Filed Date: Sept. 28, 2006
Closed Date: 2016
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On September 28, 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed this lawsuit against Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc (Grace Church). and Episcopal Diocese of Long Island (Diocese) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged the defendants subjected the female complaining party to a sexually hostile work environment and terminated her in retaliation to her opposing these practices. The EEOC sought injunctive and monetary relief against the defendants. The case was assigned to Magistrate Judge William Wall.
The defendants successfully had the lawsuit dismissed in July 2007, as the EEOC failed to demonstrate that Grace Church and Diocese were an integrated enterprise or an employer of the complaining party. At the same time the EEOC's partial motion for summary judgment was denied. The court granted the EEOC leave to amend their complaint. 2007 WL 4914663. On December 18, 2007, the EEOC filed an amended complaint against the defendants.
On January 25, 2008, Diocese moved to dismiss the EEOC’s amended complaint. Diocese argued that the EEOC did not sufficiently plead that Diocese was an employer under Title VII, and therefore the amended complaint should be dismissed. The court did not agree. On July 15, 2008, the court denied Diocese’s motion to dismiss EEOC’s amended complaint.
For nearly three years, the parties underwent discovery proceedings. On November 30, 2012, settlement discussions began. The complainant intervened as a plaintiff, on May 20, 2013. The next day, the parties’ reached an agreement, and the court approved their consent decree.
This consent decree allowed the court to retain jurisdiction for three years to ensure compliance. The decree concerned monetary and injunctive relief. For the monetary relief, the Grace Church agreed to pay $192,000.00 to the charging party and claimant. For injunctive relief, the defendants agreed to refrain from retaliation and sex discrimination. The defendants next agreed to adopt non-discriminatory policies and procedures. In addition, the defendants agreed to provide anti-employment discrimination training to all employees, post notices of this lawsuit’s resolution in prominent places where employee notices were posted, report regularly to the EEOC, and keep records up to date that were relevant to employment discrimination.
There are no indication of non-compliance by the parties, and the duration of the consent decree has lapsed. The case is presumably closed.
Summary Authors
David Friedman (5/29/2008)
Sean Whetstone (7/9/2018)
For PACER's information on parties and their attrorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5593651/parties/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-grace-episcopal-church-of/
Korman, Edward Robert (New York)
Wall, William D. (New York)
Adams, Raechel (New York)
Batog, Konrad (New York)
Cooper, Ronald S. (District of Columbia)
Cronin, Linda (New York)
Cronn, Linda M. (New York)
Grossman, Elizabeth (New York)
Keenan, Judy A. (New York)
Lee, James L. (District of Columbia)
Korman, Edward Robert (New York)
Wall, William D. (New York)
Adams, Raechel (New York)
Batog, Konrad (New York)
Cooper, Ronald S. (District of Columbia)
Cronin, Linda (New York)
Cronn, Linda M. (New York)
Grossman, Elizabeth (New York)
Keenan, Judy A. (New York)
Lee, James L. (District of Columbia)
Malloy, Margaret Ann (New York)
Peters, Bonnie S. (New York)
Reams, Gwendolyn Young (District of Columbia)
Rose, Robert D. (New York)
Hussey, Brian M. (New York)
Lund, Charlene (New York)
Lynch, James D. (New York)
Mealiffe, Thomas M. (New York)
Ortego, Joseph J. (New York)
Weller, James W. (New York)
Raisfeld, Ruth Debra (New York)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5593651/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-grace-episcopal-church-of/
Last updated Aug. 9, 2022, 3:08 a.m.
State / Territory: New York
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 28, 2006
Closing Date: 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers that were discriminated against because of their sex.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Episcopal Diocese of Long Island (New York, New York), Private Entity/Person
Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc. (New York, New York), Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Availably Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Amount Defendant Pays: 192,500
Order Duration: 2013 - 2016
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Implement complaint/dispute resolution process
Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law
Provide antidiscrimination training
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff
Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
Discrimination-basis:
Affected Gender:
EEOC-centric: