Case: EEOC v. Sara Lee Knit Products, Inc.

1:00-cv-00088 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina

Filed Date: April 24, 2000

Closed Date: Dec. 11, 2000

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The Washington and Raleigh offices of the EEOC brought this suit against Sara Lee Corporation in April 2000 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The complaint alleged racial discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In May 2000, the defendant filed a motion to consolidate this case with 1:99-cv-00086 (W.D.N.C. 1999). The motion was granted in June 2000, and the parties engaged in mediation in October 2000. The parties settled, and a consent decree was entered in December 2000. The two-year consent decree required the defendant to hold annual Title VII training for all employees; post notice of Title VII rights; refrain from discrimination and retaliation; expunge the charging party's employment record; and send semiannual reports to the EEOC on allegations of discrimination. The charging party was awarded monetary relief in another agreement, which is not available.

Summary Authors

Justin Kanter (8/6/2008)

Related Cases

Hemphill v. Sara Lee Corporation, Western District of North Carolina (1999)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:00-cv-00088

Docket (PACER)

EEOC v. Sara Lee Corporation

Dec. 11, 2000

Dec. 11, 2000

Docket
1

1:00-cv-00088

Complaint

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Sara Lee Knit Products, Inc.

April 24, 2000

April 24, 2000

Complaint

1:00-cv-00088

EEOC Files Discrimination Suit Against Sara Lee Knit Products, Inc.

EEOC v. Sara Lee Corporation

No Court

April 25, 2000

April 25, 2000

Press Release
13

1:00-cv-00088

Consent Decree

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Sara Lee Corporation

Dec. 11, 2000

Dec. 11, 2000

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated Jan. 24, 2024, 3:04 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT Filing Fee $ 150.00 Receipt # 86810 (jhg) (Entered: 05/12/1999)

May 7, 1999

May 7, 1999

Clearinghouse

SUMMONS(ES) issued for Sara Lee Corporation (jhg) (Entered: 05/12/1999)

May 7, 1999

May 7, 1999

Consent to Trial by Magistrate Form mailed by Clerk to counsel of record (jhg) (Entered: 05/12/1999)

May 12, 1999

May 12, 1999

2

CONSENT/REFUSAL to Magistrate Jurisdiction by Jeffrey Hemphill - consent (jhg) (Entered: 06/04/1999)

June 3, 1999

June 3, 1999

3

ANSWER to Complaint by Sara Lee Corporation (Attorney W. R. Loftis Jr., Virginia A. Piekarski), (pdf) (Entered: 06/08/1999)

June 7, 1999

June 7, 1999

4

CONSENT/REFUSAL to Magistrate Jurisdiction by Sara Lee Corporation - consent (jhg) (Entered: 06/21/1999)

June 21, 1999

June 21, 1999

CASE reassigned to Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. (jhg) (Entered: 06/21/1999)

June 21, 1999

June 21, 1999

CASE NO LONGER REFERRED TO Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr.; Case transferred to Magistrate Cogburng. (jhg) (Entered: 06/21/1999)

June 21, 1999

June 21, 1999

5

Certificate of I.A.C. by plaintiff Jeffrey Hemphill, defendant Sara Lee Corporation (jhg) (Entered: 07/02/1999)

July 2, 1999

July 2, 1999

NOTICE of Hearing: set for IPC at 7/27/99 (jhg) (Entered: 07/02/1999)

July 2, 1999

July 2, 1999

6

PROTECTIVE ORDER ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) [EOD DATE: 7/9/99] (pdf) (Entered: 07/09/1999)

July 9, 1999

July 9, 1999

Case file sent to Judge Cogburn's office (jhg) (Entered: 07/26/1999)

July 26, 1999

July 26, 1999

Case file returned to clerk's office (jhg) (Entered: 07/28/1999)

July 28, 1999

July 28, 1999

7

INITIAL PRETRIAL ORDER Discovery deadline is 4/1/00 Motion filing deadline is 5/1/00 Mediation due: 4/1/00 Jury Trial set for 7/5/00 ETT: 3-5 days ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) (jhg) (Entered: 07/28/1999)

July 28, 1999

July 28, 1999

8

MOTION by Sara Lee Corporation to Compel Discovery (jhg) (Entered: 01/18/2000)

Jan. 18, 2000

Jan. 18, 2000

9

MEMORANDUM by Sara Lee Corporation in support of [8-1] motion to Compel Discovery by Sara Lee Corporation (jhg) (Entered: 01/18/2000)

Jan. 18, 2000

Jan. 18, 2000

10

RESPONSE by Jeffrey Hemphill to [8-1] motion to Compel Discovery by Sara Lee Corporation (jhg) (Entered: 02/01/2000)

Jan. 31, 2000

Jan. 31, 2000

Case file sent to Judge Cogburn's office (jhg) (Entered: 02/01/2000)

Feb. 1, 2000

Feb. 1, 2000

Case file returned to clerk's office (jhg) (Entered: 02/22/2000)

Feb. 18, 2000

Feb. 18, 2000

11

ORDER denying pltf's Motion to Compel Discovery ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) [EOD DATE: 2/22/00] (jhg) (Entered: 02/22/2000)

Feb. 18, 2000

Feb. 18, 2000

12

AMENDED ORDER denying [8-1] motion to Compel Discovery ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) [EOD DATE: 2/28/00] (jhg) (Entered: 02/28/2000)

Feb. 25, 2000

Feb. 25, 2000

14

ORDER granting [13-1] motion to Extend Time to complete discovery, reset Discovery deadline to 6/1/00 , reset Motion Filing deadline to 7/1/00 , and reset Jury Trial for 9/1/00 before Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) [EOD DATE: 3/3/00] (jhg) (Entered: 03/03/2000)

March 2, 2000

March 2, 2000

15

NOTICE of Motion by Sara Lee Corporation (jhg) (Entered: 05/04/2000)

May 4, 2000

May 4, 2000

Case file sent to Judge Cogburn's office (jhg) (Entered: 05/18/2000)

May 18, 2000

May 18, 2000

16

MOTION by Jeffrey Hemphill to Extend Time , and reset Motion Filing deadline referred to: Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. (jhg) (Entered: 06/02/2000)

May 31, 2000

May 31, 2000

Case file returned to clerk's office (jhg) (Entered: 06/08/2000)

June 8, 2000

June 8, 2000

17

ORDER granting deft's motion to Consolidate Actions 1:99cv86 and 1:00cv88; denying [16-1] motion to Extend Time, denying [16-2] motion reset Motion Filing deadline, and reset for IPC at 6/21/00 before Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) [EOD DATE: 6/8/00] (jhg) (Entered: 06/08/2000)

June 8, 2000

June 8, 2000

Consolidated Lead Case (jhg) (Entered: 06/09/2000)

June 8, 2000

June 8, 2000

NOTICE of Hearing: reset for IPC at 2:00 6/19/00 before Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. (jhg) (Entered: 06/12/2000)

June 12, 2000

June 12, 2000

Case file sent to Judge Cogburn's office (jhg) (Entered: 06/12/2000)

June 12, 2000

June 12, 2000

Case file returned to clerk's office (jhg) (Entered: 06/23/2000)

June 22, 2000

June 22, 2000

18

INITIAL PRETRIAL ORDER IPC held 2:00 6/19/00 Discovery deadline is 9/29/00 Motion filing deadline is 10/30/00 Mediation due: 9/29/00 Jury Trial set for 3/6/01 before Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ETT: 3-4 days ( signed by Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ) (jhg) (Entered: 06/23/2000)

June 22, 2000

June 22, 2000

19

Certificate of completion of ADR session Session Type: mediation, Result: settled - Terminated (pdf) (Entered: 10/31/2000)

Oct. 25, 2000

Oct. 25, 2000

20

STIPULATION of dismissal ( Judgment Vol.: 82 Page: 2) (jhg) (Entered: 11/21/2000)

Nov. 20, 2000

Nov. 20, 2000

Case closed (jhg) (Entered: 11/21/2000)

Nov. 20, 2000

Nov. 20, 2000

21

CONSENT DECREE by defendant Sara Lee Corporation (Magistrate Max O. Cogburn, Jr.) Judgment Volume 82 Page 28 (jhg) (Entered: 12/12/2000)

Dec. 11, 2000

Dec. 11, 2000

Case Details

State / Territory: North Carolina

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 24, 2000

Closing Date: Dec. 11, 2000

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

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

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

EEOC Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

EEOC

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Sara Lee Corporation (Forest City, NC), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

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

Order Duration: 2000 - 2002

Content of Injunction:

Expungement of Employment Record

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Monitoring

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits