The Northern District of Illinois recently denied a motion for
class certification based largely on the inexperience of class
counsel, and simultaneously denied the defendant's motion to
deny class certification. The plaintiffs sought to represent a
class of all present and former female employees who worked at a
Chicago area Ford Motor Company facility beginning in 2012.
Plaintiffs filed a 123-count complaint alleging a wide range of
claims, including sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and
various forms of discrimination. During the litigation, the
defendant entered into an agreement with the EEOC (the
"Conciliation Agreement"), which included a series of
commitments to prevent harassment and discrimination, as well as
establishing a fund to provide relief to individuals subjected to
discrimination.
