Entered: 11/08/2000)

Nov. 8, 2000

Nov. 8, 2000

17

MOTION SUBMITTING consent decree w/attachment by Equal Employment Opp (il) (Entered: 11/16/2000)

Nov. 15, 2000

Nov. 15, 2000

18

ORDER [13-1] motion to request order for relief from jdmt Noted. set Motion Filing deadline to 12/8/00 for deft to inform whether it accepts the proposed consent decree ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (np) (Entered: 11/22/2000)

Nov. 22, 2000

Nov. 22, 2000

19

CONSENT DECREE by pts. ( signed by Chief Judge Hector M. Laffitte ) (il) (Entered: 11/29/2000)

Nov. 29, 2000

Nov. 29, 2000

Case closed (il) (Entered: 11/29/2000)

Nov. 29, 2000

Nov. 29, 2000

20

Informative Motion by La Cruz Azul de PR re: accepting proposed Consent Decree (il) (Entered: 12/11/2000)

Dec. 8, 2000

Dec. 8, 2000

CASE REFERRED TO FEDERAL RECORDS CENTER. ACC.021 - 01-0196 Box 8 (sr) (Entered: 03/14/2003)

March 14, 2003

March 14, 2003

Case Details

State / Territory: Puerto Rico

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 14, 1999

Closing Date: Nov. 29, 2000

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers.

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

La Cruz Azul de Puerto Rico (San Juan, PR), Private Entity/Person

La Cruz Azul de PR, Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

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: 200000

Order Duration: 1999 - 2004

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Pay / Benefits

Discrimination-basis:

Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits