Case: EEOC v. Greensheet

4:99-cv-04526 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Filed Date: Dec. 29, 1999

Closed Date: 2007

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In December 1999, the Houston office of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against Greensheet Inc. and Helen Gordon Interest Ltd. (d/b/a Greensheet) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The complaint alleged that the defendant discriminated against a class of black applicants by refusing to hire them for the press helper position. After both parties filed discovery motions, the case settled by entry of a consent decree in February 2002. The five year consent decre…

In December 1999, the Houston office of the EEOC brought this Title VII suit against Greensheet Inc. and Helen Gordon Interest Ltd. (d/b/a Greensheet) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The complaint alleged that the defendant discriminated against a class of black applicants by refusing to hire them for the press helper position. After both parties filed discovery motions, the case settled by entry of a consent decree in February 2002.

The five year consent decree required the defendant to refrain from discrimination, pay $135,000 in compensatory damages to the compensation class members (Black applicants for the press helper position from 1/1/1993 to 12/31/1997 and were not hired/offered the position). Defendant must advertise job openings in the Houston area Greensheet newspapers and advertise job openings in a newspaper that specializes in servicing the Houston African American community if the defendant fails to offer/hire jobs to 29 qualified black applicants in three years, offer/hire black applicants for the press helper position representative of the applicant pool (60%), offer/hire 29 qualified black instatement members (black applicants for the press helper position from 1/1/1998 to 11/26/2001 who were not offered employment or hired). The defendant must make all applicants complete an application; keep an applicant log; ensure that any person with a direct/indirect role in hiring understands the decree; give the EEOC reports every six months on compliance with the decree; post notice; and train managers, supervisors, and hiring officials on EEO.

The decree was entered in 2002 and scheduled to last 2007. No further docket entries exist, so the case is closed.

Summary Authors

Kevin Wilemon (8/1/2007)

Clearinghouse (12/26/2018)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

4:99-cv-04526

Docket (PACER)

EEOC v. Greensheet Inc et al

Feb. 5, 2002

Feb. 5, 2002

Docket
31

4:99-cv-04526

Consent Decree

EEOC v. Greensheet Inc et al

Feb. 5, 2002

Feb. 5, 2002

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 16, 2024, 3:05 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT by EEOC filed; (leddins) (Entered: 12/29/1999)

Dec. 29, 1999

Dec. 29, 1999

2

Order setting Initial Pretrial and Scheduling Conference on 3:30 4/10/00 by telephone before Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt and Order to Disclose Interested Persons, filed. Party filing case notified. (leddins) (Entered: 12/29/1999)

Dec. 29, 1999

Dec. 29, 1999

1 SUMMONS issued for Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon (leddins) (Entered: 12/29/1999)

Dec. 29, 1999

Dec. 29, 1999

3

ANSWER to Complaint by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon (Added attorney Anthony P Rosenstein), filed.; jury demand (hcarr) (Entered: 01/21/2000)

Jan. 20, 2000

Jan. 20, 2000

4

JOINT DISCOVERY/Case Management Plan by Defts Greensheet Inc and Helen Gordon, filed. (fmremp) (Entered: 03/29/2000)

March 29, 2000

March 29, 2000

5

ORDER FOLLOWING TELEPHONE SCHEDULING CONFERENCE: Conference held by telephone on 04/10/00. Apps: R. Sustaita for Pltf. and S. Yoshor for Deft. The following schedules were set; Pltf expert witness list submitted by 11/15/00 ; Deft expert witness list submitted by 1/15/01 ; Discovery cutoff 3/31/01 ; Deadline for filing all dispositive motions 3/31/01 ; Pretrial order to be submitted on or before 5/7/01 ; Docket call deadline 11:30 5/7/01 ; Trial date <date not provided> ETT: 2 weeks notice of compliance due for initial disclosures to be filed on or before 04/28/00 , entered. Parties notified. ( Signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (leddins) (Entered: 04/11/2000)

April 11, 2000

April 11, 2000

6

INITIAL DISCLOSURE by EEOC , filed. (hlerma) (Entered: 05/01/2000)

April 28, 2000

April 28, 2000

7

FIRST AMENDED INITIAL DISCLOSURES by EEOC, filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 08/17/2000)

Aug. 17, 2000

Aug. 17, 2000

8

JOINT MOTION to amend scheduling order by EEOC, Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon , filed (sguevara) (Entered: 11/14/2000)

Nov. 14, 2000

Nov. 14, 2000

9

ORDER granting Pltf EEOC and Defts' [8-1] joint motion to amend scheduling order: Pltf's Designation of Experts 11/29/00 and Reports 11/29/00; Defts' Designation of Experts 1/29/01 and Reports 1/29/01, entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (fmremp) (Entered: 11/17/2000)

Nov. 17, 2000

Nov. 17, 2000

10

DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESS LIST by EEOC filed. (psmith) (Entered: 11/29/2000)

Nov. 29, 2000

Nov. 29, 2000

12

DEFTS' DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESSES by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon, filed. (ddarneille) (Entered: 01/30/2001)

Jan. 29, 2001

Jan. 29, 2001

13

MOTION to compel production of documents and answers to interrogatories , and opposed motion to amend scheduling order by EEOC, Motion Docket Date 2/27/01 [13-1] motion, 2/27/01 [13-2] motion , filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 02/08/2001)

Feb. 7, 2001

Feb. 7, 2001

14

RESPONSE by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon to [13-1] motion to compel production of documents and answers to interrogatories , filed. (part 1 of 2) (sguevara) (Entered: 02/21/2001)

Feb. 20, 2001

Feb. 20, 2001

14

MOTION for protective order by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon, Motion Docket Date 3/12/01 [14-1] motion , filed. (part 2 of 2) (sguevara) (Entered: 02/21/2001)

Feb. 20, 2001

Feb. 20, 2001

15

Pltf's REPLY by EEOC to Deft's response to EEOC's [13-1] motion to compel production of documents and answers to interrogatories And [13-2] Opposed motion to amend scheduling order, filed (fmremp) (Entered: 02/26/2001)

Feb. 23, 2001

Feb. 23, 2001

16

ORDER/Confidentiality Agreement, entered; Parties notified. (signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt) (ddarneille) (Entered: 02/26/2001)

Feb. 26, 2001

Feb. 26, 2001

17

ORDER granting pltf's [13-1] motion to compel production of documents and answers to interrogatories; granting pltf's [13-2] motion to amend scheduling order; denying Greensheet's [14-1] motion for protective order, but enters a confidentiality agreement. Scheduling order is modified: reset discovery due for 8/31/01 , reset pretrial order deadline for 10/8/01 , reset docket call for 10/8/01 , entered; Parties notified. (signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt) (ddarneille) (Entered: 02/26/2001)

Feb. 26, 2001

Feb. 26, 2001

18

MOTION in limine to exclude proposed expert testimony of Dr. Dwight Steward by EEOC, Motion Docket Date 5/27/01 [18-1] motion , filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 05/08/2001)

May 7, 2001

May 7, 2001

19

RESPONSE by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon to pltf's [18-1] motion in limine to exclude proposed expert testimony of Dr. Dwight Steward , filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 05/30/2001)

May 29, 2001

May 29, 2001

20

REPLY by EEOC to defts' response to pltf's [18-1] motion in limine to exclude proposed expert testimony of Dr. Dwight Steward , filed (sguevara) (Entered: 06/06/2001)

June 6, 2001

June 6, 2001

21

REQUEST by Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon for hearing, filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 06/18/2001)

June 15, 2001

June 15, 2001

22

PLTF'S REPLY to defts' [21-1] request for hearing (on [18-1] motion in limine to exclude proposed expert testimony of Dr. Dwight Steward by EEOC), filed. (ddarneille) (Entered: 06/21/2001)

June 20, 2001

June 20, 2001

23

THIRD AMENDED INITIAL DISCLOSURE by EEOC , filed. (hcarr) (Entered: 07/09/2001)

July 6, 2001

July 6, 2001

25

ORDER denying without prejudice pltf's [18-1] motion in limine to exclude proposed expert testimony of Dr. Dwight Steward , entered; denied without prejudice to any subsequent rulings. Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (sguevara) (Entered: 08/07/2001)

Aug. 7, 2001

Aug. 7, 2001

26

AGREED MOTION to amend scheduling order superseding pltf's opposed motion to amend scheduling order by EEOC, Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon , filed. (sguevara) (Entered: 08/27/2001)

Aug. 24, 2001

Aug. 24, 2001

27

ORDER granting [26-1] agreed motion to amend scheduling order superseding pltf's opposed motion to amend scheduling order; discovery due: 11/30/01 ; dispositive motion filing deadline: 12/20/01 , docket call is set for 11:30 pm on 1/7/02 before Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (sguevara) (Entered: 09/04/2001)

Aug. 31, 2001

Aug. 31, 2001

28

FOURTH AMENDED INITIAL DISCLOSURES by EEOC , filed. (amaly) (Entered: 11/08/2001)

Nov. 7, 2001

Nov. 7, 2001

29

ORDER OF DISMISSAL ON SETTLEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT, entered; This case is DISMISSED without prejudice. Parties have the right to move for reinstatement within 90 days. Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (amaly) (Entered: 11/26/2001)

Nov. 26, 2001

Nov. 26, 2001

Case closed (amaly) (Entered: 11/26/2001)

Nov. 26, 2001

Nov. 26, 2001

Rec'd and frwd to CRD: Letter from atty for EECO to Myra Baird informing her that the parties have reached an agreement in principal and are working out details for a Consent Decree (sguevara) (Entered: 11/27/2001)

Nov. 26, 2001

Nov. 26, 2001

30

JOINT MOTION to approve , and enter a consent decree in resolution of suit by EEOC, Greensheet Inc, Helen Gordon , filed (kprice) (Entered: 02/04/2002)

Feb. 1, 2002

Feb. 1, 2002

31

ORDER granting [30-1] joint motion to approve granting [30-2] joint motion enter a consent decree in resolution of suit , entered; Parties notified. ( signed by Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt ) (sguevara) (Entered: 02/05/2002)

Feb. 5, 2002

Feb. 5, 2002

Case Details

State / Territory: Texas

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 29, 1999

Closing Date: 2007

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

Helen Gordon Interest Ltd (Houston), Private Entity/Person

Greensheet Inc. (Houston), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

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: 135000

Order Duration: 2002 - 2007

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Utilize objective job description

Comply with advertising/recruiting requirements

Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Goals (e.g., for hiring, admissions)

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Hiring

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits