Filed Date: Aug. 10, 2001
Closed Date: 2002
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On August 10, 2001, the Baltimore office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit under Title VII against Consolidated Stores, Inc. (doing business as Big Lots) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The EEOC alleged that the defendants had violated the rights of the complainants by subjecting them to sexual harassment and retaliating against them when they complained about that harassment.
On October 3, 2001, four of the complainants intervened as plaintiffs in the case. They were joined by one additional complainant who intervened on January 25, 2002. The court granted all of these motions to intervene.
On August 8, 2002, the parties filed a consent decree, which the court adopted on the same day. Under the terms of the decree, the defendants agreed to pay $300,000 in compensatory damages to the complainants in this case and to expunge the employment records of those complainants, deleting any mention of events related to this lawsuit. Within 30 days of the consent decree, the defendants were to have all employees at the Cumberland, Maryland location undergo anti-discrimination training. Defendants agreed to provide the EEOC with a list of all employees who undergo the anti-discrimination training. Defendants agreed to post and distribute notice to all employees of the company's anti-discrimination policies. The defendants agreed to inform all employees that if they were subjected to sexual harassment, they could file a complaint with the company, and the company would investigate the claim and redress the grievance. Defendants also agreed to provide the EEOC with a copy of the anti-discrimination policy that it distributed to each employee under the terms of the decree.
The EEOC reserved the right to conduct on-site reviews of the defendants' facilities and to require additional documentation to ensure compliance during the 2-year life of the decree.
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (3/16/2008)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/11375132/parties/equal-employment-v-consolidated-stores/
Nickerson, William M. (Maryland)
Cahill, Kathleen M (Maryland)
Kiel, Gerald S (Maryland)
Fortenberry, Monique Y (Maryland)
Neal, Daria E (Maryland)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/11375132/equal-employment-v-consolidated-stores/
Last updated Aug. 13, 2025, 1:54 a.m.
State / Territory: Maryland
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 10, 2001
Closing Date: 2002
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of one or more workers.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Consolidated Stores, Inc. (Cumberland, Maryland), Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Available 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
Content of Injunction:
Expungement of Employment Record
Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law
Provide antidiscrimination training
Implement complaint/dispute resolution process
Amount Defendant Pays: 300000
Order Duration: 2002 - 2004
Issues
Discrimination Area:
Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
EEOC-centric: