Case: EEOC v. THE CLUB AT FIRESTONE

6:03-cv-00383 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Filed Date: March 28, 2003

Closed Date: 2007

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

EEOC's Miami, FL office filed this Title VII racial discrimination lawsuit against the defendants C-Sonya, Inc. and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. The lawsuit was filed at the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Orlando) on 03/28/2003. Defendant C-Sonya, Inc. operated a nightclub in Orlando, FL. The other defendant Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. was an employee leasing service that provided administrative services to the club. EEOC alleged …

EEOC's Miami, FL office filed this Title VII racial discrimination lawsuit against the defendants C-Sonya, Inc. and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. The lawsuit was filed at the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Orlando) on 03/28/2003. Defendant C-Sonya, Inc. operated a nightclub in Orlando, FL. The other defendant Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. was an employee leasing service that provided administrative services to the club.

EEOC alleged on behalf of two former Black bartenders at the club that they were discharged because the owner wanted to change the image of the club and their race did not fit in with the new image. The club retained six other white bartenders and hired five additional white bartenders later. The individual complainants did not intervene in the EEOC lawsuit or file a separate lawsuit.

The case was referred to mediation on 08/27/2003. EEOC filed a motion for protective order on 04/26/2004 after the employee leasing service requested deposition of the EEOC counsel so as to find out why it was charged as a defendant as well. Magistrate Judge David A. Baker denied EEOC's motion but stressed that the EEOC counsel would be subject to attorney privileges during the deposition. One month later on 05/27/2004, EEOC and the club filed a notice of pending settlement. A consent decree was entered into judgment on 08/25/2004. For the employee leasing service, the parties moved for voluntary dismissal on the same day that the consent decree had been proposed. The district judge granted the dismissal on 08/25/2004.

Under the three-year consent decree, the club agreed to pay $40,000 to each complainant. It was enjoined from racial discrimination and was required to report annually on the race discrimination complaints received and actions taken in response.

The decree was entered in 2004 and scheduled to last until 2007. No further docket entries exist, so the case is closed.

Summary Authors

Justin Kanter (8/11/2007)

Clearinghouse (12/3/2018)

People


Judge(s)

Baker, David A. (Florida)

Judge(s)

Baker, David A. (Florida)

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

6:03-cv-00383

Docket (PACER)

EEOC v. C-Sonya, Inc.

Aug. 25, 2004

Aug. 25, 2004

Docket
1

6:03-cv-00383

Complaint

EEOC v. C-Sonya, Inc. d/b/a The Club and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc.

March 28, 2003

March 28, 2003

Complaint
26

6:03-cv-00383

Order

EEOC v. C-Sonya, Inc. d/b/a The Club and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc.

April 28, 2004

April 28, 2004

Order/Opinion
33

6:03-cv-00383

Consent Decree

EEOC v. C-Sonya, Inc. d/b/a The Club and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc.

July 15, 2004

July 15, 2004

Settlement Agreement

6:03-cv-00383

EEOC Litigation Settlements - August 2004

EEOC v. C-Sonya, Inc. d/b/a The Club and Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc.

No Court

Nov. 19, 2004

Nov. 19, 2004

Press Release

Resources

Docket

Last updated April 15, 2024, 3:06 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT filed for racial discrimination in employment; jury demand (jrm) (Entered: 03/31/2003)

March 28, 2003

March 28, 2003

MAGISTRATE JUDGE CASE ASSIGNMENT Magistrate assigned: David A. Baker (jrm) (Entered: 03/31/2003)

March 28, 2003

March 28, 2003

SUMMONS issued for C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 (jrm) (Entered: 04/02/2003)

April 2, 2003

April 2, 2003

2

RELATED CASE ORDER (response due within 11 days) and NOTICE of designation under Local Rule 3.05 - TRACK 2. (ctc) (jrm) (Entered: 04/03/2003)

April 3, 2003

April 3, 2003

3

ORDER ON INTERESTED PERSONS and corporate disclosure. Response due within 11 days. (Signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 04/03/2003)

April 3, 2003

April 3, 2003

4

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS by plaintiff EEOC and corporate disclosure statement Re: [3-1] order (jrm) (Entered: 04/17/2003)

April 17, 2003

April 17, 2003

5

NOTICE (no related cases) by plaintiff EEOC of pendency of other actions re: order of compliance with Local Rule 1.04(c) (jrm) (Entered: 04/17/2003)

April 17, 2003

April 17, 2003

6

ANSWER and affirmative defenses to [1-1] complaint by defendants C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 (jrm) (Entered: 05/12/2003)

May 12, 2003

May 12, 2003

7

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS by defendants C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 and corporate disclosure statement Re: [3-1] order (jrm) (Entered: 07/08/2003)

July 7, 2003

July 7, 2003

8

CASE MANAGEMENT REPORT (Document stricken and returned to plaintiff's counsel pursuant to Court Order - Doc. No. 11) (jrm) Modified on 07/24/2003 (Entered: 07/10/2003)

July 10, 2003

July 10, 2003

9

ORDER ON INTERESTED PERSONS and corporate disclosure. Defendant C-Sonya, Inc., shall respond within 11 days. (Signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 07/14/2003)

July 14, 2003

July 14, 2003

10

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS by defendant C-Sonya, Inc. and corporate disclosure statement Re: [9-1] order (jrm) (Entered: 07/21/2003)

July 21, 2003

July 21, 2003

11

ORDER striking [8-1] case management report for failure to comply with the Local Rules and said document shall be returned to plaintiff's counsel. The parties shall file a fully executed case management report by 08-15-03. (Signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 07/24/2003)

July 23, 2003

July 23, 2003

12

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS by defendant Concept 2000 and corporate disclosure statement Re: [3-1] order (jrm) (Entered: 08/01/2003)

Aug. 1, 2003

Aug. 1, 2003

13

MOTION (stipulation) by defendant Concept 2000 to substitute attorney; Daniel H. Kunkel and Lorraine Maass Hultman in place of Richard Giardino ; referred to Magistrate Judge David A. Baker (jrm) (Entered: 08/08/2003)

Aug. 8, 2003

Aug. 8, 2003

14

ORDER granting [13-1] motion to substitute attorney; Daniel H. Kunkel and Lorraine Maass Hultman in place of Richard Giardino for defendant Concept 2000; terminated attorney Richard A. Giardino for Concept 2000. Added Daniel H. Kunkel and Lorraine Maass Hultman. (Signed by Magistrate Judge David A. Baker) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 08/12/2003)

Aug. 11, 2003

Aug. 11, 2003

15

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff EEOC, defendants C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 for telephonic amended case management meeting ; referred to Magistrate Judge David A. Baker (jrm) (Entered: 08/12/2003)

Aug. 12, 2003

Aug. 12, 2003

16

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff EEOC, defendants C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 for telephonic amended case management meeting ; referred to Magistrate Judge David A. Baker (jrm) (Entered: 08/14/2003)

Aug. 14, 2003

Aug. 14, 2003

17

AMENDED CASE MANAGEMENT REPORT (jrm) (Entered: 08/15/2003)

Aug. 15, 2003

Aug. 15, 2003

18

ORDER granting [16-1] joint motion for telephonic amended case management meeting (Signed by Magistrate Judge David A. Baker) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 08/15/2003)

Aug. 15, 2003

Aug. 15, 2003

19

ORDER denying as moot [15-1] joint motion for telephonic amended case management meeting (Signed by Magistrate Judge David A. Baker) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 08/15/2003)

Aug. 15, 2003

Aug. 15, 2003

20

CASE MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING ORDER setting Joining of parties, amending of pleadings on 10/8/03 ; Discovery cutoff 5/7/04 ; dispositive motion filing deadline for 6/1/04. Pretrial statement due on or before 8/4/04 ; Jury trial set for term beginning 8:30 on 10/1/04 ; Scheduled for Judge John Antoon II (signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (lak) (Entered: 08/28/2003)

Aug. 27, 2003

Aug. 27, 2003

20

ORDER referring case to mediation. Appointing J. Joaquin Fraxedas as mediator. Conduct hearing by 5/26/04. Lead counsel, John C. Weaver, to coordinate dates. (Signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (lak) (Entered: 08/28/2003)

Aug. 27, 2003

Aug. 27, 2003

21

NOTICE by Concept 2000 of unavailability of counsel from 12/19/03 to 1/5/04 (lak) (Entered: 12/12/2003)

Dec. 12, 2003

Dec. 12, 2003

22

NOTICE by Concept 2000 of change of address for counsel (lak) (Entered: 03/22/2004)

March 19, 2004

March 19, 2004

23

NOTICE by defendant Concept 2000 of unavailability of counsel (jrm) (Entered: 04/15/2004)

April 15, 2004

April 15, 2004

24

EMERGENCY MOTION with attachment by plaintiff EEOC with memorandum in support for protective order for the 30(b)(6) deposition of an EEOC official ; referred to Magistrate Judge David A. Baker (jrm) (Entered: 04/26/2004)

April 26, 2004

April 26, 2004

25

OPPOSITION by defendant Concept 2000 to [24-1] plaintiff's emergency motion for protective order for the 30(b)(6) deposition of an EEOC official (jrm) (Entered: 04/28/2004)

April 28, 2004

April 28, 2004

26

ORDER denying [24-1] plaintiff's motion for protective order for the 30(b)(6) deposition of an EEOC official (Signed by Magistrate Judge David A. Baker) ctc (jrm) (Entered: 04/28/2004)

April 28, 2004

April 28, 2004

27

JOINT MOTION with supporting memorandum by plaintiff EEOC, defendants C-Sonya, Inc., Concept 2000 for sixty-day extension of the remaining litigation deadlines in this case (jrm) (Entered: 05/04/2004)

May 4, 2004

May 4, 2004

29

MEMORANDUM with attached exhibit by defendant C-Sonya, Inc. in opposition to [28-1] plaintiff's motion for leave to amend [1-1] complaint to add successor employer as a party defendant (jrm) (Entered: 05/17/2004)

May 17, 2004

May 17, 2004

30

AMENDED CASE MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING ORDER amending [20-1] Scheduling Order; reset scheduling order deadlines: Discovery cutoff 7/6/04; Deadline for filing motions 8/2/04; Pretrial statement due on 10/4/04; Jury Trial set for 8:30 12/1/04; scheduled for Judge John Antoon II (Signed by Judge John Antoon II 05-19-04) ctc (jrm) Modified on 05/25/2004 (Entered: 05/20/2004)

May 20, 2004

May 20, 2004

31

NOTICE OF PENDING SETTLEMENT filed by plaintiff EEOC, defendant C-Sonya, Inc. (jrm) (Entered: 05/27/2004)

May 27, 2004

May 27, 2004

32

ORDER of dismissal without prejudice subject to the right of any party to reopen the action within 60 days upon good cause shown. (Signed by Judge John Antoon II) ctc (lak) (Entered: 06/02/2004)

May 28, 2004

May 28, 2004

CASE CLOSED. (lak) (Entered: 06/02/2004)

May 28, 2004

May 28, 2004

33

CONSENT DECREE by C-Sonya, Inc., Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Cooper, Cheryl) (Entered: 07/15/2004)

July 15, 2004

July 15, 2004

34

STIPULATION of Dismissal With Prejudice by Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc., Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Cooper, Cheryl) (Entered: 07/15/2004)

July 15, 2004

July 15, 2004

35

ORDER dismissing case as to Defendant Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. Signed by Judge John Antoon II on 8/24/2004. (EMW) (Entered: 08/25/2004)

Aug. 25, 2004

Aug. 25, 2004

36

Consent decree signed by Judge John Antoon II on 8/24/2004. This document closes the case.(EMW) (Entered: 08/25/2004)

Aug. 25, 2004

Aug. 25, 2004

Case Details

State / Territory: Florida

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 28, 2003

Closing Date: 2007

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

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

Plaintiff Type(s):

EEOC Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

EEOC

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

C-Sonya, Inc. (Orlando, FL), Private Entity/Person

C-Sonya, Inc. (Orlando, FL), Private Entity/Person

Concept 2000 Professional Employers, Inc. (Orlando, FL), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Monetary Relief

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

Amount Defendant Pays: 80000

Order Duration: 2004 - 2007

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits