In May of 2002, the EEOC's Chicago District Office filed suit in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, against Custom Companies Inc., a trucking company, and related corporate entities. The suit alleged sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of Title VII.

The charging parties intervened as plaintiffs. In July of 2003, the case was consolidated with a separate action brought by the EEOC against Custom Companies (1:03-cv-02293). The defendants made multiple motions for summary judgment; one was granted in part, the others were denied. After a prologued series of discovery disputes, the case went to trial in November of 2006. On November 17, 2006, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding over $2 million in punitive damages and over $300,000 in compensatory damages. In March of 2007, the award was halved pursuant to statutory caps, and the court entered the judgment against the defendants.

Both parties moved to amend the judgment. In June of 2007, the defendants appealed the judgment. In December of 2007, the parties came to terms, and the Court of Appeals remanded the case so that the district court could amend the judgment to reflect the settlement. After some disputes regarding withholding, a final order was entered in March of 2008 granting $452,800 in compensatory and punitive damages and $900,000 in attorney fees. Custom Companies was also ordered to conduct annual anti-discrimination training for its employees, and to report any future complaints of sexual harassment to the EEOC.

Jason Chester - 06/04/2008


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