Case: EEOC v. Grace Church

2:06-cv-05302 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Filed Date: Sept. 28, 2006

Closed Date: 2016

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Case Summary

On September 28, 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed this lawsuit against Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc (Grace Church). and Episcopal Diocese of Long Island (Diocese) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged the defendants subjected the female complaining party to a sexually host…

On September 28, 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed this lawsuit against Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc (Grace Church). and Episcopal Diocese of Long Island (Diocese) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged the defendants subjected the female complaining party to a sexually hostile work environment and terminated her in retaliation to her opposing these practices. The EEOC sought injunctive and monetary relief against the defendants. The case was assigned to Magistrate Judge William Wall.

The defendants successfully had the lawsuit dismissed in July 2007, as the EEOC failed to demonstrate that Grace Church and Diocese were an integrated enterprise or an employer of the complaining party. At the same time the EEOC's partial motion for summary judgment was denied. The court granted the EEOC leave to amend their complaint. 2007 WL 4914663. On December 18, 2007, the EEOC filed an amended complaint against the defendants.

On January 25, 2008, Diocese moved to dismiss the EEOC’s amended complaint. Diocese argued that the EEOC did not sufficiently plead that Diocese was an employer under Title VII, and therefore the amended complaint should be dismissed. The court did not agree. On July 15, 2008, the court denied Diocese’s motion to dismiss EEOC’s amended complaint.

For nearly three years, the parties underwent discovery proceedings. On November 30, 2012, settlement discussions began. The complainant intervened as a plaintiff, on May 20, 2013. The next day, the parties’ reached an agreement, and the court approved their consent decree.

This consent decree allowed the court to retain jurisdiction for three years to ensure compliance. The decree concerned monetary and injunctive relief. For the monetary relief, the Grace Church agreed to pay $192,000.00 to the charging party and claimant. For injunctive relief, the defendants agreed to refrain from retaliation and sex discrimination. The defendants next agreed to adopt non-discriminatory policies and procedures. In addition, the defendants agreed to provide anti-employment discrimination training to all employees, post notices of this lawsuit’s resolution in prominent places where employee notices were posted, report regularly to the EEOC, and keep records up to date that were relevant to employment discrimination.

There are no indication of non-compliance by the parties, and the duration of the consent decree has lapsed. The case is presumably closed.

Summary Authors

David Friedman (5/29/2008)

Sean Whetstone (7/9/2018)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5593651/parties/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-grace-episcopal-church-of/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Adams, Raechel (New York)

Batog, Konrad (New York)

Cooper, Ronald S. (District of Columbia)

Cronin, Linda (New York)

Cronn, Linda M. (New York)

Attorney for Defendant
Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:06-cv-05302

Docket [PACER]

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc.

March 21, 2014

March 21, 2014

Docket
1

2:06-cv-05302

Complaint

EEOC v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc and The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Sept. 28, 2006

Sept. 28, 2006

Complaint
21

2:06-cv-05302

Memorandum and Order [Re: Motion for Partial Summary Judgment]

EEOC v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc and Teh Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

July 5, 2007

July 5, 2007

Order/Opinion

2007 WL 2007

22

2:06-cv-05302

Judgment

EEOC v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc and The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

July 9, 2007

July 9, 2007

Order/Opinion
27

2:06-cv-05302

Amended Complaint

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc.

Dec. 18, 2007

Dec. 18, 2007

Complaint
38

2:06-cv-05302

Memorandum & Order

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc.

July 15, 2008

July 15, 2008

Order/Opinion
211

2:06-cv-05302

Intervening Complaint with Jury Demand

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc.

May 20, 2013

May 20, 2013

Complaint
213

2:06-cv-05302

Consent Decree

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc.

May 21, 2013

May 21, 2013

Order/Opinion

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5593651/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-grace-episcopal-church-of/

Last updated March 19, 2024, 3:10 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
132

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 117 Motion to Compel. See attached order. Ordered by Magistrate Judge William D. Wall on 1/15/2010. (Hepworth, F.)

Jan. 15, 2010

Jan. 15, 2010

RECAP
132

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 117 Motion to Compel. See attached order. Ordered by Magistrate Judge William D. Wall on 1/15/2010. (Hepworth, F.)

Jan. 15, 2010

Jan. 15, 2010

RECAP

Case Details

State / Territory: New York

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 28, 2006

Closing Date: 2016

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers that were discriminated against because of their sex.

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

Episcopal Diocese of Long Island (New York, New York), Private Entity/Person

Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc. (New York, New York), 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: 192,500

Order Duration: 2013 - 2016

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Implement complaint/dispute resolution process

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Training

Issues

General:

Pattern or Practice

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