SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): April 2, 2004

 

THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 402-5000

 

 

Item 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

(c)           Exhibits

 

EXHIBIT NO.		DESCRIPTION
99		Registrant’s press release dated April 2, 2004.

 

Item 9.    REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

 

On April 2, 2004 the Registrant issued the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

	THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION
	By:	/s/ Emma M. Kalaidjian
		Name:	Emma M. Kalaidjian
		Title:	Assistant Secretary

 

Dated: April 6, 2004

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

NUMBER		DESCRIPTION
99		Registrant’s press release dated April 2, 2004.

 

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Exhibit No. 99

 

The Allstate Corporation
News Release
	For more information:
	Michael Trevino
	Allstate Media Relations
	(847) 402-5600

 

Allstate Reacts To Age Discrimination Decision

 

Federal court judge rules company did not discriminate based on age

 

NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 2, 2004 – On Tuesday, March 30, 2004, Judge John P. Fullam of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, determined that Allstate did not discriminate against its agents in its agent program reorganization. According to Judge Fullam, “on the undisputed facts of record, there is no basis for claims of age discrimination.” This ruling came in the EEOC and Romero lawsuits against Allstate Insurance Company.

 

Judge Fullam is the second judge to reach this same conclusion since the EEOC closed its age discrimination investigation. Judge Herndon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois also ruled in favor of Allstate last year on an identical age discrimination claim.

 

Allstate is also pleased that Judge Fullam dismissed a related case that claimed that Allstate violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by adopting various amendments to the Allstate Agents Pension Plan in 1991, 1994 and 1996.

 

Judge Fullam denied Allstate’s motion for summary judgment with respect to releases used in connection with the agent reorganization.  However, while the judge determined that the release is voidable at the option of each class member, he stated, “entering…judgment…that the signed releases are voidable at the option of the signing employee does not, of course, signify that any of the employees actually have valid claims to assert.”

 

The judge instructed that if an agent seeks to void the release, he or she may do so only if the agent returns to Allstate “any and all benefits received by the [agent] in exchange for signing the release.”

 

In an earlier and identical challenge to the release, Judge Herndon in Illinois ruled in favor of Allstate agreeing with the company that the use of the release was valid and enforceable.

 

Judge Fullam did not decide plaintiffs’ breach of contract claims but he did indicate that if plaintiffs’ employment was terminable at will as Allstate believes, “then Allstate’s action in terminating all those contracts on June 30, 2000 was entirely permissible.”  Other courts have decided this issue in favor of Allstate.

 

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The Romero and EEOC litigation pending in Philadelphia relates to the Allstate agency program reorganization that was announced in November 1999 and implemented in the year 2000 in which Allstate ended its multiple employee agent programs in favor of a single independent contractor exclusive agent program.

 

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate^®” slogan, Allstate provides insurance products to more than 16 million households and has approximately 12,900 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agents, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®. Encompass^SM and Deerbrook^® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group includes the businesses that provide life insurance, annuity, retirement, banking and investment products through distribution channels that include Allstate agents, independent agents, worksite, financial institutions and broker-dealers.

 

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