In Illinois, Major Settlement For Race And Sexual Harassment

CHICAGO - Federal District Judge Charles R. Norgle, Sr. entered a $2 million consent decree resolving a workplace discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) challenging sexual and racial harassment and retaliation at Cracker Barrel restaurants in Bloomington, Mattoon, and Matteson, Illinois, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (EEOC v. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and CBOCS West, Inc., N.D. Illinois No.04-C-5273).

Under the terms of the consent decree, 51 current or former employees at the three Cracker Barrel restaurants will share in the $2 million settlement fund. Additionally, Cracker Barrel will be required to train all employees at those stores regarding harassment, to post a notice regarding the outcome of the lawsuit, and to periodically report any complaints it receives about sex or race discrimination to the EEOC. The decree also prohibits Cracker Barrel from retaliating against.

Employees for complaining about illegal harassment or accepting benefits under the decree.

"These are exactly the types of systemic workplace discrimination that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits some of it obvious, some more subtle and that is what drove the EEOC's litigation of this case and what makes a $2 million consent decree appropriate," said the EEOC's Chicago District Regional Attorney John Hendrickson. "We are optimistic that the terms of the consent decree will effect positive change at Cracker Barrel and that the ability to enforce the decree will make those changes stick."