In June 1997, the EEOC district office in Dallas, Texas brought this action against Betsy Ross Flag Girl, Inc., doing business as Betsy Ross Flag Girl Inc. and Barjac Company, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Although the complaint is unavailable, the consent decree states that six female employees alleged that the defendant violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it subjected the complainants to a sexually hostile work environment. Five months after the suit was filed, the case was dismissed for the EEOC's failure to file for a default judgment. However, the order was vacated, the case was reopened, and a consent decree was entered in January 1998.

In the consent decree, the parties agreed that the defendant would pay the aggrieved parties a total of $223,050, refrain from retaliating and discriminating based on sex, implement an anti-harassment policy and complaint procedures, distribute the new policy and complaint procedures, post an EEO notice, provide neutral reference letters, expunge the complainants' employee files of any reference to this litigation or charge of discrimination, and provide four hours of EEO training. No costs or fees were awarded. The terms of the decree ran for two years.

Joel Pettit - 08/03/2007


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