Opinion ID: 184674
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The First Complaint

Text: 5 On March 17, 1995, after counseling was completed, the four women filed a class action discrimination complaint based on race with the Board against the Legal Division of the Federal Reserve. A month later, Artis wrote a letter to an EEO officer at the Board requesting data on all secretaries working throughout the Board including the distribution of cash awards, starting salaries, and performance ratings. The information was sought [i]n order to determine if the class action complaint we have filed with the EEOC adequately meets the requirements of a class.... Sheila Clark, the EEO Programs Director at the Board, responded that the Board's regulations did not authorize the disclosure of such data unless or until the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) assigned to hear the complaint requested it. 6 On July 24, 1995, the ALJ formally requested additional information from the four secretaries before recommending acceptance or rejection of the class element of the complaint. In essence, the ALJ asked the complainants to submit any material specifically relevant to the four requirements for class certification--typicality, commonality, numerosity, and adequacy of representation. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.204(a)(2) (1995). The ALJ did not request any information from the Board.