In December 1999, the Houston office of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against Greensheet Inc. and Helen Gordon Interest Ltd. (d/b/a Greensheet) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The complaint alleged that the defendant discriminated against a class of black applicants by refusing to hire them for the press helper position. After both parties filed discovery motions, the case settled by entry of a consent decree in February 2002.

The five year consent decree required the defendant to refrain from discrimination, pay $135,000 in compensatory damages to the compensation class members (Black applicants for the press helper position from 1/1/1993 to 12/31/1997 and were not hired/offered the position). Defendant must advertise job openings in the Houston area Greensheet newspapers and advertise job openings in a newspaper that specializes in servicing the Houston African American community if the defendant fails to offer/hire jobs to 29 qualified black applicants in three years, offer/hire black applicants for the press helper position representative of the applicant pool (60%), offer/hire 29 qualified black instatement members (black applicants for the press helper position from 1/1/1998 to 11/26/2001 who were not offered employment or hired). The defendant must make all applicants complete an application; keep an applicant log; ensure that any person with a direct/indirect role in hiring understands the decree; give the EEOC reports every six months on compliance with the decree; post notice; and train managers, supervisors, and hiring officials on EEO.

Kevin Wilemon - 08/01/2007


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