Filed Date: Sept. 25, 2006
Closed Date: 2012
Clearinghouse coding complete
On September 25, 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"), on behalf of a class of non-Latter Day Saints employees, filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Arizona, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, against the University of Phoenix, Inc. The EEOC sought injunctive relief, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and other forms of affirmative relief claiming that the defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against a class of employees who were not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by treating them less favorably with regard to their terms and conditions of employment and retaliating against them for their complaint of discrimination.
On April 18, 2007, the EEOC filed an amended complaint adding Apollo Group, Inc. as a defendant. On May 2, 2008, the District Court (Judge Mary H. Murguia) granted and denied in part the plaintiff-intervenors' motions to intervene. On May 20, 2008, the District Court (Judge Murguia), among other things, granted the plaintiffs' motion for certification (text entry only; no PDF available). On May 21, 2008, the District Court (Judge Murguia) denied the defendant's motion for reconsideration. The defendants appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Judges William Cameron Canby, Jr. and Edward Leavy) but its petition for permission to appeal was denied on August 14, 2008. Then, on September 19, 2008, the District Court (Judge Murguia) permitted the plaintiffs to construct their case as one involving a pattern or practice of discrimination.
On November 7, 2008, the District Court (Judge Mary H. Murguia) entered a consent decree where the defendant, among other things, agreed to issue letters of apology, pay the class members $1,875,000, and pay private counsel fees in the amount of $100,000.
Summary Authors
Jason Chester (10/21/2008)
Perry Miska (5/18/2014)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4775927/parties/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-university-of-phoenix-inc/
Canby, William Cameron Jr. (Arizona)
Leavy, Edward (Oregon)
Kruse, Katherine (Arizona)
Foster, Brian J. (Arizona)
Hayden, William R. (Arizona)
Canby, William Cameron Jr. (Arizona)
Leavy, Edward (Oregon)
Murguia, Mary Helen (Arizona)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4775927/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-university-of-phoenix-inc/
Last updated March 29, 2024, 3:11 a.m.
State / Territory: Arizona
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 25, 2006
Closing Date: 2012
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of non-Latter Day Saints employees alleging religion discrimination.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Apollo Group, Inc., Private Entity/Person
University of Phoenix, Inc., Private Entity/Person
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Amount Defendant Pays: 1,975,000
Order Duration: 2008 - 2012
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law
Provide antidiscrimination training
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff
Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)
Discrimination-basis:
EEOC-centric: