Commitments and contingencies	3 Months Ended
May 03, 2014
Commitments and contingencies	15. Commitments and contingencies *Legal proceedings* As previously reported, in March 2008, a group of private plaintiffs (the “Claimants”) filed a class action lawsuit for an unspecified amount against Sterling Jewelers Inc. (“Sterling”), a subsidiary of Signet, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that US store-level employment practices are discriminatory as to compensation and promotional activities with respect to gender. In June 2008, the District Court referred the matter to private arbitration where the Claimants sought to proceed on a class-wide basis. Discovery has been completed. The Claimants filed a motion for class certification and Sterling opposed the motion. A hearing on the class certification motion was held in late February 2014. The motion is now pending before the Arbitrator. Also as previously reported, on September 23, 2008, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) filed a lawsuit against Sterling in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The EEOC’s lawsuit alleges that Sterling engaged in intentional and disparate impact gender discrimination with respect to pay and promotions of female retail store employees from January 1, 2003 to the present. The EEOC asserts claims for unspecified monetary relief and non-monetary relief against the Company on behalf of a class of female employees subjected to these alleged practices. Non-expert fact discovery closed in mid-May 2013. In September 2013, Sterling made a motion for partial summary judgment on procedural grounds, which was referred to a Magistrate Judge. The Magistrate Judge heard oral arguments on the summary judgment motion in December 2013. On January 2, 2014, the Magistrate Judge issued his Report, Recommendation and Order, recommending that the Court grant Sterling’s motion for partial summary judgment and dismiss the EEOC’s claims in their entirety. The EEOC filed its objections to the Magistrate Judge’s ruling and Sterling filed its response thereto. The District Court Judge heard oral arguments on the EEOC’s objections to the Magistrate Judge’s ruling on March 7, 2014 and on March 11, 2014 entered an order dismissing the action with prejudice. On May 12, 2014 the EEOC filed its Notice of Appeal of the District Court Judge’s dismissal of the action to United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeal is proceeding. Sterling denies the allegations of both parties and has been defending these cases vigorously. At this point, no outcome or amount of loss is able to be estimated. In the ordinary course of business, Signet may be subject, from time to time, to various other proceedings, lawsuits, disputes or claims incidental to its business, which the Company believe are not significant to Signet’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Commitments and contingencies

3 Months Ended

May 03, 2014

15. Commitments and contingencies

Legal proceedings

As previously reported, in March 2008, a group of private plaintiffs (the “Claimants”) filed a class action lawsuit for an unspecified amount against Sterling Jewelers Inc. (“Sterling”), a subsidiary of Signet, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that US store-level employment practices are discriminatory as to compensation and promotional activities with respect to gender. In June 2008, the District Court referred the matter to private arbitration where the Claimants sought to proceed on a class-wide basis. Discovery has been completed. The Claimants filed a motion for class certification and Sterling opposed the motion. A hearing on the class certification motion was held in late February 2014. The motion is now pending before the Arbitrator.

Also as previously reported, on September 23, 2008, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) filed a lawsuit against Sterling in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The EEOC’s lawsuit alleges that Sterling engaged in intentional and disparate impact gender discrimination with respect to pay and promotions of female retail store employees from January 1, 2003 to the present. The EEOC asserts claims for unspecified monetary relief and non-monetary relief against the Company on behalf of a class of female employees subjected to these alleged practices. Non-expert fact discovery closed in mid-May 2013. In September 2013, Sterling made a motion for partial summary judgment on procedural grounds, which was referred to a Magistrate Judge. The Magistrate Judge heard oral arguments on the summary judgment motion in December 2013. On January 2, 2014, the Magistrate Judge issued his Report, Recommendation and Order, recommending that the Court grant Sterling’s motion for partial summary judgment and dismiss the EEOC’s claims in their entirety. The EEOC filed its objections to the Magistrate Judge’s ruling and Sterling filed its response thereto. The District Court Judge heard oral arguments on the EEOC’s objections to the Magistrate Judge’s ruling on March 7, 2014 and on March 11, 2014 entered an order dismissing the action with prejudice. On May 12, 2014 the EEOC filed its Notice of Appeal of the District Court Judge’s dismissal of the action to United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeal is proceeding.

Sterling denies the allegations of both parties and has been defending these cases vigorously. At this point, no outcome or amount of loss is able to be estimated.

In the ordinary course of business, Signet may be subject, from time to time, to various other proceedings, lawsuits, disputes or claims incidental to its business, which the Company believe are not significant to Signet’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

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The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies.

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