Alejandro v. ST Micro Electronics, Inc.

178 F. Supp. 3d 850, 2016 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 111, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47964
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedApril 8, 2016
DocketCase No. 15-CV-01385-LHK
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 178 F. Supp. 3d 850 (Alejandro v. ST Micro Electronics, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alejandro v. ST Micro Electronics, Inc., 178 F. Supp. 3d 850, 2016 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 111, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47964 (N.D. Cal. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Re: Dkt. No. 44-4

LUCY H. KOH, United States District Judge

Defendant STMicroelectronics, Inc. has filed a motion for summary judgment on all of Plaintiff Jesse Alejandro’s claims. ECF No. 44-4 (“Mot.”). Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7-l(b), the Court finds this matter appropriate for resolution without oral argument and VACATES the motion hearing and case management conference set for April 14, 2016. Having considered the parties’ submissions, the relevant law, and the record in this case, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s motion.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background

Below, the Court relies primarily upon Plaintiffs deposition, Plaintiffs declaration, and the exhibits to Plaintiffs deposition and declaration to summarize the undisputed facts regarding Plaintiffs employment with Defendant.

Defendant is a corporation incorporated in Delaware and with its principal place of business in Texas. ECF No. 2, Ex. A, ¶¶ 6-7. Plaintiff was employed by Defendant as a sales engineer in Santa Clara, California from September 2012 until April 2014. Deck of Jesse Alejandro (“Alejandro Deck”), ECF No. 47-3, ¶¶1-2; Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vok I, ECF No. 44-8.

During the time Plaintiff worked for Defendant, Defendant had a policy that [855]*855“[t]wo no call-ins within any twelve month rolling period, including 2 consecutive days with no notification will be considered job abandonment and is cause for immediate termination.” Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. I. Plaintiff received a copy of this policy at or about the time Plaintiff began to work for Defendant, and Plaintiff understood that to be Defendant’s policy from the time Plaintiff began to work for Defendant. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2, at 102:4-103:1.

According to Plaintiff, Plaintiff suffers a variety of mental and physical health disorders, which Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s psychologist hypothesize includes bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and debilitating allergies. FAC ¶ 8; Alejandro Deck ¶¶ 9-11. During Plaintiffs employment with Defendant, Plaintiffs combination of medical conditions occasionally resulted in Plaintiff suffering periods of severe anxiety that required Plaintiff to miss work. Alejandro Decl. ¶¶ 12-13; Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. I. One of the symptoms of Plaintiffs anxiety is “avoidance of social situations which would elicit anxiety reaction.” Deposition of Charles Baker, ECF No. 47-5, at 10:19-11:9; 11:15-18.

In July 2013, Plaintiff suffered an episode of incapacitation that caused him to miss one week of work. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2, ECF No. 44-7, at 120:11-121:10. At some point during this absence, Plaintiffs parents contacted Defendant’s human resources department to let Defendant know that Plaintiff was sick. Id. Plaintiff used regular sick days to excuse this weeklong absence. Id. Upon his return to work, Plaintiff informed his manager, Sean McCale, that Plaintiff suffered from bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Id. at 121:11-24. Plaintiff explained to McCale that Plaintiffs anxiety sometimes rendered Plaintiff unable to work. Id. McCale responded that in the future Plaintiff — or “a parent, or some other representative of [Plaintiffs]” — should contact McCale directly when Plaintiffs anxiety required him to miss work so that McCale could arrange coverage for Plaintiff for the days when Plaintiff would be absent. Id. at 122:1-5, 131:15-21; Alejandro Deck ¶ 22.

In October 2013, Plaintiff was involuntarily hospitalized due to concerns over Plaintiffs mental health. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2 at 145:3-20. Plaintiff missed one or two days of work due to the hospitalization. Id. at 145:23-146:1. While Plaintiff was in the hospital, Plaintiff had his parents contact Defendant’s human resources department to state that Plaintiff was ilk Id. at 145:15-20. When McCale learned that Plaintiff was in the hospital, McCale sent Plaintiff an email reiterating McCale’s request that in the future either Plaintiff or Plaintiffs representative contact McCale directly when Plaintiff required time off of work. Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. I. In the email, McCale additionally encouraged Plaintiff to contact The Hartford, which administered Defendant’s disability benefits program. Id. Plaintiff did not contact The Hartford. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2, at 160:9-12.

In November 2013, Plaintiff informed McCale that Plaintiff was depressed. Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. II. In response, McCale offered to provide Plaintiff with the phone number for a counseling program provided by Defendant’s human resources department, but Plaintiff declined McCale’s offer. Id.

Plaintiff again had a mental health episode in mid March 2014 that required him to miss work. Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. I. On March 17, 2014, after Plaintiff had been absent from work for a week, McCale sent an email to Plaintiff stating that because Plaintiff had missed a week of work due to health issues, Plaintiff “will need to provide to Hartford the reasons from [856]*856[Plaintiffs] medical doctor of why [Plaintiff has] been absent.” Id. In the email, McCa-le additionally informed Plaintiff that Defendant could provide further services to Plaintiff through the Employee Assistance Programs. Id. McCale encouraged Plaintiff to contact human resources and review Defendant’s leave of absence programs. Id. McCale further reminded Plaintiff of Defendant’s policy that a two-day absence “without calling and without showing is cause for termination.” Id.

On March 19, 2014, while Plaintiff was still absent from work, McCale emailed Plaintiff to set out McCale’s expectations for Plaintiffs communication. Alejandro Decl. ¶ 25; Errata to Mot., Exh, A, EOF No. 50-1. One of McCale’s requests was that if Plaintiff was ill and would not be at work, Plaintiff would call, email, or text McCale before 9 a.m. Errata to Mot., Exh. A. McCale asked Plaintiff to “acknowledge [Plaintiffs] receipt and hopeful agreement to the above expectations.” Id. The same day, Plaintiff responded by email to McCa-le and confirmed in writing that Plaintiff had “received, agree[d] with, and understood]” McCale’s requirements for Plaintiff. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2, at 188:1-184:15, 189:10-14; Errata to Mot., Exh. A; Alejandro Deck ¶ 25. Plaintiff never told McCale that Plaintiff might not be able to notify McCale of Plaintiffs absences. Alejandro Depo., Vol. I Part 2 at 190:9-13.

Plaintiff again was absent from work on March 31, 2014; April 1, 2014; April 2, 2014; and April 3, 2014. Alejandro Depo., Vol. II at 338:2-341:5; Alejandro Depo., Exhs, Vol. 1. Plaintiff alleges in the. FAC that on these days. Plaintiff suffered from an “inability to communicate” in addition to an inability to work, FAC ¶ 10.

McCale sent text messages to Plaintiff at 9:17 a.m. and 1:03 p.m. on March 31, 2014. Alejandro Depo., Vol. II at 338:2-18; Alejandro Depo,, Exhs. Vol. II. Plaintiff did not respond to McCale’s text messages or otherwise contact McCale on March 31. Alejandro Depo., Vol. II at 338:2-339:1; Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. II. On March 31, 2014, Plaintiff placed four phone calls lasting between 1 to 18 minutes each, none of which were to McCale or Defendant, and Plaintiff took an 18-minute income phone call from a caller other than McCale or Defendant. Alejandro Depo., Exhs. Vol. II.

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Bluebook (online)
178 F. Supp. 3d 850, 2016 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 111, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47964, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alejandro-v-st-micro-electronics-inc-cand-2016.