Case: EEOC v. Aramark Educational Services

4:97-cv-01022 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

Filed Date: Dec. 16, 1997

Closed Date: Oct. 8, 1998

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In December 1997, the Memphis District Office of the EEOC (with participation from the Little Rock Area Office) brought this suit against Aramark Educational Services, Inc., d/b/a Aramark Corporation, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. We do not have a copy of the complaint; therefore, the exact allegations involved are unknown. However, it appears from the consent decree that the complaint alleged that the defendant violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of …

In December 1997, the Memphis District Office of the EEOC (with participation from the Little Rock Area Office) brought this suit against Aramark Educational Services, Inc., d/b/a Aramark Corporation, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. We do not have a copy of the complaint; therefore, the exact allegations involved are unknown. However, it appears from the consent decree that the complaint alleged that the defendant violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting the charging party, a female employee, to a sexually hostile work environment and discriminating against her in retaliation for her complaints of harassment, resulting in her constructive discharge. The charging party intervened in the suit in January 1998. After some discovery, the parties participated in a settlement conference in August 1998. They settled a few months later in October through a consent decree.

The two-year decree, containing non-discrimination and non-retaliation clauses, required the defendant to: provide Title VII training for all its employees, distribute its sexual harassment policy, post a notice of rights, expunge the charging party's personnel file from all references to the charges of discrimination, provide her with a neutral reference, and pay her $57,500.

Summary Authors

Michele Marxkors (8/8/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

4:97-cv-01022

Docket (PACER)

Oct. 8, 1998

Oct. 8, 1998

Docket
16

4:97-cv-01022

Agreed Stipulations

EEOC v. Aramark Educational

Aug. 21, 1998

Aug. 21, 1998

Pleading / Motion / Brief
19

4:97-cv-01022

Order [Regarding Defendant's Emergency Motion for Protective Order/Motion to Quash]

Aug. 25, 1998

Aug. 25, 1998

Order/Opinion
20

4:97-cv-01022

Consent Decree

Oct. 8, 1998

Oct. 8, 1998

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4128022/eeoc-v-aramark-educational/

Last updated Jan. 23, 2024, 3:10 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT with jury demand; no summons issued (kjp) (Entered: 12/18/1997)

Dec. 16, 1997

Dec. 16, 1997

PACER
2

MOTION and Combined Brief in Support by Betty J Sumner to intervene (vjt) (Entered: 12/23/1997)

Dec. 22, 1997

Dec. 22, 1997

PACER
3

ANSWER by deft (vjt) (Entered: 01/08/1998)

Jan. 7, 1998

Jan. 7, 1998

PACER
4

SCHEDULING ORDER: by Judge Susan W. Wright; jury trial set for 9:30 8/31/98; motions to amend pleadings due 6/19/98; motions in limine due 10 days prior to trial; all other motions & discovery due 7/17/98; pretrial info sheet due 7/31/98 (cc: all counsel) (vjt) (Entered: 01/08/1998)

Jan. 8, 1998

Jan. 8, 1998

PACER
5

ORDER by Judge Susan W. Wright granting motion to intervene by Betty J. Sumner [2-1] (cc: all counsel) (vjt) (Entered: 01/12/1998)

Jan. 9, 1998

Jan. 9, 1998

PACER
6

INTERVENOR'S complt by Betty J Sumner, with jury demand (vjt) (Entered: 01/14/1998)

Jan. 13, 1998

Jan. 13, 1998

PACER
7

ANSWER by deft Aramark Educational to complt in intervention of Betty J. Sumner [6-1] (vjt) (Entered: 01/15/1998)

Jan. 14, 1998

Jan. 14, 1998

PACER
8

PROTECTIVE ORDER by Judge Susan W. Wright: regarding all financial information disclosed in discovery concerning or provided by Betty J Sumner (cc: all counsel) (vjt) (Entered: 03/12/1998)

March 11, 1998

March 11, 1998

PACER
9

NOTICE by deft of taking deposition of Ms. Genie Schay on 7/17/98 (vjt) (Entered: 07/15/1998)

July 14, 1998

July 14, 1998

PACER
10

NOTICE by deft of taking deposition of Betty Sumner on 7/27/98 (vjt) (Entered: 07/21/1998)

July 20, 1998

July 20, 1998

PACER
11

PRETRIAL INFORMATION SHEET by intervenor Betty J Sumner - est 2 to 3 days for trial (vjt) (Entered: 08/03/1998)

July 31, 1998

July 31, 1998

RECAP
12

PRETRIAL INFORMATION SHEET by pltf - est 2 to 3 days for trial (vjt) (Entered: 08/03/1998)

July 31, 1998

July 31, 1998

RECAP
13

PRETRIAL INFORMATION SHEET by deft - est 3 to 4 days for trial (vjt) (Entered: 08/03/1998)

July 31, 1998

July 31, 1998

PACER
14

ORDER by Chief Judge Susan W. Wright; upon request by parties, a settlement conference is scheduled for 10:30 on 8/25/98 before Magistrate Judge H. David Young in Little Rock (cc: all counsel) (vjt) (Entered: 08/19/1998)

Aug. 18, 1998

Aug. 18, 1998

PACER
15

NOTICE by EEOC & Betty J Sumner of taking video-taped deposition of April Didrikson on 8/26/98 (vjt) (Entered: 08/20/1998)

Aug. 19, 1998

Aug. 19, 1998

PACER
16

AGREED STIPULATIONS by parties (vjt) (Entered: 08/24/1998)

Aug. 21, 1998

Aug. 21, 1998

PACER
17

EMERGENCY MOTION and Memorandum in Support by deft Aramark Educational for protective order and to quash subpoena (vjt) (Entered: 08/25/1998)

Aug. 24, 1998

Aug. 24, 1998

PACER
18

RESPONSE and Memorandum in Support by pltf to deft's motion for protective order [17-1] and to quash subpoena [17-2] (vjt) (Entered: 08/26/1998)

Aug. 25, 1998

Aug. 25, 1998

PACER
19

ORDER by Chief Judge Susan W. Wright denying deft's emergency motion for protective order [17-1] and to quash subpoena [17-2] (cc: all counsel) (vjt) (Entered: 08/26/1998)

Aug. 25, 1998

Aug. 25, 1998

PACER
20

CONSENT DECREE: by Chief Judge Susan W. Wright deft shall expunge from Betty J. Sumner's personnel records any unfavorable or adverse personnel comments regarding any aspect of her employment with deft; deft shall deliver to Betty J. Sumner through her counsel, a cashier's check made payable to "Escrow Account of Morgan Welch and Associates" in the amt of $57,500.00 w/in 10 days after entry of this Decree; deft agrees to provide a neutral reference to any potential employers of Betty J. Sumner who request a job reference; each party shall bear their own costs, including attys' fees; terminating case (cc: all counsel) EOD 10/8/98 (vjt) (Entered: 10/08/1998)

Oct. 8, 1998

Oct. 8, 1998

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: Arkansas

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 16, 1997

Closing Date: Oct. 8, 1998

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

EEOC on behalf of female catering manager claiming discrimination on the basis of sex.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

EEOC Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

EEOC

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Aramark Educational Services, Inc., Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

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: 57500

Order Duration: 1998 - 2000

Content of Injunction:

Expungement of Employment Record

Neutral/Positive Reference

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Issues

General:

Retaliation

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits

Private Party intervened in EEOC suit