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EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc.

EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc.

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

May 7, 2012, Submitted; May 8, 2012, Filed

Nos. 09-3764/09-3765/10-1682

Opinion

 [*664]  SMITH, Circuit Judge.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit in its own name against CRST Van Expedited, Inc. (CRST), alleging that CRST subjected Monika Starke "and approximately 270 similarly situated female employees" to a hostile work environment, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights  [**3] Act of 1964 ("Title VII"), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. Starke and Remcey Jeunenne Peeples intervened in the EEOC-instituted action and individually pursued their respective hostile work-environment claims against CRST, as well as claims for unlawful retaliation under Title VII and Iowa state law.

The district court ruled in CRST's favor on a series of dispositive motions that collectively disposed of the entire action. The district court also awarded CRST $92,842.21 in costs and $4,467,442.90 in attorneys' fees and expenses, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(k) and 28 U.S.C. § 1920, as a sanction for the EEOC's failure to reasonably investigate and conciliate in good faith its claims against CRST.

As set out below, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

 [*665]  I. Background

This consolidated appeal concerns a sweeping employment-discrimination suit that the EEOC instituted against CRST, one of the country's largest interstate trucking companies. The EEOC alleged that CRST was responsible for severe and pervasive sexual harassment in its New-Driver Training Program ("Training Program"). Because "we are reviewing the district court's grant  [**4] of summary judgment against [EEOC, Starke, and Peeples], we recite the facts in the light most favorable to [them]." Bonn v. City of Omaha, 623 F.3d 587, 589 (8th Cir. 2010).

A. CRST's Business Model and Training Program

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679 F.3d 657 *; 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 9299 **; 114 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1566; 2012 WL 1583026

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Plaintiff - Appellant, Janet Boot, Intervenor Plaintiff, Remcey Jeunenne Peeples; Monika Starke, Intervenor Plaintiffs - Appellants, v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., Defendant - Appellee.Equal Employment Advisory Council; Chamber of Commerce of the United States; Society for Human Resource Management; National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, Amici on Behalf of Appellee.

Subsequent History: Rehearing denied by, Rehearing, en banc, denied by EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 11858 (8th Cir. Iowa, June 8, 2012)

Motion granted by, in part, Motion denied by, in part, Motion denied by, in part, As moot EEOC v. Crst Van Expedited, Inc., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10739 (N.D. Iowa, Jan. 28, 2013)

Prior History:  [**1] Appeals from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11125 (N.D. Iowa, Feb. 9, 2010)EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52089 (N.D. Iowa, June 18, 2009)EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64118 (N.D. Iowa, July 9, 2009)EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71396 (N.D. Iowa, Aug. 13, 2009)EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 614 F. Supp. 2d 968, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40911 (N.D. Iowa, 2009)EEOC v. CRST Van Expedited, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46204 (N.D. Iowa, June 2, 2009)

CORE TERMS

harassment, district court, conciliation, sexual harassment, Driver, trainee, quotations, severe, pervasive, trainers, lawsuit, investigate, hostile, summary judgment, estopped, truck, allegations, sexual, aggrieved person, employees, woman, grant of summary judgment, alleged harassment, judicial estoppel, discovery, reasonable cause, matter of law, notice, abused, class member

Labor & Employment Law, US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Civil Actions, General Overview, Business & Corporate Compliance, Authorities & Powers, Investigative Authority, Jurisdiction, Reasonable Cause & Conciliation, Civil Procedure, Appeals, Standards of Review, Abuse of Discretion, Preclusion of Judgments, Estoppel, Judicial Estoppel, Bankruptcy Law, Reorganizations, Plans, Disclosure Statements, Plan Contents, Procedural Matters, Exhaustion of Remedies, Right to Sue Letters, Intervention, Gender & Sex Discrimination, Scope & Definitions, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, Defenses, Antiharassment Policy, Employer Liability, Harassment by Supervisors, Summary Judgment, Burdens of Proof, Absence of Essential Element, Judgments, Evidentiary Considerations, Entitlement as Matter of Law, Appellate Review, Standards of Review, Discrimination, Actionable Discrimination, Trials, Jury Trials, Province of Court & Jury, Title VII Discrimination, Retaliation, Burdens of Proof, Elements, Discovery & Disclosure, Disclosure, Sanctions, Statutory Application, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Remedies, Costs & Attorney Fees, Costs & Attorney Fees, Attorney Fees & Expenses