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Employment Law
FEHA
Gender Discrimination

Shirley Ellis, et al. v. Costco Wholesale Corporation

Published: Jan. 25, 2014 | Result Date: Dec. 17, 2013 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: 3:04-cv-03341-EMC Settlement –  $8,000,000

Court

USDC Northern


Attorneys

Plaintiff

Elizabeth A. Lawrence

Lindsay P. Nako
(Impact Fund)

James M. Finberg
(Altshuler Berzon LLP)

Jocelyn D. Larkin
(Impact Fund)

Kelly M. Dermody
(Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein LLP)

Daniel M. Hutchinson
(Lieff, Cabraser, Heiman & Bernstein LLP)

Steve Stemerman

Robert L. Schug
(Nichols Kaster LLP)

Bill Lann Lee


Defendant

Kenwood C. Youmans
(Seyfarth Shaw LLP)

Thomas J. Wybenga

David D. Kadue
(Seyfarth Shaw LLP)

Annette Tyman

Gerald L. Maatman Jr.
(Seyfarth Shaw LLP)


Facts

Shirley Ellis filed a class action against Costco Wholesale Corp. seeking declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief.

Contentions

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Ellis alleged that Costco discriminated against female employees by using a uniform, corporate-directed system that fails to promote equally or better qualified women into the position of Assistant General Manager and General Manager.

Result

After nearly 10 years of litigation, the parties settled for $8 million. As part of the settlement, Costco also agreed to certain programmatic relief to address the specific gender promotion issues alleged by Ellis.


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