14. The
City revised its written examination for the 1995 selection process for
Firefighter based on recommendations made to it by Personnel Decisions, Inc.
("PDI"), a Minneapolis, MN, consulting firm. The written examination was revised as
follows: an "academy section" (a test of classroom learning) was
added; the basic grammar section was removed; and PDI rewrote the reading
comprehension section using actual text material used in recruit training. Thus, the City’s 1995 written examination
for Firefighter contained a total of 80 questions in three content areas:
ability to follow oral instructions; classroom learning ability; and reading
comprehension. The written examination was scored based on a 100-point scale,
with 70 set as the passing point.
Candidates who passed the written examination were invited to take the
PAT. The PAT was left largely unchanged
from that used by the City in its 1993 selection process. Raw scores based on seconds were converted
to a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the passing point.
15. Candidates
who passed the PAT were invited to take the "B-Pad" oral exercise, a
new component added by the City to its selection process on the recommendation
of PDI. The B-Pad, developed by
Behavioral Personnel Assessment Devices, a California consulting firm, requires
candidates to view and respond to problem scenarios shown to them on videotape. Raters evaluate videotapes made of the
candidates responding to the scenarios.
The B-Pad was scored based on a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the
passing point.
16. The
City’s 1995 written examination for Firefighter resulted in substantial
disparate impact upon African-American candidates.
The pass rate for African-American candidates on the examination
was 36.1%, while the pass rate for white candidates was 86.0%, resulting in a
highly statistically significant difference (20.41 SD). The average score for African-American
candidates who passed the examination was 76.97, while the average score for
white candidates who passed was 83.83, resulting in a highly significant
statistical difference (14.39 SD).
17. While
429 (or 22.5%) of all candidates who took the City’s 1995 written examination
for Firefighter were African-American, only 11 (or 9.2 %) of candidates
appointed from the eligible list resulting from that examination were
African-American. Had the City’s 1995
selection process for Firefighter been race-neutral, it would be expected that
at least 27 African-Americans would have been appointed, resulting in a
shortfall of 16 African-American appointees.
The written examination was the only practice or device in the City’s
1995 selection process for Firefighter that resulted in significant disparate
impact upon African-American candidates.
Accordingly, the written examination was the cause of an overall
appointment shortfall of 16 African-Americans for the City’s 1995 selection
process for Firefighter.
C.
The
City’s 1999 Firefighter Selection Process
18. The City’s 1999 selection process for
Firefighter included the same three components the City had used in 1995. However, the weights for the component
scores were changed as follows: a written examination: 15%; the PAT: 46%; and
the B-Pad: 39%. Preference points for veteran status and City residency, and
for possessing an Associate Degree in Fire Technology or a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Fire Science were added to the component scores to arrive at an
overall score. A candidate’s overall
score was used to create a rank-order eligible list of candidates to be
processed for appointment. The City has
appointed candidates from this eligible list from 2000 to the present.
19. The
written examination for Firefighter used by the City for its 1999 selection
process was a substantial revision of the examination used by the City during
1995. Thus, 43 questions from the 1995
examination that had impact against minorities were eliminated and a reading
comprehension passage was added. The
City’s 1999 written examination contained a total of 50 questions; and it was
scored based on a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the passing point. Candidates who passed were invited to take
the PAT.
20.The
City maintained the same exercises and time limit for the PAT in 1999 as it had
used in 1995. However, rather than
using a candidate’s course completion time (seconds) as the basis for the raw
score, the City established a "ceiling score" based on the median
time of the original incumbent group and a range of banded scores falling below
this ceiling. The highest possible
score was seven points, the lowest one point.
The PAT scoring was changed to address the concern that the rising level
of competition by the best performing candidates was adversely affecting the
standing of candidates on the eligible list who were well within the range of
acceptable proficiency but not at the top range. PAT point scores were
converted to a 100 point scale, with 70 set as the passing point.
21. Candidates
who passed the PAT were invited to take the B-Pad which was left unchanged from
that used by the City in 1995. The
B-Pad was scored based on a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the passing point.
22. The
City’s 1999 written examination for Firefighter resulted in substantial disparate
impact upon African-American candidates.
The pass rate for African-American candidates on the examination was
80.6%, while the pass rate for white candidates was 97.5%, resulting in a
highly statistically significant difference (8.59SD).
The average score for African-American candidates on the
examination was 82.4, while the average score for white candidates on the
examination was 89.5, resulting in a highly statistically significant
difference (12.44SD).
23. While
252 (or 21.1%) of all candidates who took the City’s 1999 written examination
for Firefighter were African-American, only ten (or 11.8 %) of candidates to
date appointed from the eligible list resulting from that examination have been
African-American. Had the City’s 1999
selection process for Firefighter been race-neutral, it would be expected that
18 African-Americans to date would have been appointed, resulting in a
shortfall of eight African-American appointees. The City, however, intends to
continue to utilize the eligible list resulting from that examination down to
the rank of 250, or for up to twelve months from the date of the final approval
and entry of this Supplemental Order, whichever event occurs first, in the
selection of additional candidates for appointment to Firefighter
positions. The City’s continued use of
the eligible list down to the rank of 250 will reduce the shortfall of
African-American appointees from eight to five. The written examination is the
only practice or device in the City’s 1999 selection process for Firefighter
that results in significant disparate impact upon African-Americans
candidates. Accordingly, the written
examination is the cause of an overall appointment shortfall of five
African-Americans for the City’s 1999 selection process for Firefighter.
D.
The
Parties’ Positions regarding the City’s 1993, 1995 and 1999 Written
Examinations for Firefighter
24. The parties agree that the City’s use of
its 1993, 1995 and 1999 written examinations for Firefighter resulted in
sufficient disparate impact upon African-American candidates as compared to
white candidates to establish a
prima
facie case of discrimination under Title VII. The parties further agree
that the City’s use of its 1993, 1995 and 1999 written examinations for
Firefighter resulted in appointment shortfalls for African-Americans of 16, 19
and five, respectively.
25. The United States and the Brotherhood
contend that the City cannot demonstrate, as is its burden under Title VII,
that the City’s 1993, 1995 and 1999 written examinations for Firefighter, as
well as the City’s use of each of those examinations with a pass point of 70.0
and as a weighted component of a rank-order overall score, are “job-related for
the position in question and consistent with business necessity.”
26. Solely for the purpose of this
Supplemental Order, and without admitting liability, the City does not assert
that its 1993, 1995 and 1999 written examinations for Firefighter, or its use
of each of those examinations with a pass point of 70.0 and as a weighted
component of a rank-order overall score, is “job-related for the position in
question and consistent with business necessity.”
VI.
SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS AND
ORDER OF RELIEF
27. In resolution of all claims of the United
States and the Brotherhood regarding the City’s 1993, 1995 and 1999 written
examinations for Firefighter, in resolution of all claims any person who
accepts relief under this Supplemental Order has or may have under federal,
state or local equal employment opportunity law regarding the City’s failure to
have appointed him/her as a Firefighter as a result of his/her score on the
City’s 1993, 1995 and/or 1999 written examinations for Firefighter, and in
resolution of all claims of the United States and the Brotherhood regarding Cadet
appointments, and Firefighter and Cadet recruitment, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the City provide that relief
set forth in Parts VII and VIII,
infra,
of this Supplemental Order.
VII.
INJUNCTION
AND PROSPECTIVE RELIEF
28. In
light of the City’s public safety responsibilities to its residents, the
City’s need to continue to appoint
Firefighters and the delay and attendant costs in the appointment of
Firefighters if the City were not allowed to continue to utilize the eligible
list that resulted from the City’s 1999 written examination for Firefighter,
the City may continue to utilize that eligible list, but only down to the rank
of 250, or for not more than a period of twelve months from the date of final
entry of this Supplemental Order, whichever event occurs first. Thereafter, the
City is enjoined from using that eligible list for any purpose, other than
effectuating remedial relief for those persons identified in Subparagraph 32c,
infra, of this Supplemental Order.
29. For future recruitments for the positions
of Firefighter and Cadet, the City may, if it wishes, administer and use its
1999 written examination for Firefighter, or an alternate form thereof, if, and
only if, the City uses the written examination and the PAT on a pass/fail basis
(score based on a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the passing point) and ranks
candidates who pass the written examination, the PAT and the B-Pad on the
eligible list based solely on their B-Pad scores, with preference points added
for veteran status, City residency and graduation from a Fire Technology
course.
30. If the City wishes to utilize, in the
selection of candidates for appointment to positions of Firefighter and Cadet,
a selection device and/or process other than those allowed by Paragraph 29,
supra, such device and/or process must
comply with the requirements of Title VII.
To that end, if the City wishes to utilize a selection device and/or
process other than those allowed by Paragraph 29,
supra, the City must, not less than 120 days prior to the City’s
intended use of such process and/or device, provide the United States and, in
accordance with a confidentiality agreement, counsel for the Brotherhood
with: a description of such device
and/or process and its intended use; the known or likely disparate impact, if
any, of such device or process; and all evidence as to the job-relatedness and
validity of such device or process. In
the event that the United States does not agree with the City’s intended use of
such device or process, the parties agree that United States may submit that
issue to the Court for resolution.
31.The City and the Brotherhood agree that
the Brotherhood will actively participate in recruitment efforts designed to
improve African-American representation in the position of Firefighter.
VIII.
INDIVIDUAL
RELIEF
A.
Persons
Eligible for Relief
32. The
following persons (“claimants”) are eligible for relief under this Supplemental Order:
a. All
African-Americans who, during the City’s 1993 general recruitment
for Firefighter, applied for a Firefighter
position in the MFD, met the minimum qualifications in effect at the time of
application, took and attained a score of at least 60.0 on the City’s 1993
written examination for Firefighter, were not disqualified by the City in a
subsequent stage in the selection process (
e.g.,
failed the PAT, background investigation, medical examination or drug screen,
etc.) and did not voluntarily remove themselves from consideration (
e.g., failed to appear at any stage in
the selection process, declined offer of appointment, etc.), and were not appointed to the position of Firefighter
during the life of the eligible list that resulted from that written
examination (1993-1995) (these persons are listed on Appendix A);
b. All African-Americans who, during the City’s
1995 general recruitment for Firefighter, applied for a Firefighter
position in the MFD, met the minimum qualifications in effect at the time of
application, took and attained a score of at least 60.0 on the City’s 1995
written examination for Firefighter, were not disqualified by the City in a
subsequent stage in the selection process (
e.g.,
failed the PAT, B-Pad, background investigation, medical examination or drug
screen, etc.) and did not voluntarily remove themselves from consideration (
e.g., failed to appear at any stage in
the selection process, declined offer of appointment, etc.), and were not
appointed to the position of Firefighter during the life of the eligible list
that resulted from that examination (1995-1999) (these persons are listed on
Appendix B); and
c. All African-Americans who, during the
City’s 1999 general recruitment for Firefighter, applied for a Firefighter
position in the MFD, met the minimum qualification in effect at the time of
application, took and passed the City’s 1999 written examination for
Firefighter and obtained a position on the eligible list that resulted form
that examination, were/are not disqualified by the City in a subsequent stage
in the selection process (
e.g., fail
background investigation, medical examination, drug screen, etc.) and did/do
not voluntarily remove themselves from consideration (
e.g., fail to appear at any stage in the selection process, decline
offer of appointment, etc.) and either have not been or, prior to the
expiration of that eligible list pursuant to Paragraph 28,
supra, are not appointed to the position of Firefighter from that
eligible list.
B.
Monetary
Awards33.
The City shall provide the sum of
$1,800,000("Settlement
Fund"), in three deposits as described below, to be used to satisfy all
back pay claims to be paid under this Supplemental Order.
34. Only those claimants described in
Subparagraphs 32a and 32b,
supra,
shall be eligible for awards of monetary relief, including back pay, under this Supplemental Order.
35. Within 30 days from the date of final
entry of this Supplemental Order, the City shall establish a liability reserve
fund account entitled “Settlement Fund” and deposit $600,000 of the Settlement
Fund to be invested by the City Treasurer in the State of Wisconsin Local
Government Investment Pool. Within thirteen months from the date of final entry
of this Supplemental Order, the City shall make a second deposit of $600,000 to
the Settlement Fund account to be invested by the City Treasurer in the State
of Wisconsin Local Government Investment Pool.
Within 25 months from the date of final entry of this Supplemental
Order, the City shall make a third and final deposit of $600,000 to the
Settlement Fund account to be invested by the City Treasurer in the State of
Wisconsin Local Government Investment Pool. The principal and the interest
earned on the Settlement Fund shall be distributed pursuant to the procedure
for the disbursement of monetary awards under this Supplemental Order.
36. The distribution of the Settlement Fund, as well as all
interest that accrues thereon after deposit, shall be made by the City at the
direction and in the sole discretion of the United States, subject only to
review by the Court. For purposes of
distributions to claimants, interest shall be calculated as follows: the total amount of interest earned on the
principal to be distributed while on deposit in the Local Government Investment
Pool shall be divided by the total amount of principal to be distributed on
deposit as to each of the three payments made by the City pursuant to Paragraph
61,
infra, and the resulting factor
shall be applied to increase distributions of principal then made to individual
claimants.
37. All monetary awards under this
Supplemental Order shall be paid directly by the City to the claimants. The monetary award of any claimant who dies
after having been identified by the United States as qualifying for an award
under Paragraph 58,
infra, shall be
paid as directed by the United States and approved by the Court.
38. The City shall pay all employer
contributions to Medicare due on monetary awards to claimants who accept the
relief provided by this Supplemental Order.
Any such employer contributions to Medicare shall not be deducted from
either the Settlement Fund or any claimant’s monetary award. The City shall withhold, to the extent
required by law, all appropriate Federal and State income taxes, employee
contributions to Medicare, and any other required employee withholding or
deduction from any monetary award made under this Supplemental Order, all of
which shall be deducted by the City from such monetary award and all of which
shall be paid from the Settlement Fund.
39. A claimant shall not be required to
express an interest in priority appointment on his/her Interest in Relief form,
in order to receive a monetary award under this Supplemental Order.
C.
Priority
Appointments to the Position of Firefighter
40. Those claimants described in Paragraph
32,
supra, shall be eligible for
priority appointment to the position of Firefighter in the MFD under the terms
of this Supplemental Order. The number
of claimants who shall be entitled to priority appointment by the City are as
follows:
a. Up
to 19 claimants described in Subparagraph 32a,
supra (1993 general recruitment class);
b. Up
to 16 claimants described in Subparagraph 32b,
supra (1995 general recruitment class);
c. Up
to five claimants described in Subparagraph 32c,
supra (1999 general recruitment class).
41. To be eligible for priority appointment
to the position of Firefighter, those claimants described in Subparagraphs 32a,
32b and 32c,
supra, must: (a.)meet the current lawful minimum
qualifications for such appointment; (b.) comply with Paragraphs 55 and 61,
infra; and (c.) pass his/her background
investigation, medical examination and drug screen.
For purposes of the background investigation, the City may
disqualify any claimant based upon such claimant’s background as of the
retroactive seniority date such claimant would be provided pursuant to
Paragraph 48,
infra, if
appointed. The City may also disqualify
the claimant based upon conduct occurring after the applicable retroactive
seniority date only if incumbent Firefighters are, or would be, terminated from
employment based upon the same or similar conduct.
In addition, the City shall not disqualify a claimant based upon
his/her physical condition or age unless incumbent Firefighters with such
physical condition or age are unable to perform the essential functions of a
Firefighter.
42. Within 30 days from the date the City
receives from the United States the “Interest in Relief” forms and list of
claimants requesting priority appointment pursuant to Paragraph 56,
infra, the City shall administer the
1999 written examination for Firefighter to each eligible Subparagraphs 32a and
32b claimant who indicated an interest in priority appointment on his/her
“Interest in Relief” form and appears for the written examination. The written
examination shall be the 1999 written examination for Firefighter and shall be
scored on a 100-point scale, with 70 set as the passing point. The City shall administer the PAT to
Subparagraphs 32a and 32b claimants who pass the written examination and the
City shall administer the B-Pad to those claimants who pass the PAT. In its discretion, the City may administer
the B-Pad prior to the PAT and the PAT to those who pass the B-Pad. The City shall rank Subparagraphs 32a and
32b claimants who pass the written examination, the PAT and the B-Pad, based
solely on their B-Pad scores, with preference points added for veteran status,
City residency and graduation from a Fire Technology course. The City shall establish two separate
Priority Appointment Lists, designated A and B as follows:
a.
"Priority Appointment
List A" shall consist of the rank-ordered results of the Subparagraph 32a
claimants’ B-Pad scores with any preference points added, as specified in this
Paragraph 42. In the event of a tie among Subparagraph 32a claimants,
rank-order shall be determined randomly by computer.
b. "Priority
Appointment List B" shall consist of the rank-ordered results of the
Subparagraph 32b claimants’ B-Pad scores with any preference points added, as
specified in this Paragraph 42. In the event of a tie among Subparagraph 32b
claimants, rank-order shall be determined randomly by computer.
These selection procedures and the
submission of Priority Appointment Lists A and B shall be completed by the City
within 90 days from the date the City receives the “Interest in Relief” forms and
list of claimants requesting priority appointment from the United States
pursuant to Paragraph 56,
infra.
43. At the same time that the City
establishes Priority Appointment Lists A and B pursuant to Paragraph 42,
supra, the City shall
establish Priority Appointment List C by re-ranking --
based upon B-Pad scores, with preference points added for veteran
status, City residency and graduation from a Fire Technology
course -- each Subparagraph 32c claimant who indicated an interest
in priority
appointment on his/her “Interest in Relief” form and who has not been
appointed from the eligible list that resulted from the 1999 written
examination. In the event of a tie among Subparagraph 32c claimants, rank-order
shall be determined randomly by computer.
44. A claimant who is placed on a Priority
Appointment List shall be entitled to an offer of appointment as a Firefighter
by the City, as set forth herein. As
between claimants on Priority Appointment Lists A and B, the City shall first
make offers to claimants on Priority Appointment List A, based on their
rank-order placement until List A is exhausted or the numerical limitations in
Subparagraph 40a,
supra, have been
met, whichever comes first; and then the City shall make offers to claimants on
Priority Appointment List B, based on
their rank-order placement until List B is exhausted or the numerical
limitations in Subparagraph 40b,
supra,
have been met, whichever comes first.
In addition, the City shall make offers for the first Firefighter
recruit class commenced by the City >as
part of the next general recruitment for Firefighter, to claimants on Priority
Appointment List C who were not appointed prior to the expiration of the
eligible list pursuant to Paragraph 28,
supra,
based on their rank-order placement, until List C is exhausted or the numerical
limitations in Subparagraph 40c,
supra,
have been met, whichever comes first.
45. The City shall appoint not less than
twelve claimants from Priority Appointment Lists A and/or B for the first
Firefighter recruit class commenced by the City after the date of final entry
of this Supplemental Order, or in the event the total number of claimants on
the Priority Appointment Lists A and/or B or those claimants accepting offers
is less than twelve, the City shall appoint all claimants on Priority
Appointment Lists A and B. Thereafter,
the City is required to fill not less than one-third of each subsequent
Firefighter recruit class with claimants from Priority Appointment Lists A
and/or B; and, in addition, the City shall appoint five claimants from Priority
Appointment List C to the first Firefighter recruit class commenced by the City
as part of the next general recruitment for Firefighter and the establishment
of a new eligible list.
46. The City’s notification of an offer of appointment pursuant to
Paragraph 44,
supra shall be made in writing and
accomplished by certified mail (return receipt requested) to a claimant. A claimant who receives a written offer of
priority appointment from the City shall have seven working days from the date
of receipt to notify the City that he/she accepts such offer. Such notification by a claimant shall be in
writing and shall either be accomplished by first class mail postmarked on or
before the seventh working day from the date of his receipt of the City’s
written offer or delivered in person at the offices of the Fire and Police
Commission on or before the seventh working day from the date of his/her
receipt of the City’s written offer. If
a claimant timely provides the City with such notification, the City shall
provide him/her with a priority appointment.
However, if a claimant fails to timely accept the City’s offer, the
City’s obligation to provide him/her with a priority appointment under this
Supplemental Order ceases, except for reasonable cause as determined by the
United States.
47. Nothing in this Supplemental Order
precludes claimants from applying for appointment, or being appointed, as
Firefighters under the City’s general recruitment and appointment process for
Firefighter. Any claimant who is an
incumbent Firefighter or becomes one as a result of being appointed through the
City’s 1999 general recruitment and appointment process, shall be entitled to
the retroactive seniority and pension benefits applicable to such claimant
pursuant to Paragraphs 48 through 50,
infra. As to such claimants, his/her retroactive
seniority and pension benefits in no event shall be different from the
retroactive seniority and pension benefits to which such claimant would have
been entitled if he /she had been
appointed from the Priority Appointment List.
In addition, any claimant who receives retroactive seniority and
pension benefits under this Supplemental Order will be deemed to have been
appointed from the Priority Appointment List which would otherwise apply to
him/her for purposes of fulfilling the City’s obligation to make the requisite
number of priority appointments with respect to that particular List pursuant
to Paragraph 40,
supra.
D.
Retroactive
Seniority
48. Any
claimant who accepts priority appointment under this Supplemental Order and who
achieves permanent status in that position, as well as any claimant who is an
incumbent City Firefighter or becomes one as a result of being appointed
through the City’s 1999 general recruitment and appointment process, shall be
entitled to retroactive seniority credit in that position as of the following
retroactive seniority date.
a. June
5, 1994, for a claimant described in Subparagraph 32a,
supra (the City’s 1993 general recruitment Firefighter class);
b. June
1, 1997, for a claimant described in Subparagraph 32b,
supra (the City’s 1995 general recruitment Firefighter class); and
c. The
commencement date of the last recruit class from which eligibles on the City’s
1999 eligible list for Firefighter have been appointed, for a claimant
described in Subparagraph 32c,
supra(the City’s 1999 general recruitment
Firefighter class).
49. As
used in this Supplemental Order, the term "retroactive seniority"
shall mean the crediting of seniority for all purposes for which seniority is
used in the MFD, except that retroactive seniority credit shall not affect
consideration or eligibility for either promotion or time-in-grade requirements
for purposes of completing any probationary period or eligibility for
promotion. Claimants who receive retroactive seniority shall receive salary and
vacation at the same level as the salary and vacation they would currently be
receiving if they had been appointed on their Retroactive Seniority Dates;
however, claimants shall not be entitled to any retroactive accruals of
vacation or sick leave benefits, including sick leave incentive benefits. Additionally, retroactive seniority shall
not be used for purposes of meeting any qualifying period pertaining to duty
disability or duty death benefits.
E.
Pension Benefits
50. The
City shall provide each claimant who receives a Retroactive Seniority Date
pursuant to Paragraph 48,
supra, with
complete pension benefits as though such claimant had been appointed on the
retroactive seniority date. The City
shall pay all required employer and employer-paid employee contributions to the
Employee Retirement System sufficient to fund the pension benefits. Any such contributions to the Employee
Retirement System shall not be deducted from the Settlement Fund or any
claimant’s monetary award. Those
claimants who receive retroactive seniority prior to January 1, 2000, shall be
required to make all the required employee contributions to the Fire and Police
Survivorship Fund in the amount of $52.20 per year and such contributions shall
be deducted from their monetary awards.
Those claimants who receive retroactive seniority shall be eligible to
participate in the Global Pension Settlement only if their retroactive seniority
date is prior to January 1, 2000, and if they further execute the required
consent form for the Employee Retirement System.
If necessary, the City will apply to the Milwaukee County Circuit
Court to permit those claimants who receive a retroactive seniority date prior
to January 1, 2000, under this Supplemental Order to execute consent forms
required under the Global Pension Settlement.
F.
Fairness Hearing on Supplemental
Order
51. Upon
provisional approval, this Court will set a date for a fairness hearing to
consider giving its final approval to this Supplemental Order and hear any
objections filed by individuals affected by this Supplemental Order. The fairness hearing will be held within 30
days after provisional approval of this Supplemental Order.
52. Within
seven working days from the date of the Court’s provisional approval of this
Supplemental Order, the City shall provide written notice to all individuals
listed in Appendices A and B, all individuals remaining on the City’s 1999
eligible list for Firefighter, all African-Americans who took but failed the
written examination for Firefighter during the City’s 1993, 1995 or 1999
general recruitment, all incumbent Firefighters and the Milwaukee Professional
Fire Fighters’ Association, Local #215, IAFF, AFL-CIO. The notice shall provide a description of
the proposed settlement embodied in this Supplemental Order, specify the date,
time and place for a fairness hearing, and describe the procedure for filing
objections with the Court. Notice for
purposes of this Paragraph 52 shall be
by regular first class mail to the individual’s last known address listed in
the City’s records. An example of such
notice is attached hereto as Appendix C.
G.
Notice
to Claimants of the Settlement of this Action
53. Within
seven working days from the date of final entry of this Supplemental Order, and
upon agreement of the parties regarding the most current available information,
the City shall by certified mail (return receipt requested), to the last known
address of those claimants identified in Paragraph 32,
supra, send the following:
a. a “Notice of Settlement” of this action
(as set forth as Appendix D); and
b. an "Interest in Relief" form
(as set forth as Appendix E).
54. The City shall bear the cost of all
mailing and publication notices the City is required to make under this
Supplemental Order.
H.
Claimants
to Submit “Interest in Relief” Forms
55. Any claimant who fails to forward an
"Interest in Relief" form to the United States within 14 days from
the date of the last mailing by the City of the Notice of Settlement of this action described in
Paragraph 53,
supra, shall be deemed
to have waived any right to be considered for an award of remedial relief under
this Supplemental Order except for reasonable cause shown as determined by the
United States.
56. The United States shall provide the City
with all “Interest in Relief” forms, as well as a list of claimants requesting
priority appointment, within five working days from the last date for submission
of such forms by the claimants.
I.
Fairness
Hearing on Individual Relief
57. Within five days from the date the City
has established Priority Appointment Lists A, B and C, the City shall provide
the United States and the Brotherhood with copies of such Lists and, for any
claimant who applied for a priority appointment but who does not appear on a
Priority Appointment List, a statement describing the reasons why the claimant
is not on such List. The Parties shall
seek to resolve any dispute concerning the Priority Appointment Lists.
58. Within
ten days from the date the City has provided the United States with Priority Appointment Lists A, B and C,
the United States shall notify each Subparagraph 32a, 32b and 32c claimant who
forwarded an “Interest in Relief” form under this Supplemental Order, as to:
the specific relief, if any, that the United States has proposed on behalf of
each such claimant; whether the City disputes this claim; the opportunity to
file, under Paragraph 59,
infra, an
objection with respect to that relief; and the date, time and place of a
hearing by the Court to consider the objection.
The United States shall at the same time provide the same notice
to the City and to counsel for the Brotherhood.
59. Any objections by claimants to the claims for relief under
this Supplemental Order must be filed in writing with the Court and served upon
counsel for the United States, the Brotherhood and the City at least 20 days
before the commencement of the hearing described in Paragraph 60,
infra.
The United States, the Brotherhood, and the City, or any of them, may
timely file with the Court any written reply to any such objection they, or any
of them, deem appropriate.
60. This Court will conduct a hearing for the purpose of resolving
any dispute among the parties over the Priority Appointment Lists, as well as
to resolve any objections filed by claimants under Paragraph 59,
supra, regarding the individual relief
to be awarded under this Supplemental Order.
J.
Notice of Determination, Acceptance
of Relief and Payment of Monetary Award
61. Within ten days from the date of the Court’s determination of
all claims for remedial relief under this Supplemental Order following the
hearing referenced in Paragraph 60,
supra,
the City shall send by certified mail (return receipt requested) a "Notice
of Determination" form (as set forth in Appendix F) to each claimant
entitled to relief. The Notice of
Determination form shall be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope
and an "Acceptance of Relief and Release" form (as set forth in
Appendix G) which the claimant shall use to notify the City as to whether
he/she desires to accept the relief offered.
The claimant shall have 15 days from his/her receipt of the Notice of
Determination form and accompanying Acceptance of Relief and Release form in
which to properly execute and return his/her Acceptance of Relief and Release
form in order to receive any relief under this Supplemental Order. If the claimant notifies the City that
he/she does not accept the relief, or does not return a properly executed
Acceptance of Relief and Release form within the 15 day period, the City shall
be released from any and all obligations to him/her under this Supplemental
Order except for reasonable cause. If
the claimant notifies the City within the 15 day period that he/she accepts the
relief, the City shall within 45 days of the last timely returned Acceptance of
Relief and Release form, pay that claimant no less than 1/3 of the claimant’s
total monetary award (including interest accrued) that is due the claimant, and
thereafter pay the claimant no less than 1/3 of the claimant’s total monetary
award (including interest accrued) in each of two annual installments.
K.
Appointment
of Claimants
62. No
less than ten days prior to the City’s confirmation of appointment of Priority
Appointment List A, B and/or C claimants as candidates to a Firefighter recruit
class pursuant to this Supplemental Order, the City shall provide the United
States and the Brotherhood with a list of claimants whom the City intends to
appoint, and identify those claimants whom it has disqualified, stating the
reasons for such disqualification. The
parties shall seek to resolve any dispute concerning the disqualification of a
Priority Appointment List claimant. If
the parties are unable to agree, the United States and/or the Brotherhood may
move the Court for a resolution; however, the City shall not be enjoined from
enrolling and commencing the remainder of the recruit class as planned. The burdens of proof for the resolution of
any priority appointment claim for
individual relief under this Supplemental Order which is disputed by the City
shall be those set forth by the Supreme Court for Stage II proceedings after a
finding of liability in
International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. United
States, 431 U. S. 324 (1977). If a
priority appointment claim is
successfully disputed by the City, the monetary relief that had been allocated
by the United States for such claimant may be reallocated by the United States
in its sole discretion for distribution among non-disputed and successful
claimants; however, no claimant shall be denied monetary relief on the basis of
being disqualified for priority appointment, so long as such claimant met the
qualifications for appointment which were in effect at the time he or she
initially applied.
L.
Final
Accounting
63. Within
45 days from the date of making the last of the third monetary award payments
provided in Paragraph 61,
supra, or
the last priority appointment provided in Paragraph 45,
supra, whichever is later, the City shall file with the Court and
serve upon the United States and the Brotherhood a written report setting forth
who accepted relief (both monetary and non-monetary), a description of the nature
and amount of relief, and what relief went undistributed and the reasons
therefor. Back pay relief which remains
undistributed due to the City’s inability to locate claimants shall be held by
the City for the claimants until all reasonable efforts by the parties have
been taken to locate the claimants, at which time such monies shall revert to
the City upon consent of the United States and the Brotherhood and the City and
order of this Court.
IX.
RECORDS
AND REPORTS
64. The
City shall retain for the duration of this Supplemental Order all records
(including computer tapes) -- to the extent that such are maintained in the
ordinary course of business -- relating to the recruitment, selection,
appointment, promotion, training, assignment, discipline, demotion and
termination of persons covered by this Supplemental Order, including all
applications identified by race, all medical and background investigation
files, training evaluations, and all evaluations of candidates and employees. The United States shall have the right to
inspect and copy any and all such documents upon reasonable notice to the City
without further order of this Court. In
addition, the City shall make available such additional information or records
which it maintains in the ordinary course of business relating to the subject
matter of this Supplemental Order as the United States requests in writing,
provided such requests are not unduly burdensome.
65. The
City shall provide to the United States and the Brotherhood, within 20 days from
the date of final entry of this Supplemental Order, a report setting forth the
number and race, national origin and gender of persons by rank within the MFD
as of the date of final entry of this Supplemental Order.
66. For the duration of this Supplemental
Order, the City shall provide periodic reports to the United States and the
Brotherhood as described in this Paragraph 66.
This first reporting period shall end six months after the first report
referenced in Paragraph 65,
supra, is
due. Reporting periods shall continue
to end every six months thereafter for the duration of the Supplemental
Order. Within 60 days from the close of
each reporting period, the City shall provide to the United States, in a uniform
reporting form to be agreed upon by the parties, the following information:
a.
the number, race, national
origin, and gender of all persons applying for Firefighter and Cadet positions;
b. the number, race,
national origin, and gender of all persons appointed as Firefighters and hired
in Cadet positions in the MFD during the reporting period;
c.
without disclosing
the identity of any individual candidate to the Brotherhood, the reasons for
non-selection for every candidate who was not appointed or hired, divided into
the following reporting categories: (1) did not meet the minimum
qualifications; and (2) disqualified for any other reason, citing specific
reason for disqualification;
d.
the number, race,
national origin and gender of all persons who were terminated or who resigned
from Firefighter positions by rank during the reporting period, including
cadets; and
e.
the total number,
race, national origin and gender of all sworn employees in the MFD as of the
close of the reporting period.
X.
ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
67.
If the parties are
unable to agree on a specific matter falling within the general provisions of
this Supplemental Order that contemplates mutual agreement, any party may move
the Court for a resolution.
68.
In the event this Supplemental Order
or its implementation is challenged, including any action claiming entitlement
to damages against the City arising out of the implementation of this
Supplemental Order, the City, the United States and the Brotherhood shall fully
defend the lawfulness of this Supplemental Order.
If any such collateral challenge arises in State court, the City
shall promptly seek to remove such action to this Court. The United States and the City shall bear
their own costs and attorneys’ fees in this action.
XI.
RETENTION
OF JURISDICTION
70. This Court shall retain jurisdiction of
the matters covered by this Supplemental Order for such action as may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate the purposes of this Supplemental
Order. At the end of three years from
the date of final entry of this Supplemental Order or upon the implementation
of all of the remedial relief to claimants, whichever event is later, the City
shall file with the Court and serve upon the United States and the Brotherhood
a written certification that all remedial relief to claimants has been
implemented. At the end of 90 days from
the City’s filing and service of such certification, this Supplemental Order
and the 1974 Consent Decree entered in
United States v. City of Milwaukee,
et al., No. 74-C-480, shall be dissolved, and the complaint in said action,
as it relates to the MFD, shall be dismissed, unless prior to such dissolution
and dismissal taking effect, the United States shows good cause as to why such
dissolution and dismissal should not take effect.
PROVISIONALLY
APPROVED subject to the fairness hearing this ______ day of ________________,
2001.
___________________________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
APPROVED
and ORDERED this ____ day of _____________, 2001.
____________________________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
AGREED
AND CONSENTED TO:
on behalf of plaintiff
United
States of America
RALPH F. BOYD,JR.
Assistant
Attorney General
Civil
Rights Division
______________________________
JOHN M. GADZICHOWSKI
Special Litigation Counsel
ABEL GOMEZ
Trial Attorney
Florida State Bar No. 832545
Employment Litigation Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 65968
Washington, DC 30035-5968
(202)305-1582
On behalf of defendants
City of Milwaukee, et al.
Cityof Milwaukee, et al.
GRANT F. LANGLEY
City Attorney
Wisconsin State Bar No. 01013700
_____________________________________
THOMAS E. HAYES
Special Deputy City Attorney
Wisconsin State Bar No. 01001970
____________________________________
MIRIAM R. HORWITZ
Assistant City Attorney
Wisconsin State Bar No. 01016150
200 East Wells Street, #800
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 286-2601
On behalf of plaintiff-intervenor
Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighters:
_______________________________
JAMES H. HALL, JR.
Wisconsin State Bar No. 1004338
Hall, Charne, Burce & Olson
324 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200
Milwaukee, WI 53202-4309
(414)273-2001
_______________________________
PATRICK O. PATTERSON
Wisconsin State Bar No. 1014157
Law Office of Patrick O. Patterson
7481 North Beach Drive
Fox Point, Wisconsin 53217
(414) 351-4497
The
EEOC’s investigations were prompted by two separate charges of
discrimination, the first (EEOC Charge No. 260-97-0100)
filed by the Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighters, an organization
that represents the interests of African-American Firefighters;
and the second (EEOC Charge No. 260-97-0139) filed by an individual
African-American Firefighter (Isaac Hatton).
In
accordance with Paragraph 16 of the Decree, the Department of Justice notified
the City of the Department’s determination that the City’s 1993, 1995 and 1999
written examination for Firefighter violated Title VII.
The Department of Justice has concluded its investigation on the EEOC’s charge of
discrimination in the City’s recruitment of African-American
Firefighters and Cadets and determined not to pursue this claim.
The Department of Justice also has concluded its investigation
of the EEOC’s charge of discrimination in the City’s appointment of
African-American Cadets and determined not to pursue this claim.