Filed Date: April 20, 2011
Closed Date: Dec. 29, 2016
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is the second case filed in the Signal International cases.
On Apr. 20, 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit against defendant Signal International, LLC, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. The EEOC alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC's allegations of unlawful employment practices and a hostile workplace on the basis of national origin, immigration status, and race stem from a related case, David v. Signal International, brought against Signal by the guestworkers themselves.
The EEOC alleged that the terms and conditions of the Indian guestworkers' employment were less favorable than their non-Indian counterparts', and that Signal engaged in a pattern or practice of subjecting the Indian workers to a hostile environment and disparate terms and conditions of employment based on their race and national origin. The EEOC sought injunctive relief and monetary awards, including damages for emotional pain and suffering, punitive damages for malicious and reckless conduct, and attorneys' fees.
On Jan. 24, 2012, the Court (Magistrate Judge Robert Walker) granted a motion to intervene by three private plaintiffs who had been subjected to the allegedly unlawful treatment. The plaintiffs then filed a class action complaint, defining the proposed class as "all Indian Workers who paid recruitment fees and/or other amounts to the Recruiters, and who were employed by Signal at any time in 2006, 2007, and/or 2008."
On Feb. 29, 2012, the Court (Chief U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola) granted Signal's motion to transfer the case to the Eastern District of Louisiana on the grounds that this case and David arose from the same conduct, and that the substantive issues and the parties were similar. District Judge Jay Zainey of the Eastern District of Louisiana then denied Signal's motion to consolidate the cases, noting that since the EEOC was a party to this case, it was statutorily entitled to expedited consideration.
On Sept. 10, 2013, Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles granted the EEOC's motion for a protective order for information related to the immigration history or status of individuals involved in the case. Signal argued it needed the information for impeachment purposes; the court noted that it had already rejected this argument in the David case, and once again barred discovery on the matter.
On Sept. 26, 2013, the Court dismissed the Intervenors' (guestworkers') claim for recovery of recruitment fees. The alleged discriminatory conduct in connection with the recruitment related only to events that occurred outside of the United States and before the Intervenors began to work at Signal's facilities, and the court found that Congress intended to exclude non-citizens located outside the United States from the protection of Title VII. As such, the Intervenors were not covered when they paid the recruitment fee because they were non-citizens and were not working within the United States at the time.
On July 12, 2014, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation denied Signal's motion to transfer all of the cases pending against it to the Eastern District of Louisiana.
On Oct. 14, 2014, the Court denied Signal's motion for interlocutory appeal of the Court's prohibition of discovery on plaintiffs' post-Signal information including immigration status.
Although the Court set a trial date of June 1, 2015, on May 7, 2015, the trial was delayed indefinitely until an appeal on a separate EEOC case, EEOC v. Bass Pro Outdoor World, LLC, could be resolved. Shortly after, on July 12, 2015, Signal filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, putting a further halt on the case proceedings.
In Dec. 2015, the EEOC announced that the parties had reached a settlement for all cases, approved by the bankruptcy court. Signal would pay $5 million to 476 guestworkers through a claims process. All aggrieved individuals included in the litigation could receive relief in spite of the bankruptcy proceedings. Signal's CEO also issued an apology for its conduct.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Anna Dimon (4/17/2015)
Allison Hight (1/15/2016)
Ava Morgenstern (12/1/2017)
David v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2008)
Achari v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2013)
Joseph v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Texas (2013)
Samuel v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Texas (2013)
Marimuthu v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Texas (2013)
Chakkiyattil v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2013)
Krishnakutty v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2013)
Meganathan v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Texas (2013)
Kambala v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Texas (2013)
Devassy v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2013)
Singh v. Signal International, LLC, Eastern District of Louisiana (2013)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5059925/parties/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-signal-international-llc/
Abel, Natasha L. (Louisiana)
Abuhaidar, Maggie H. (Louisiana)
Adams, Raechel L. (Louisiana)
Adewale-Mendes, Rose (Louisiana)
Ahlstrand, Elizabeth F. (Louisiana)
Breyer, Charles R. (California)
Guirola, Louis Jr. (Mississippi)
Heyburn, John Gilpin II (Kentucky)
Kaplan, Lewis A. (New York)
Knowles, Daniel E. III (Louisiana)
Morgan, Susie [Sue, Donna] (Louisiana)
Proctor, R. David (Alabama)
Rendell, Marjorie O. (Pennsylvania)
Vance, Sarah S. (Louisiana)
Walker, Robert H. (Mississippi)
Zainey, Jay C. (Louisiana)
Abuhaidar, Maggie H. (Louisiana)
Adewale-Mendes, Rose (Louisiana)
Alfred-George, Pamela A (Louisiana)
Altmeyer, Helen Campbell (Louisiana)
Anderson, Kenneth P. (Louisiana)
Andre, Beatriz Biscardi (Louisiana)
Andrew, Regina Maria (Louisiana)
Arendes, Jennifer L. (Louisiana)
Backhaus, William C (Louisiana)
Bailey, Terri Hearn (Louisiana)
Biltekoff, Judith Ann (Louisiana)
Biscardi-Andre, Beatriz (Louisiana)
Bissell, Katherine (Louisiana)
Boehringer, Maria K. (Louisiana)
Bouhabib, Melia Amal (Louisiana)
Brennan, Noelle Christine (Louisiana)
Brown, Bobby Dewayne (Louisiana)
Burstein, Jeffrey Charles (Louisiana)
Butler, Michelle T. (Louisiana)
Cadle, Delia Dianna (Louisiana)
Caiola, Michelle Anne (Louisiana)
Calhoun, June Wallace (Louisiana)
Canino, Robert Anthony (Texas)
Chamness, Ralph E. (Louisiana)
Cheung, Raymond T. (Louisiana)
Christensen, Carlie (Louisiana)
Cole, Holly Waldron (Louisiana)
Coleman, Charles Franklin (Louisiana)
Connor, Patrick M. (Louisiana)
Correia, Cristina Maria (Louisiana)
Crook, Debra Hawes (Louisiana)
Crowder, Kenneth D. (Louisiana)
Curtin, Nora Ellen (Louisiana)
Davis, Chandra Cain (Louisiana)
Dawkins, Robert K. (Louisiana)
DeCamp, Aaron Rutledge (Louisiana)
Dominguez, Leticia (Louisiana)
Dominguez, Francisco X (Louisiana)
Dreilinger, Lauren Gayle (Louisiana)
Driscoll-MacEachron, James P (Louisiana)
Duckett, Lakisha C. (Louisiana)
Edwards, Ottrell Ferrell (Louisiana)
Esparza-Cervantes, Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Farnsworth, Jo Ann (Louisiana)
Farrell, Michael J (Louisiana)
Fiorito, Bradley S. (Louisiana)
Fitzpatrick, Kevin D. (Louisiana)
Foslid, Kristen Marie (Louisiana)
Foster, Nathan Dean (Louisiana)
Fuller, Ann Louise (Louisiana)
Garcia-Bautista, Lorena (Louisiana)
Gatlin, Connie Wilhite (Louisiana)
Gochanour, Gregory M (Louisiana)
Golson, Aarrin Benatra (Louisiana)
Gov, Maneesh Varma (Louisiana)
GOVT, Rumduol Vuong (Louisiana)
GOVT, Marcia Lynne (Louisiana)
Graham, Nancy Eleanor (Louisiana)
Graunke, Kristi L. (Louisiana)
Griffiths, Bruce V (Louisiana)
Grossman, Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Gusewelle, Anne E. (Louisiana)
Hamilton, Deborah L (Louisiana)
Haynes, Derek Joseph (Louisiana)
Henderson, John A. (Louisiana)
Hendrickson, John C (Louisiana)
Hernandez, Evangelina Patricia (Louisiana)
Houk, Christopher Robert (Louisiana)
Imdieke, Michael H. (Louisiana)
Isenhart, Jessi D. (Louisiana)
Jaeckel, Lauren Golden (Louisiana)
Johnson, Robert G. (Louisiana)
Johnson, Johnnie L. (Louisiana)
Johnson, Amy Victoria (Louisiana)
Jones, Stephanie Michelle (Louisiana)
Kasperson, Kaleb M. (Louisiana)
Kennebrew, Delora L. (Louisiana)
Kennedy, Melvin D. (Louisiana)
Kingsley, Andrew Burke (Louisiana)
Kittle, Rita Byrnes (Louisiana)
Knoller, Guy David (Louisiana)
Krivonyak, J. Christopher (Louisiana)
Kuelbs, Meaghan Leigh (Louisiana)
Lawrence, Debra M. (Louisiana)
Lee, James E. (District of Columbia)
Lee, Damien Anthony (Louisiana)
Lepak, Thomas Scott (Louisiana)
Lester, Robert Ira (Louisiana)
Lopez, P. David (District of Columbia)
Lopez, Patrick David (Louisiana)
Lucero, A.Luis Lucero (Louisiana)
Macy, James Douglas (Louisiana)
Mallison, Stanley S. (Louisiana)
Malloy, Margaret Ann (Louisiana)
Marshall, Michelle G. (Louisiana)
Martinez, Ana Consuelo (Louisiana)
Maxion, Sanya Hill (Louisiana)
McClinton, Gregory Lee (Louisiana)
McCord, Stacey Elise (Louisiana)
McCoy, Kimberly Anne (Louisiana)
McCoy-Cruz, Kimberly A. (Louisiana)
McFerren, Aimee Lynn (Louisiana)
McMillan, Solvita A (Louisiana)
McNair, Jacqueline H. (Louisiana)
Meredith, Brandi Lorraine (Louisiana)
Mitchell, Marcia Lynne (Louisiana)
Molina, Veronica A (Louisiana)
Monahan, Camille A (Louisiana)
Montesino, Sairalina (Louisiana)
Mundell, Melissa Stebbins (Louisiana)
Naccarato, Elizabeth A (Louisiana)
Navarre-Davis, Alexandra (Louisiana)
Neary, Kathleen M. (Louisiana)
O'Boyle, Judith A. (Louisiana)
O'Brien, Michael J. (Louisiana)
Offen-Brown, David F. (Louisiana)
Olson, Kathryn Blaire (Louisiana)
Oppenheim, Harriett F (Louisiana)
Ordonio-Dixon, Linda Susan (Louisiana)
Padegimas, Sandra J. (Louisiana)
Palmer-Denig, Jessica Ann (Louisiana)
Pearson, Gina Elaine (Louisiana)
Peters, Kirsten Jennifer (Louisiana)
Peterson, Melanie M. (Louisiana)
Phillips, Ronald L. (Louisiana)
PHV, Daniel Werner (Louisiana)
PHV, Chandra Shekhara (Louisiana)
Pittard, Robert Christan (Louisiana)
Pladson, Nicholas J (Louisiana)
Pope, Larry Eugene (Louisiana)
Ranis, Michael Bruce (Louisiana)
Reams, Gwendolyn Young (District of Columbia)
Rivera, Jadhira Virginia (Louisiana)
Roberts, Monique Joy (Louisiana)
Robertson, Michelle M (Louisiana)
Robinson, Antonio D. (Louisiana)
Rose, Robert David (Louisiana)
Rosenbaum, Jennifer Jean (Louisiana)
Savage, Markeisha Katera (Louisiana)
Schmitt, Suzanne Julia (Louisiana)
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Shanley, Sally Clifford (Louisiana)
Sorenson, Stephen J. (Louisiana)
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Struble, Stephanie (Louisiana)
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Szromba, Jeanne Bowman (Louisiana)
Tamayo, William R. (Louisiana)
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Thomas, Kelley Renee (Louisiana)
Thornton, Gerald L. (Louisiana)
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Cornblatt, James L. (Louisiana)
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Deasey, Francis J. (Louisiana)
DeGroote, Timothy W (Louisiana)
Fears, Christina Marshon (Louisiana)
Fennelly, Padriac B. (Louisiana)
Figaro, Lauren Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Flaherty, Michael J. (Louisiana)
Foran, Gina Marguerite (Louisiana)
Gallinari, Christopher L. (Louisiana)
Gerber, Daniel Walter (Louisiana)
Gianna, Dominic Joseph (Louisiana)
Goodin, Michael W. (Louisiana)
Greenwood, Sarah E. (Louisiana)
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Hangartner, Erin Casey (Louisiana)
Harowski, Christy C. (Louisiana)
Harper, Ryan Collins (Louisiana)
Hasenkampf, Mitchell P. (Louisiana)
Herman, Jonathan Marc (Louisiana)
Hsu, Linda Wendell (Louisiana)
Hubbard, Ralph Shelton (Louisiana)
Hutchison, Andrew Mark (Louisiana)
Inc., Global Resources, (Louisiana)
Johnson, H. Alston (Louisiana)
Kandawalla, Darius N. (Louisiana)
Kearns, Jennifer M (Louisiana)
Khoja, Khurshid P. (Louisiana)
Kleeman, Douglas M. (Louisiana)
Koshofer, Warren A (Louisiana)
Kupperman, Stephen H. (Louisiana)
Kutch, Raymond Matthew (Louisiana)
Kyne, Stephen Patrick (Louisiana)
Lane, Michael David (Louisiana)
Linhart, Julie Karen (Louisiana)
Litsky, Matthew L. (Louisiana)
Littlefield, Wayne B (Louisiana)
Lonergan, Todd Mellies (Louisiana)
Madison, Reagan Leigh (Louisiana)
Maney, Kevin Patrick (Louisiana)
Maus, Kathleen Johnson (Louisiana)
McLean, Patricia A. (Louisiana)
McMickle, Scott Wayne (Louisiana)
Omilian, Patrick B (Louisiana)
O'Neil, William E. (Louisiana)
Parker, Ashley Maureen (Louisiana)
Parker, Julius Frederick (Louisiana)
Prescott, James D. (Louisiana)
Proctor, Amanda Dawn (Louisiana)
Rankin, Christina A. (Louisiana)
Remington, Bridget Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Richards, Matthew A. (Louisiana)
Riddle, Jennifer M (Louisiana)
Rittenhouse, Ray Hunter (Louisiana)
Roberto, Joanna M. (Louisiana)
Russell, Robert R. (Louisiana)
Savrin, Philip Wade (Louisiana)
Sawyer, Charlotte Jane (Louisiana)
Schoyck, Sarah Beth (Louisiana)
Schwartz, Jonathan L. (Louisiana)
Seay, Jason Travis (Louisiana)
Sever, Jay Russell (Louisiana)
Sprinkle, Brian Winfred (Louisiana)
Teske, Christopher R. (Louisiana)
Thomas, Cynthia J. (Louisiana)
Thompson, Rhonda J (Louisiana)
Ungarino, Matthew J. (Louisiana)
Usery, Susan Sparks (Louisiana)
Vance, Susan Molero (Louisiana)
Vicinaiz, Victor Vincent (Louisiana)
Vorhaben, Tessa P. (Louisiana)
Walle, David Edward (Louisiana)
Walters, Randall G (Louisiana)
Waterman, Clayton D. (Louisiana)
Weinberger, Alan Dean (Louisiana)
Weisberg, Joshua C. (Louisiana)
Wellford, Shea Sisk (Louisiana)
Wood, Dolores Christene (Louisiana)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5059925/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-signal-international-llc/
Last updated Aug. 17, 2023, 3:13 a.m.
State / Territory: Louisiana
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Signal International Guest Worker Cases
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 20, 2011
Closing Date: Dec. 29, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
EEOC
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Signal International, Inc. (Pascagoula), Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Amount Defendant Pays: 5,000,000
Issues
General:
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Sanitation / living conditions
Discrimination-area:
Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
Other Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc)
Discrimination-basis:
National origin discrimination
Race:
Type of Facility:
EEOC-centric:
Private Party intervened in EEOC suit
Immigration/Border:
Temporary foreign workers program
National Origin/Ethnicity: