Case: EEOC v. BWD GROUP LTD

0:97-cv-02617 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Filed Date: May 8, 1997

Closed Date: 1998

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The EEOC's New York district office sued BWD Group, Limited, on May 8, 1997 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, for violation of Title VII. The complaint alleged that defendant discriminated against its female employees on the basis of sex and did so through the creation of a hostile work environment. The complaint additionally alleged that defendant retaliated against employees who complained of harassment, retaliated against employees who cooperated with the EEOC, and engaged in constructive discharge.

The parties entered into a three year consent decree on June 9, 1998. This decree required the defendant to: expunge the records of the charging parties, provide neutral references to the charging parties, attempt to identify all potential claimants, pay $1,200,000 to claimants, distribute its non-discrimination policy to all employees, post a notice of EEO rights, and to provide training to all employees.

Summary Authors

Keri Livingston (6/22/2007)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

0:97-cv-02617

Docket

EEOC v. BWD Group LTD

June 4, 1999

June 4, 1999

Docket
18

0:97-cv-02617

Consent Decree

EEOC v. BWD Group LTD

June 9, 1998

June 9, 1998

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated Feb. 15, 2024, 3:29 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT filed and summons(es) issued for BWD Group, LTD, FILING FEE $ none (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 05/12/1997)

May 8, 1997

May 8, 1997

2

MOTION by Equal Employment for Lisa Sirkin to appear pro hac vice , Motion hearing (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 05/20/1997)

May 8, 1997

May 8, 1997

3

ORDER, denying [2-1] motion for Lisa Sirkin to appear pro hac vice ( signed by Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein ) c/m to EEOC (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 05/20/1997)

May 19, 1997

May 19, 1997

4

MOTION by Equal Employment for Lisa Sirkin to appear pro hac vice , Motion hearing (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 06/09/1997)

May 29, 1997

May 29, 1997

6

ANSWER to Complaint by BWD Group, LTD, (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 07/10/1997)

July 8, 1997

July 8, 1997

7

Disclosure of interested parties by BWD Group, LTD, (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 07/10/1997)

July 8, 1997

July 8, 1997

8

Calendar entry: before Orenstein, M. on 9/12/97 at 2:30; status conf; Tape# 97-103 (3196-7113), 97-104 (0-621); set status conference for 10:00 10/30/97 before Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein ; extending time to amend [1-1] complaint to 10/31/97 (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 09/15/1997)

Sept. 12, 1997

Sept. 12, 1997

9

LETTER dated 11/12/97 from Myron Rumeld to Orenstein, M.; re: requesting that conf scheduled for 11/19/97 at 11:30 be adjourned from 11:30 to 4:00; all parties have consented to the proposed time change (Note from Chambers: on consent, conf rescheduled for 4:00 on 11/19/97) c/m (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 11/13/1997)

Nov. 13, 1997

Nov. 13, 1997

10

Calendar entry: before Orenstein, M. on 11/19/97 at 2:00; status conf; Tape# 97-130 (296-1523); set status conference for 4:30 12/8/97 before Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein ; parties remain discussing settlement (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 11/20/1997)

Nov. 19, 1997

Nov. 19, 1997

11

Calendar entry: Before Judge Orenstein on 1/8/98 civil conf for status. Ct directed that 2 pltffs and t he defts Cooperstein & Wilkinson be produced for depo by 2/28/98 set status conference for 2:30 3/13/98 (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 01/09/1998)

Jan. 9, 1998

Jan. 9, 1998

12

Letter MOTION by pltfs in CV-97-0882 (DRH) to extend time for the taking of depo of 2 pltfs and 2 dfts presently scheduled to be taken before the end of the month 2/27/98 to 3/12/98 , Motion hearing (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 02/17/1998)

Feb. 17, 1998

Feb. 17, 1998

ORDER, granting [12-1] motion to extend time for the taking of depo of 2 pltfs and 2 dfts presently scheduled to be taken before the end of the month 2/27/98 to 3/12/98 ( signed by Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein on 2/12/98 ) (doc# 12) c/m (McMahon, Carol) Modified on 02/17/1998 (Entered: 02/17/1998)

Feb. 17, 1998

Feb. 17, 1998

13

LETTER dated 3/10/98 from Lawrence Solotoff to Orenstein, M.; re: have been authorized by counsel for the EEOC and for the dfts to inform you that the parties have agreed in principal on a framework w/i which they believe that the matter can be settled (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 03/16/1998)

March 13, 1998

March 13, 1998

Status conference held (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 03/16/1998)

March 13, 1998

March 13, 1998

14

Calendar entry: before Orenstein, M. on 3/13/98 at 2:30; status conf; Tape# 98-33 (5170-7177), 98-35 (0-402); set status conference for 2:00 4/24/98 before Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein ; document exchange and service of authorizations shall be completed by 3/23/98; depos of Cooperstein, 2 pltfs and Witkins shall be held by 4/17/98 (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 03/16/1998)

March 13, 1998

March 13, 1998

15

Calendar entry: Before Orenstein calendar dtd. 4/24/98 - tape 98-65 (3467-3915); next conf. 4/30/98 at 10:30; EEOC case resolved if Bjorkman case resolves (Bollbach, Jean) (Entered: 04/29/1998)

April 29, 1998

April 29, 1998

16

Letter MOTION by BWD Group, LTD, requesting that the conf scheduled for 4/30/98 be canceled , case has been settled Motion hearing (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 04/30/1998)

April 29, 1998

April 29, 1998

ORDER, granting [16-1] motion requesting that the conf scheduled for 4/30/98 be canceled; court deems action settled; if not, pltfs may write to the court and institute expedited discovery ( signed by Magistrate Michael L. Orenstein ) (doc# 16) c/m (McMahon, Carol) (Entered: 04/30/1998)

April 29, 1998

April 29, 1998

17

ORDER dtd. 5/6/98 dismissing/discontinued without prejudice to reopen, upon written notice to the ct ( signed by Judge Denis R. Hurley ) cm (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 05/11/1998)

May 8, 1998

May 8, 1998

Case closed (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 05/11/1998)

May 8, 1998

May 8, 1998

18

ORDER/CONSENT DECREE dtd. 6/9/98 re BWD agrees to provide sexual harassment training as approved by the EEOC for all BWD employees-all documents and communications relating to this settlement shall be deemed inadmissible in any ct proceedings ( signed by Judge Denis R. Hurley ) cm (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 06/09/1998)

June 9, 1998

June 9, 1998

19

SEALED DOCUMENT placed in vault(exhibits to consent decree 6/9/98) (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 06/09/1998)

June 9, 1998

June 9, 1998

20

STIPULATION and ORDER dtd. 2/9/99 class counsel shall recover from the class settlement payment as it fee award, an amount equal to 33.33% of the entire Class Settlement Payment. signed Judge Denis R. Hurley cm (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 02/11/1999)

Feb. 10, 1999

Feb. 10, 1999

21

LETTER dated 5/21/99 from Lisa Sarkin to Judge Hurley wrtiting to notify ct that no objections have been made to EEOC determination of the remaining monetary awards-final award-Leanne Catanzaro 14,531.30; Alice Kleinberger 38,749.80;& Michele Librizzi 14,531.30 (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 06/04/1999)

June 4, 1999

June 4, 1999

Endorsed order on doc 21-referring to Final Awards based upon consent decree ( Signed by Judge Denis R. Hurley , Dated 5/24/99) cm (Warner, Pam) (Entered: 06/04/1999)

June 4, 1999

June 4, 1999

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: May 8, 1997

Closing Date: 1998

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

Bwd Group, Limited, Private Entity/Person

BWD Group, Limited (Lake Success, 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: 1200000

Order Duration: 1998 - 2001

Content of Injunction:

Expungement of Employment Record

Neutral/Positive Reference

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

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