Case: EEOC v. AMERICAN BOTTLING CO

1:03-cv-06365 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: Sept. 10, 2003

Closed Date: 2004

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The EEOC's Chicago district office sued American Bottling Company, a soft-drink producer and distributor, on July 20, 2003 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The EEOC's complaint alleged that ABC violated Title VII when it discriminated based on race (African American) by creating a racially hostile work environment. The parties entered into a two-year consent decree on December 1, 2004, which required the defendant to pay $80,000 in damages; conduct Title VII training for all employees; create an anti-discrimination policy; post notice of Title VII rights; and send annual reports to the EEOC regarding compliance.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (6/13/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

1:03-cv-06365

Docket

EEOC v. American Bottling Company, The

Dec. 1, 2004

Dec. 1, 2004

Docket
1

1:03-cv-06365

Complaint

EEOC v. The American Bottling Company

Sept. 10, 2003

Sept. 10, 2003

Complaint

1:03-cv-06365

Consent Decree

EEOC v. The American Bottling Company

Dec. 2, 2004

Dec. 2, 2004

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 23, 2025, 9:31 a.m.

ECF Number Date Description Link
20 July 20, 2003

MOTION by plaintiff EEOC to compel discovery responses (Attachments); Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 07/30/2004)

PACER
1 Sept. 10, 2003

COMPLAINT; jury demand - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of Jeanne B. Szromba, Noelle Christine Brennan, John C. Hendrickson as attorney(s) for plaintiff ( No summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3) (jmp) (Entered: 09/10/2003)

PACER
2 Oct. 17, 2003

WAIVER of service of summons as to defendant sent on 09/10/03. (jmp) (Entered: 10/20/2003)

PACER
3 Nov. 6, 2003

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant by Elizabeth A McDuffie, and Jerry Duane Brown. (jmp) (Entered: 11/06/2003)

PACER
4 Nov. 6, 2003

AGREED MOTION by defendant for extension to serve its responsive pleading ; Notice of agreed motion; Notice of filing and Certificate of Service. (jmp) (Entered: 11/13/2003)

PACER
5 Nov. 12, 2003

MINUTE ORDER of 11/12/03 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing set for 11:00 a.m. on 12/10/03. Defendant's agreed motion for extension to serve its responsive pleading to 12/02/03 is granted [4-1]. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 11/13/2003)

PACER
6 Dec. 2, 2003

ANSWER and affirmative defenses by defendant to plaintiff's complaint [1-1]; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 12/05/2003)

PACER
7 Dec. 2, 2003

CORPORATE DISCLOSURE by defendant (jmp) (Entered: 12/05/2003)

PACER
8 Dec. 3, 2003

MOTION by plaintiff to withdraw attorney appearance of Noelle C. Brennan ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 12/10/2003 (Entered: 12/10/2003)

PACER
9 Dec. 10, 2003

MINUTE ORDER of 12/10/03 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held and continued to 11:00 a.m. on 03/17/04. Plaintiff's withdrawal of the appearance of Noelle C. Brennan as one of the attorneys for plaintiff is granted [8-1]. Discovery is to be completed by 03/31/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 12/11/2003)

PACER
10 March 9, 2004

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff to extend discovery closure date ; Notice of filing and Certificate of Service. (jmp) (Entered: 03/18/2004)

PACER
11 March 17, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 3/17/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held and continued to 11:00 a.m. on 05/05/04. Joint motion to extend discovery closure date is granted [10-1]. Discovery extended to 04/30/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 03/18/2004)

PACER
12 April 14, 2004

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff to extend discovery closure date ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 04/22/2004)

PACER
13 April 21, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 4/21/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 a.m. on 06/02/04. Joint motion to extend discovery closure date since parties have been trying to resolve this case is granted [12-1]. Discovery is extended to 06/01/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 04/22/2004)

PACER
14 May 13, 2004

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff and defendant to extend discovery closure date ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 05/20/2004)

PACER
15 May 19, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 5/19/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 a.m. on 06/16/04 . i Joint motion to extend discovery closure date is granted [14-1]. Discovery extended to 07/06/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 05/20/2004)

PACER
June 4, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 6/4/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 6/24/04 . Mailed notice (clw) (Entered: 06/04/2004)

PACER
June 4, 2004

SCHEDULE set on 6/4/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset to 11:00 6/23/04 . Mailed notice (clw) (Entered: 06/04/2004)

PACER
16 June 21, 2004

MOTION by plaintiff EEOC to compel discovery responses ; Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 06/24/2004)

PACER
17 June 23, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 6/23/04 by Hon. William T. Hart: Status hearing held. Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses [16-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 06/30/04. No notice (jmp) Modified on 06/24/2004 (Entered: 06/24/2004)

PACER
18 June 30, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 6/30/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing set for 11:00 a.m. on 09/08/04. Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses is granted [16-1], subject to a protective order. Discovery is extended to 08/31/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 07/01/2004)

PACER
19 July 20, 2004

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for plaintiff by Diane Ilene Smason. (air) (Entered: 07/21/2004)

PACER
21 July 28, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 7/28/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Plaintiff's motion to compel discovery responses is granted [20-1], defendant to comply by 08/25/04. Discovery is extended to 10/13/04. Mailed notice by judge's staff (jmp) (Entered: 07/30/2004)

PACER
22 Aug. 6, 2004

MOTION by defendant Amer Bottling Co for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 08/19/2004 (Entered: 08/19/2004)

PACER
23 Aug. 13, 2004

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff and defendant to stay proceedings pending settlement resolution ; Notice. (jmp) Modified on 08/19/2004 (Entered: 08/19/2004)

PACER
24 Aug. 18, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 8/18/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing reset for 11:00 a.m. on 09/15/2004. Joint motion to stay proceedings pending settlement resolution is granted [22-1]. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 09/15/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 08/19/2004)

PACER
25 Sept. 15, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 9/15/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing re-set for 11:00 a.m. on 09/22/04. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is continued to 11:00 a.m. on 09/22/04. Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 09/17/2004)

PACER
26 Sept. 22, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 9/22/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : Status hearing held. Defendant's motion for clarification of Judge's order regarding plaintiff's motion to compel discovery [22-1] is moot. No notice (jmp) (Entered: 09/23/2004)

PACER
27 Nov. 16, 2004

NOTICE by defendant Amer Bottling Co of filing and Certificate of Service regarding Consent Decree. (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

PACER
28 Nov. 24, 2004

NOTICE by defendant Amer Bottling Co of filing and Certificate of Service regarding Consent Decree Addendum. (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

PACER
29 Dec. 1, 2004

MINUTE ORDER of 12/1/04 by Hon. William T. Hart : The parties have agreed that this action be re solved by entry of a consent decree; each party to the consent decree shall bear its own expenses, costs and attorneys' fees. Court retains jurisdiction to enforce the consent decree for a period of two years. (Entered Consent Decree. Entered Consent Decree Addendum). terminating case Mailed notice by judge's staff (jmp) (Entered: 12/02/2004)

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory:

Illinois

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

IWPR/Wage Project Consent Decree Study

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 10, 2003

Closing Date: 2004

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

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

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

Private Entity/Person

American Bottling Company

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Other Dockets:

Northern District of Illinois 1:03-cv-06365

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Monetary Relief

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed

Relief Granted:

Damages

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Content of Injunction:

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Discrimination Prohibition

Monitoring

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Recordkeeping

Reporting

Retaliation Prohibition

Amount Defendant Pays: 80000

Order Duration: 2004 - 2006

Issues

General/Misc.:

Pattern or Practice

Discrimination Area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination Basis:

Race discrimination

Affected Race(s):

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits

Recommended Citation