On July 22, 2003, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought this suit against Marjam Supply Company, Inc. and Choice Labor, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case was assigned to Judge Stephen C. Robinson. The EEOC alleged that the defendants subjected black employees to a racially hostile work environment and disparate terms and conditions of employment, and retaliated against employees who complained about the discrimination. The EEOC alleged that these actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. The plaintiff, represented by private counsel, sought injunctive relief.

Three third-party plaintiffs sought to intervene as being the true parties in interest, and their applications were granted on May 11, 2004. These intervening plaintiffs were African-American former employees of Marjam Supply Company and Choice Labor who alleged that they had suffered unequal treatment on the basis on the basis of race during their employment.

The defendants sought summary judgment on May 23, 2006, but the court never ruled on it. The parties were referred to mediation on September 14, 2007, and they reached a settlement on March 6, 2008. Choice Labor, Inc. went out of business at some point before the settlement was reached, so it was not part of the settlement. Pursuant to the settlement agreement reached in mediation, the court issued a consent decree on April 9, 2009.

Under the terms of the settlement, Marjam Supply Company was required to adopt and maintain new procedures for handling complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace, as well as appoint an Equal Employment Office Coordinator to investigate those complaints. Marjam also agreed to provide trainings about anti-discrimination laws to all of its employees and to pay a total of $495,000 to plaintiffs in back pay and compensatory damages. The settlement was to remain in effect for three years after the date of entry, during which the court was to retain jurisdiction over the case. Thirty days after the end of the settlement period, the parties agreed to submit a stipulation of dismissal to the court.

There is nothing more in the docket sheet. The case presumably closed in 2012, after the expiration of the consent decree.

Kevin Wilemon - 08/21/2008
Rebecca Strauss - 05/21/2018


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