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Case Name
EEOC v. Ceisel Masonry, Inc.
EE-IL-0041
Docket / Court
1:06-cv-02075 ( N.D. Ill. )
State/Territory
Illinois
Case Type(s)
Equal Employment
Special Collection
EEOC Study -- in sample
Attorney Organization
EEOC
Case Summary
On April 13, 2006, the Chicago District Office of the EEOC brought this suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiff sued Ceisel Masonry under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S. Code § 1981. The plaintiffs, representing named Hispanic ...
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On April 13, 2006, the Chicago District Office of the EEOC brought this suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiff sued Ceisel Masonry under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S. Code § 1981. The plaintiffs, representing named Hispanic employees of Ceisel Masonry and a class of other Hispanic employees of Ceisel Masonry, asked the court for injunctive relief enjoining the defendant from discriminating against employees based on national origin, and monetary relief to compensate for losses. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant had created a hostile work environment. Specifically, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant had engaged in unlawful employment practices in harassing Hispanic employees and retaliating against these employees when they complained.
The parties engaged in discovery for the next two years. In August of 2008, both parties filed motions for partial summary judgment.
On January 23, 2009, Judge Harry D. Leinenweber denied all motions. He held that an issue of fact remained as to harassment; an employer's foreman did not act act as a supervisor creating liability for the employer; and the defendants assertion of a positive defense that employee had failed to take preventive or corrective measures could not be decided by summary judgment. 594 F.Supp.2d 1018 (N.D.Ill. 2009).
On May 22, 2009 the Honorable Harry D. Leinenweber approved a consent decree between the two parties. Specifically, the decree ordered an injunction enjoining harassment based on national origin and an injunction enjoining retaliation against persons who complain about violations of Title VII or Section 1981. The decree also ordered Ceisel Masonry to implement anti-harassment and anti-discriminatory policies, training, supervisory accountability systems, postings of notice, record keeping, and reporting. The decree ordered $500,000 in monetary damages to class members and a total of $220,000 for the three named employee complainants.
Kevin Wilemon - 07/30/2008
Gabriela Hybel - 11/07/2016
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Issues
Constitutional Clause
Equal Protection
Content of Injunction
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law
Recordkeeping
Reporting
Training
Discrimination-area
Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)
Discrimination-basis
National origin discrimination
Race discrimination
EEOC-centric
Direct Suit on Merits
Private Party intervened in EEOC suit
General
Disparate Treatment
Retaliation
National Origin/Ethnicity
Hispanic
Plaintiff Type
EEOC Plaintiff
Private Plaintiff
Race
Race, unspecified
Causes of Action
42 U.S.C. § 1981
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
Ceisel Masonry, Inc.
Plaintiff Description
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers.
Indexed Lawyer Organizations
EEOC
Class action status sought
Yes
Class action status granted
Yes
Filed Pro Se
No
Prevailing Party
Plaintiff
Public Int. Lawyer
Yes
Nature of Relief
Attorneys fees
Damages
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief
Settlement
Form of Settlement
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration
2009 - 2012
Filed
04/13/2006
Case Closing Year
2009
Case Ongoing
No
Additional Resources
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Documents
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Court
Docket(s)
N.D. Ill.
02/12/2010
1:06-cv-02075
EE-IL-0041-9000.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
N.D. Ill.
04/13/2006
[Complaint]
EE-IL-0041-0001.pdf
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Detail
N.D. Ill.
06/13/2006
Intervenors' Complaint
EE-IL-0041-0002.pdf
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Detail
N.D. Ill.
07/05/2006
Unopposed Motion for Reassignment Based on Relatedness [ECF# 20]
EE-IL-0041-0003.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
N.D. Ill.
01/23/2009
Memorandum Opinion and Order [ECF# 78]
EE-IL-0041-0005.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
N.D. Ill.
05/22/2009
Consent Decree [ECF# 95]
EE-IL-0041-0006.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
People
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Judges
Leinenweber, Harry Daniel
(N.D. Ill.)
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EE-IL-0041-0005 | EE-IL-0041-0006 | EE-IL-0041-9000
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Gochanour, Gregory M.
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-0006 | EE-IL-0041-9000
Hendrickson, John C.
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-0006 | EE-IL-0041-9000
Kliebard, Kenneth Michael
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
McLawhorn, Todd Lawrence
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-0006 | EE-IL-0041-9000
Mrizek, Richard John
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-0006 | EE-IL-0041-9000
Reams, Gwendolyn Young
(District of Columbia)
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EE-IL-0041-0006
Wardell, Laurie Arden
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-0006
Defendant's Lawyers
Alikhan, Saira Janine
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
Bruch, Julie A.
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
May, Jane M
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
Rosenberg, Jeffrey Ray
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
Smith, Allison Victoria
(Illinois)
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EE-IL-0041-9000
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