Filed Date: May 14, 1998
Closed Date: 1999
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On May 14, 1998, female grocery store employees brought class action against defendants under Title VII and Equal Pay Act in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, alleged that produce workers, who were mostly men, received higher pay than bakery and deli workers, who were mostly women.
In response to Plaintiffs' complaint, Defendant contended that employees in the produce department were included within a pay category called "regular clerks,'' most of whom were female. Also, women who wanted to be regular clerks in or out of the produce department did not face any discrimination in hiring or transfer.
After allowing the parties to conduct extensive discovery, the district court (Judge Barbara Crabb) granted summary judgment for Kohl's on the Title VII claim, based on the ground that plaintiffs could not demonstrate that Kohl's explanation for placing produce positions in the "regular clerk'' classification was a pretext for sex discrimination.
Following jury trial, the district court entered judgment in favor of the employer on the Equal Pay Act claim, because the jury decided that the bakery, deli, and produce jobs were not substantially equal.
After the trial, the plaintiffs appealed to the 7th Circuit. However, on June 22, 2000, the 7th Circuit affirmed the district court's decision.
Summary Authors
Kunyi Zhang (6/22/2010)
Crabb, Barbara Brandriff (Wisconsin)
Crocker, Stephen L. (Wisconsin)
Easterbrook, Frank Hoover (Illinois)
Barnhill, Charles J. Jr. (Wisconsin)
Walker, Jack (Wisconsin)
Last updated Dec. 19, 2024, 12:46 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Wisconsin
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 14, 1998
Closing Date: 1999
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiffs were female workers in the bakery and deli departments of Defendant Kohl's Food Stores.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Unknown
Defendants
Kohl's Food Stores, Inc., Private Entity/Person
Great Atlantic &Pacific Tea Company, Inc., Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d)
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Discrimination Area:
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):