Filed Date: Aug. 18, 2003
Closed Date: 2007
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On August 18, 2003, several employees of Valley Hospitality Services filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, alleged race and age discrimination by the defendant. Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that they were discharged for being African-American and for being over the age of forty, claiming that defendant, as a result, violated 42 U.S.C. 1981, the Age Discrimination Employment Act (29 U.S.C. 623), and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.). The plaintiffs sought damages and injunctive relief.
The case was transferred to the Middle District of Georgia for the convenience of the parties.
On June 10, 2004, the Court dismissed the Title VII class action claims because they were not included in the original charge to the EEOC. The Court also dismissed one of the plaintiff's ADEA claims.
On April 25, 2005, the Court granted the defendant's motions for summary judgment as to all of plaintiffs' claims except as to one plaintiff's individual disparate treatment claims, stating that it was the only one that alleged enough facts to suggest discrimination. The Court held that the other plaintiffs did not have a prima facie case, and ordered them to pay court costs to the defendant.
Both parties appealed this decision. On January 4, 2007, the United States Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's dismissal and, findng that the one remaining plaintiff did not make a prima facie case for hiring discrimination, overturned the District Court and granted summary judgment to the defendant. Later that year, the Court issued a notice of filing settlement and payment by the plaintiffs of $3,500 to defendants as payment in full.
Summary Authors
Maurice Youkanna (6/11/2014)
Birch, Stanley F. Jr. (Georgia)
Carnes, Edward Earl (Alabama)
Land, Clay D. (Georgia)
Marcus, Stanley (Florida)
Stokes, McNeill (Georgia)
Weber, Gerald R. (Georgia)
Johnson, Elizabeth Jewelle (Georgia)
Kelly, Mairen C. (Georgia)
Miller, Rebecca Jane (Georgia)
Tucker, William L. (Georgia)
Birch, Stanley F. Jr. (Georgia)
Carnes, Edward Earl (Alabama)
Land, Clay D. (Georgia)
Marcus, Stanley (Florida)
Stokes, McNeill (Georgia)
Weber, Gerald R. (Georgia)
Johnson, Elizabeth Jewelle (Georgia)
Kelly, Mairen C. (Georgia)
Miller, Rebecca Jane (Georgia)
Tucker, William L. (Georgia)
Woodling, Ruth W. (Georgia)
Tjoflat, Gerald Bard (Florida)
Last updated May 12, 2022, 8 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Georgia
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 18, 2003
Closing Date: 2007
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The individual plaintiffs are either, or both, African-American females or over forty years of age. Plaintiffs represent the class of similarly situated managers, front desk employees, and other employees that have been terminated.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Denied
Defendants
Valley Services, LLC, Private Entity/Person
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621 et seq.
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq.
Availably Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff
Discrimination-basis:
Race: