Case: EEOC v. PETROFAC SERVICES INC

4:06-cv-01563 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Filed Date: May 8, 2006

Closed Date: 2010

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Case Summary

In May 2006, the EEOC's Houston office filed this suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Petrofac Services, Inc., alleging it had violated the Equal Pay Act by purposely compensating a female employee less than her male counterparts who held similar positions performing substantially the same work. The charging party, a female, received $50,000 a year in compensation for the position of Buyer. The defendant then hired a male Buyer at $60,000 a year and then…

In May 2006, the EEOC's Houston office filed this suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Petrofac Services, Inc., alleging it had violated the Equal Pay Act by purposely compensating a female employee less than her male counterparts who held similar positions performing substantially the same work. The charging party, a female, received $50,000 a year in compensation for the position of Buyer. The defendant then hired a male Buyer at $60,000 a year and then another male Buyer at $65,000 a year. The case proceeded until the parties proposed a consent decree in February 2007 that the court adopted that same month. The consent decree ordered the defendant to pay the charging party $15,000 in exchange for a waiver of her remaining potential claims. The decree also enjoined the defendant from discriminating or retaliating in the future and required it to institute training sessions for its employees on the topic of the illegality of the Equal Pay Act and required it to maintain records of future complainants and submit them to the EEOC. The settlement term was 3 years. The docket sheet does not show any further enforcement; the case was presumably closed in 2010.

Summary Authors

Tony Friedman (9/1/2007)

Clearinghouse (6/12/2017)

People


Judge(s)

Stacy, Frances H. (Texas)

Judge(s)

Stacy, Frances H. (Texas)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

4:06-cv-01563

Docket (PACER)

EEOC v. Petrofac Services Inc

Feb. 20, 2007

Feb. 20, 2007

Docket
1

4:06-cv-01563

Original Complaint of the US EEOC

EEOC v. Petrofac Services Inc

May 8, 2006

May 8, 2006

Complaint
18

4:06-cv-01563

Consent Decree

EEOC v. Petrofac Services Inc

Feb. 20, 2007

Feb. 20, 2007

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated March 13, 2024, 3:06 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against Petrofac Services, Inc (Filing fee $ 350) filed by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.(blacy, ) Additional attachment(s) added on 5/8/2006 (blacy, ). (Entered: 05/08/2006)

May 8, 2006

May 8, 2006

2

ORDER for Initial Pretrial and Scheduling Conference and Order to Disclose Interested Persons. Initial Conference set for 9/6/2006 at 10:00 AM in Courtroom 704 before Magistrate Judge Frances H Stacy. ( Judge Melinda Harmon ) Parties notified. (blacy, ) (Entered: 05/08/2006)

May 8, 2006

May 8, 2006

3

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PARTIES by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, filed.(Bowne, Timothy) (Entered: 05/08/2006)

May 8, 2006

May 8, 2006

Fee waived re: 1 Complaint , filed. (agould, ) (Entered: 05/12/2006)

May 12, 2006

May 12, 2006

4

NOTICE of attorney substitution by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Attorney Kathy D. Boutchee added. Attorney Timothy M Bowne terminated, filed. (Boutchee, Kathy) (Entered: 06/28/2006)

June 28, 2006

June 28, 2006

5

MOTION for Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. to Appear Pro Hac Vice by Petrofac Services, Inc, filed. Motion Docket Date 8/7/2006. (Oberti, Mark) (Entered: 07/17/2006)

July 17, 2006

July 17, 2006

6

Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to Answer or Otherwise Respond to Plaintiff's Original Complaint by Petrofac Services, Inc, filed. Motion Docket Date 8/9/2006. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A# 2 Proposed Order)(Oberti, Mark) (Entered: 07/20/2006)

July 20, 2006

July 20, 2006

7

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PARTIES by Petrofac Services, Inc, filed.(Oberti, Mark) (Entered: 07/24/2006)

July 24, 2006

July 24, 2006

8

ORDER granting 5 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice as to Gerald Maatman .( Signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) Parties notified.(bthomas, ) (Entered: 07/25/2006)

July 24, 2006

July 24, 2006

9

ORDER granting 6 Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to Answer or Otherwise Respond to Plaintiff's Original Complaint. Answer due for Petrofac Services, Inc 8/16/2006.( Signed by Judge Melinda Harmon ) Parties notified.(bthomas, ) (Entered: 07/26/2006)

July 26, 2006

July 26, 2006

11

ANSWER to Complaint by Petrofac Services, Inc, filed.(Oberti, Mark) (Entered: 08/15/2006)

Aug. 15, 2006

Aug. 15, 2006

12

NOTICE of Change of Address by Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., counsel for Petrofac Services, Inc, filed. (Oberti, Mark) (Entered: 08/15/2006)

Aug. 15, 2006

Aug. 15, 2006

13

ORDER for Initial Pretrial and Scheduling Conference and Order to Disclose Interested Persons. Initial Conference set for 9/27/2006 at 09:30 AM in Chambers, Room 8631 before Judge Keith P Ellison.( Signed by Judge Keith P Ellison ) Parties notified.(csonnier, ) (Entered: 09/18/2006)

Sept. 18, 2006

Sept. 18, 2006

14

JOINT DISCOVERY/CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, filed.(Boutchee, Kathy) (Entered: 09/25/2006)

Sept. 25, 2006

Sept. 25, 2006

15

NOTICE of Resetting. Parties notified Initial Conference reset for 11/30/2006 at 10:30 AM in Chambers, Room 8631 before Judge Keith P Ellison, filed. Initial Conference set for 9/27/2006 at 9:30 AM now CANCELLED. (csonnier, ) (Entered: 09/26/2006)

Sept. 26, 2006

Sept. 26, 2006

Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Keith P Ellison. INITIAL CONFERENCE held on 11/30/2006. The Courts sets Trial for 8/13/2007 at 08:30 AM in Courtroom 8C before Judge Keith P Ellison. Counsel to agree upon the remaining dates/deadlines & submit an Agreed Scheduling Order to the Court. Appearances: Kathy D Boutchee, Mark Joseph Oberti.(Court Reporter: F. Warner), filed.(csonnier, ) (Entered: 11/30/2006)

Nov. 30, 2006

Nov. 30, 2006

16

SCHEDULING/DOCKET CONTROL ORDER: ETT: 4 Days. JURY. Joinder of Parties due by 1/31/2007; Pltf Expert Report due by 2/1/2007; Deft Expert Report due by 3/1/2007; Discovery due by 5/1/2007; Dispositive & Non-Dispositive Motion Filing due by 5/14/2007; Joint Pretrial Order due by 8/6/2007. Jury Trial set for 8/13/2007 at 08:30 AM in Courtroom 8C before Judge Keith P Ellison.( Signed by Judge Keith P Ellison ) Parties notified.(csonnier, ) (Entered: 11/30/2006)

Nov. 30, 2006

Nov. 30, 2006

17

Agreed MOTION for Entry of Order re: Entry of Consent Decree by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, filed. Motion Docket Date 3/8/2007. (Attachments: # 1)(Boutchee, Kathy) (Entered: 02/16/2007)

Feb. 16, 2007

Feb. 16, 2007

18

Consent Decree.( Signed by Judge Keith P Ellison ) Parties notified.(csonnier, ) (Entered: 02/21/2007)

Feb. 20, 2007

Feb. 20, 2007

Case Details

State / Territory: Texas

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Special Collection(s):

EEOC Study — in sample

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 8, 2006

Closing Date: 2010

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

Petrofac Services, Inc. (Houston), Private Entity/Person

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d)

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: 15000

Order Duration: 2007 - 2010

Content of Injunction:

Expungement of Employment Record

Neutral/Positive Reference

Discrimination Prohibition

Retaliation Prohibition

Comply with advertising/recruiting requirements

Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention

Post/Distribute Notice of Rights / EE Law

Provide antidiscrimination training

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Disparate Treatment

Pay / Benefits

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

EEOC-centric:

Direct Suit on Merits