Case: Lake v. AK Steel Corporation
2:04-cv-00764 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Filed Date: May 21, 2004
Closed Date: 2006
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Case Summary
On May 21, 2004, an African American employee of A.K. Steel Corporation brought suit against his employer under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The plaintiff filed this action a year after bringing a related suit with other employees of A.K. Steel. (See (LAKE v. A.K. STEEL CORPORATION). The plaintiffs claimed the defendant permitted a hostile workspace that included the use of racial slurs against the plaintiffs, racially graphic graffiti, and displays of Klu Klux Klan videos.
After conducting partial discovery, the defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. Before receiving a ruling on the motion for summary judgment, the plaintiff filed a motion to consolidate with the related actions, Lake v. A.K. Steel Corporation and EEOC v AK Steel Corp.
On September 11, 2006, the court granted the motion to consolidate. On January 31, 2007, the parties in the consolidated case settled. The three-year settlement agreement included anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation clauses, and a confidentiality clause regarding the private plaintiffs' and complainants' involvement in the case. The agreement required A.K. Steel to post notice of the agreement, maintain records of all incidents of racial harassment, and make these records available to the EEOC within ten days of request. A.K. Steel was also required to provide a training session for all employees, including separate training for supervisory and managerial personnel. New employees would receive training during new employee orientation. The corporation agreed to pay a total of $550,000, including $160,000 to the plaintiff in this case. The docket sheet does not show any further enforcement; the case was presumably closed in 2010.
Summary Authors
Amanda Stephens (2/2/2019)
Related Cases
LAKE v. AK STEEL CORPORATION, Western District of Pennsylvania (2003)
EEOC v. AK Steel Corporation, Western District of Pennsylvania (2003)
People
Cercone, David S. (Pennsylvania)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
Last updated March 26, 2025, 9:24 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 21, 2004
Closing Date: 2006
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
An African American employee of AK Steel Corp
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Private Entity/Person
AK Steel Corporation
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Other Dockets:
Western District of Pennsylvania 2:04-cv-00764
Western District of Pennsylvania 2:03-cv-00517
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Implement complaint/dispute resolution process
Provide antidiscrimination training
Amount Defendant Pays: 550,000
Order Duration: 2007 - 2010
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc.)
Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff
Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):
EEOC-centric:
Private Suit Related / Consolidated with EEOC Suit
Case Summary of Lake v. AK Steel Corporation, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/10923/ (last updated 2/2/2019).