Opinion ID: 675245
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Named Parties in the EEOC Proceedings

Text: 30 Appellants also contend that the failure to name either Hardaway or Main Street as defendants in the EEOC proceedings precludes a later civil lawsuit against them on the grounds stated in the EEOC complaint. Generally speaking, the EEOC is charged with the task of investigating allegations of civil discrimination and harassment in the employment context and determining whether there is any reason to believe the allegations are true. Under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e-5, a person who wants to file a lawsuit under Title VII must first file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging a Title VII violation and exhaust all remedies provided by the EEOC. If the conciliation efforts are unsuccessful, the EEOC will inform the parties and issue a letter authorizing the complainant to file a Title VII suit. 31 Ordinarily, a party not named in the EEOC charge cannot be sued in a subsequent civil action. Schnellbaecher v. Baskin Clothing Co., 887 F.2d 124, 126 (7th Cir.1989). This naming requirement serves to notify the charged party of the allegations and allows the party an opportunity to participate in conciliation and voluntarily comply with the requirements of Title VII. Id. at 127. However, courts liberally construe this requirement. Alvarado v. Board of Trustees, 848 F.2d 457, 460 (4th Cir.1988); Terrell v. United States Pipe & Foundry Co., 644 F.2d 1112, 1123 (5th Cir. Unit B 1981), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 972, 102 S.Ct. 2234, 72 L.Ed.2d 845 (1982). Where the purposes of the Act are fulfilled, a party unnamed in the EEOC charge may be subjected to the jurisdiction of federal courts. Eggleston v. Chicago Journeymen Plumbers' Local 130, 657 F.2d 890, 905 (7th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 1017, 102 S.Ct. 1710, 72 L.Ed.2d 134 (1982). 32 In order to determine whether the purposes of Title VII are met, courts do not apply a rigid test but instead look to several factors including: (1) the similarity of interest between the named party and the unnamed party; (2) whether the plaintiff could have ascertained the identity of the unnamed party at the time the EEOC charge was filed; (3) whether the unnamed parties received adequate notice of the charges; (4) whether the unnamed parties had an adequate opportunity to participate in the reconciliation process; and (5) whether the unnamed party actually was prejudiced by its exclusion from the EEOC proceedings. Id. at 906-07; Glus v. G.C. Murphy Co., 562 F.2d 880, 888 (3d Cir.1977). Other factors may be relevant depending on the specific facts of the case. 33 The notice and conciliation purposes of the Act are satisfied in this instance. When Virgo filed the action with the EEOC she named only Sterling Group and Sheraton Ocean Inn. Sheraton Ocean Inn is the name under which Riviera Beach transacts business. We agree with the district court that Riviera Beach was a closely related entity since it is the sole owner of the Sheraton Ocean Inn, and should be held to have received notice. Hardaway and Main Street, as general partners in the Riviera Beach Limited Partnership, are functionally identical to the partnership and should not be protected by the naming requirement. Alvarado, 848 F.2d at 458-59. Moreover, Hardaway testified that he received actual notice of the charges from Jones immediately after Virgo filed the EEOC charge. Thus Riviera Beach knew of the pending EEOC charges and had an opportunity to participate in the conciliation process, thus satisfying the purposes of Title VII. 34 Obviously Virgo could not have named Main Street in the EEOC complaint because it did not yet exist. Imperial, Main Street's predecessor in interest, received notice as a partner in Riviera Beach, and this notice is imputed to Main Street because when they purchased Imperial's assets, they also assumed Imperial's liabilities. We find no error here.