Case: EEOC v. WATLOW BATAVIA, INC.

1:99-cv-01435 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: March 4, 1999

Closed Date: Sept. 1, 2000

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In March 1999, the EEOC district office in Chicago, Illinois brought this suit against Watlow Batavia, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Althought he complaint is unavailable, the consent decree states that a class of intervenors alleged that the defendant unlawfully discriminated against them when it imposed unequal treatment agaisnt Hispanics by imposing an "English-only" policy, then retaliated against them when they complained. After seven individuals …

In March 1999, the EEOC district office in Chicago, Illinois brought this suit against Watlow Batavia, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Althought he complaint is unavailable, the consent decree states that a class of intervenors alleged that the defendant unlawfully discriminated against them when it imposed unequal treatment agaisnt Hispanics by imposing an "English-only" policy, then retaliated against them when they complained. After seven individuals intervened in the case and six statuts conferences were held, the parties settled and a consent decree was entered in September 2000.

In the consent decree, the parties agreed that the defendant would refrain from retaliating and discriminating on the basis of national origin, not implement any more "English-only" rules, pay the aggrieved partys $192,000 in damages, pay $100,000 in attorney's fees, provide EEO training, post EEO notices, and submit semiannual complaince reports. The terms of the agreement ran for two years.

Summary Authors

Jason Chester (6/29/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:99-cv-01435

Docket (PACER)

US EEOC, et al v. Watlow Batavia Inc

Sept. 1, 2000

Sept. 1, 2000

Docket
8

1:99-cv-01435

Consent Judgment

US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Carlos Solera, et al. v. Watlow Batavia, Inc.

Sept. 1, 2000

Sept. 1, 2000

Order/Opinion

Resources

Docket

Last updated Feb. 17, 2024, 3 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT; jury demand - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of John C. Hendrickson, Jose Jorge Behar as attorney(s) for plaintiff ( No summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3) (fce) (Entered: 03/08/1999)

March 4, 1999

March 4, 1999

2

WAIVER of service of summons as to Watlow Batavia Inc. sent on 4/5/99 (jmp) (Entered: 04/16/1999)

April 14, 1999

April 14, 1999

3

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for Watlow Batavia Inc. by Edward C. Jepson Jr. and Aaron Robert Gelb (jmp) (Entered: 04/19/1999)

April 16, 1999

April 16, 1999

SCHEDULE set on 4/21/99 by Hon. Harry D. Leinenweber : Status hearing set for May 28, 1999 at 9:00 a.m. Plaintiff directed to notify defendant of scheduled status. Mailed notice (wp) (Entered: 04/21/1999)

April 21, 1999

April 21, 1999

5

MOTION by Carlos Solero, Marcelina Navar, Oscar Medina, Isabel Gonzalez, Carlos Aguirre, Melisio Salgado and Felipe Sanchez to intervene (Attachments); Notice (jmp) (Entered: 05/21/1999)

May 10, 1999

May 10, 1999

6

MINUTE ORDER of 5/20/99 by Hon. Harry D. Leinenweber : Motion to intervene granted [5-1]. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 05/21/1999)

May 20, 1999

May 20, 1999

7

REASSIGNMENT ORDER of 5/20/99: Case reassigned to Hon. Milton I. Shadur from Hon. Harry D. Leinenweber pursuant to local General rule 2.31. Case related 1:99-cv-1430 with member case 1:99-cv-1435. (For further detail see order.) Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 05/27/1999)

May 25, 1999

May 25, 1999

SCHEDULE set on 7/13/99 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Settlement conference held. Status hearing set to 9:00 9/27/99 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 07/14/1999)

July 13, 1999

July 13, 1999

SCHEDULE set on 9/27/99 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:00 12/8/99 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 09/27/1999)

Sept. 27, 1999

Sept. 27, 1999

NOTICE of motion by defendant of agreed modified protective order and stipulation (Original in 99 C 1430) (fce) Modified on 11/16/1999 (Entered: 11/16/1999)

Nov. 8, 1999

Nov. 8, 1999

MOTION by plaintiff for leave to file additional appearance of Patricia Mendoza and Maria Valdez ; Notice (Original in case number 99 cv 1430) (jmp) Modified on 12/20/1999 (Entered: 12/20/1999)

Dec. 9, 1999

Dec. 9, 1999

SCHEDULE set on 12/14/99 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:00 3/14/00 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 12/15/1999)

Dec. 14, 1999

Dec. 14, 1999

SCHEDULE set on 3/14/00 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:00 5/9/00 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 03/14/2000)

March 14, 2000

March 14, 2000

SCHEDULE set on 5/9/00 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:00 7/26/00 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 05/09/2000)

May 9, 2000

May 9, 2000

SCHEDULE set on 7/26/00 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:00 8/25/00 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 07/26/2000)

July 26, 2000

July 26, 2000

SCHEDULE set on 8/25/00 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur : Status hearing held. Status hearing continued to 9:30 8/31/00 . No notice (srn) (Entered: 08/25/2000)

Aug. 25, 2000

Aug. 25, 2000

8

MINUTE ORDER of 9/1/00 by Hon. Milton I. Shadur: (Entered Consent Judgment) terminating case Notices mailed by judge's staff (vmj) (Entered: 09/05/2000)

Sept. 1, 2000

Sept. 1, 2000

Case Details

State / Territory: Illinois

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 4, 1999

Closing Date: Sept. 1, 2000

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

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

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

Watlow Batavia, 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: 292000

Order Duration: 2000 - 2002

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Monitoring

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Discrimination-basis:

National origin discrimination

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits

Private Party intervened in EEOC suit

National Origin/Ethnicity:

Indian