Case: EEOC v. Gurtz Electric Company

1:02-cv-04976 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: July 15, 2002

Closed Date: March 1, 2004

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In July 2002, the Chicago District Office of the EEOC filed this lawsuit against construction companies Pickus Construction & Equipment Company, Inc. and Gurtz Electric Co in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging discrimination on the basis of gender, female in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged the defendant allowed sexually offensive graffiti to remain on the walls of a construction site and public toil…

In July 2002, the Chicago District Office of the EEOC filed this lawsuit against construction companies Pickus Construction & Equipment Company, Inc. and Gurtz Electric Co in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging discrimination on the basis of gender, female in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged the defendant allowed sexually offensive graffiti to remain on the walls of a construction site and public toilet, thereby creating a sexually hostile work environment. Following some discovery, the parties settled the lawsuit in March and June 2004 through two consent decrees.

Only the consent decree between the EEOC and Pickus is available. The two-year decree, containing anti-discrimination and retaliation clauses, required the defendant to: report on complaints and make other compliance reports, keep records, allow the EEOC access for monitoring, update its anti-discrimination policy, post and distribute notice of employee rights, provide EEO training, implement a complaint resolution process, and pay $29,750 to be distributed among two individuals. The EEOC Litigation Settlement Report states that Gurtz was required to pay the claimants $50,000.

Summary Authors

Daisy Manning (4/25/2008)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:02-cv-04976

Docket [PACER]

March 1, 2004

March 1, 2004

Docket
1

1:02-cv-04976

Complaint

July 15, 2002

July 15, 2002

Complaint
19

1:02-cv-04976

Consent Decree

EEOC v. Pickus Construction and Equipment Company, Inc.

June 17, 2003

June 17, 2003

Settlement Agreement

1:02-cv-04976

EEOC Litigation Settlement Report - April 2003

No Court

June 17, 2003

June 17, 2003

Press Release

Resources

Docket

Last updated Feb. 23, 2024, 4:26 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT - jury demand - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of John C. Hendrickson, Gregory M. Gochanour, Beth A. Miller as attorney(s) for plaintiff ( no summons summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3) (yap) Modified on 07/15/2002 (Entered: 07/15/2002)

July 15, 2002

July 15, 2002

2

WAIVER of service of summons as to defendant Gurtz Electric Co sent on 7/16/02. (yp) (Entered: 07/25/2002)

July 24, 2002

July 24, 2002

SCHEDULE set on 8/9/02 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set to 9:00 9/17/02 . Mailed notice (wah) (Entered: 08/09/2002)

Aug. 9, 2002

Aug. 9, 2002

3

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant by Sidney E. Morrison, Howard Marks, Frank T. Davenport, Lynn Luchesse-Soto. (yp) (Entered: 09/13/2002)

Sept. 12, 2002

Sept. 12, 2002

4

ANSWER by defendant [1-1]; Notice. (yp) (Entered: 09/13/2002)

Sept. 12, 2002

Sept. 12, 2002

SCHEDULE set on 9/17/02 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 9:00 10/2/02 . Mailed notice (ldg) (Entered: 09/17/2002)

Sept. 17, 2002

Sept. 17, 2002

5

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant Pickus Constr & by Louis W. Brydges Jr.; Notice. (yp) (Entered: 09/27/2002)

Sept. 26, 2002

Sept. 26, 2002

SCHEDULE set on 10/2/02 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held. Discovery ordered closed on 4/1/03 . Pretrial conference set to 11:00 7/2/03. Jury trial set to 10:00 8/11/03 . Mailed notice (ldg) (Entered: 10/03/2002)

Oct. 2, 2002

Oct. 2, 2002

6

MOTION by defendant Pickus Constr & for leave to file instanter answer and affirmative defenses to complaint ; Notices. (lc) (Entered: 12/03/2002)

Dec. 2, 2002

Dec. 2, 2002

8

MOTION by plaintiff for substitution of counsel ; Notice. (gcy) (Entered: 01/21/2003)

Jan. 9, 2003

Jan. 9, 2003

10

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for plaintiff by Deborah Lois Hamilton (gcy) (Entered: 01/21/2003)

Jan. 9, 2003

Jan. 9, 2003

9

MINUTE ORDER of 1/16/03 by Hon. John W. Darrah: Plaintiff's motion for substitution of counsel is granted [8-1]. Ms Deborah L. Hamilton is new counsel substituted for Ms. Beth Miller. Mailed notice (gcy) (Entered: 01/21/2003)

Jan. 16, 2003

Jan. 16, 2003

NOTICE by defendant Pickus Constr & and Equipment Company's counsel of change of address (Original in case file 02 cv 2919) (yap) (Entered: 01/23/2003)

Jan. 22, 2003

Jan. 22, 2003

11

NOTICE of filing by defendant Pickus Constr & Equipment Company's counsel of change of address [0-1] (yap) (Entered: 01/23/2003)

Jan. 22, 2003

Jan. 22, 2003

NOTICE by defendant Pickus Constr &'s counsel of change of address. (Original in 02C1975) (air) (Entered: 01/27/2003)

Jan. 22, 2003

Jan. 22, 2003

16

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff EEOC and defendant Gurtz Elec Co for entry of consent decree (Attachment); Notice. (jmp) (Entered: 03/14/2003)

March 4, 2003

March 4, 2003

12

ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant Pickus Constr & by Allen William Dub, Michael Adam Paull (eav) (Entered: 03/10/2003)

March 6, 2003

March 6, 2003

13

MOTION by Allen W. Dub and Klein Dub & Holleb, Ltd. for substitution of attorneys ; Notice (las) (Entered: 03/13/2003)

March 6, 2003

March 6, 2003

14

SUBSTITUTION of attorneys by Pickus Constr & (las) (Entered: 03/13/2003)

March 6, 2003

March 6, 2003

15

MINUTE ORDER of 3/12/03 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Defendant Pickus Contruction's motion for substitution of attorneys is granted [13-1]. Attorney Louis W. Brydges Jr. is withdrawn and attorneys Allen W. Dub and Michael A. Paull are substituted attorneys for Pickus Constr & and Equipment Company. Mailed notice (las) (Entered: 03/13/2003)

March 12, 2003

March 12, 2003

17

MINUTE ORDER of 3/13/03 by Hon. John W. Darrah : EEOC's and Gurtz Electric Co's joint motion for entry of consent decree is granted [16-1]. (Entered Consent Decree). Mailed notice (jmp) (Entered: 03/14/2003)

March 13, 2003

March 13, 2003

18

JOINT MOTION by plaintiff EEOC and defendant Pickus Constr for entry of consent decree (Attachments); Notice (rmm) (Entered: 06/18/2003)

June 10, 2003

June 10, 2003

19

MINUTE ORDER of 6/17/03 by Hon. John W. Darrah: EEOC and Pickus Construction's joint motion for entry of consent decree is granted [18-1] (Entered consent decree (Attachments)). Mailed notice (rmm) (Entered: 06/18/2003)

June 17, 2003

June 17, 2003

20

MINUTE ORDER of 3/1/04 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Consent decree having been entered on 06/17/03, this case is hereby closed. [19-1] Terminating case. Mailed notice (hp) (Entered: 03/02/2004)

March 1, 2004

March 1, 2004

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: July 15, 2002

Closing Date: March 1, 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

Gurtz Electric Co (Lake Barrington, Illinois), Private Entity/Person

Pickus Construction & Equipment Company, Inc. (Lake Barrington, Illinois), 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: 79750

Order Duration: 2003 - 2005

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Develop anti-discrimination policy

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Implement complaint/dispute resolution process

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Monitoring

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Harassment / Hostile Work Environment

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits