Bright v. Le Moyne College

306 F. Supp. 2d 244, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2646, 2004 WL 413246
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 18, 2004
Docket5:00-cv-01933
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 306 F. Supp. 2d 244 (Bright v. Le Moyne College) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bright v. Le Moyne College, 306 F. Supp. 2d 244, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2646, 2004 WL 413246 (N.D.N.Y. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER

MUNSON, Senior District Judge.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff brings this action pro se against her former employer defendant Le Moyne College (“Le Moyne”) and her bargaining labor representative Teamsters Local 317 *250 (“the Union”). Plaintiffs complaint alleges that she was the victim of sex and racial discrimination and retaliation during her employment at Le Moyne, and that defendant Union breached its duty of fair representation (“dfr”) by discriminating against her in the manner it dealt with the grievances she filed against Le Moyne, all in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq.

Plaintiff began working for defendant Le Moyne College “(Le Moyne”) on July 6, 1999, as a custodian for the College’s athletic facilities. Custodial staffing needs are partially based on the type and number of events occurring on campus. When she was hired, plaintiff was told that the job required flexible hours and variations in the work week, including evening and weekend work.

In the fall of 1999, plaintiff was assigned to work the Saturday evening shift on several occasions. In November 1999, fellow employee, Richard Davidson, requested a change in assignment so he would not have to work every Saturday evening. Having begun working at Le Moyne July 1998, he was senior to plaintiff. Plaintiff and Richard Davidson were both represented by Teamsters Local 317 (“the Union”) at that time. Le Moyne decided that the most equitable solution was to have the two employees rotate Saturday evening work periods. The two employees were told of this arrangement on January 13, 2000, by the Assistant Facilities Manager, Daniel Scheen. The agreement did not effect plaintiffs wages, benefits or promotion opportunities.

Plaintiff filed a grievance with the Union objecting to the shift rotation agreement. However, the work schedule rotation was within the terms of and conditions of her job and the collective bargaining agreement between Le Moyne and the Union.

Approximately one month after the new work schedule was in effect, plaintiff filed a discrimination charge against Le Moyne with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), alleging that the change in her work schedule was illegally based on her race and sex. Upon investigating the charges, they were dismissed by the EEOC. Plaintiff resigned her position with Le Moyne on July 12, 2000, and filed a second charge with the EEOC claiming that she was subjected to retaliation after filing her first charge with the EEOC.

Plaintiffs second charge had several allegations of retaliatory on the job conduct. They were: that she was required to punch in and out for lunch breaks while other employees were not; was not invited to social events; that co-workers were instructed not to talk to her; and that her incident reports were ignored. After investigating plaintiffs second claim charges, the EEOC dismissed this complaint.

In June 2000, plaintiff was twice exposed to polyurethane, an non-hazardous substance applied to the bleachers in the gymnasium, but one she claimed she had a personal sensitivity to. On each exposure, she left work before the end of her shift without notice or authorization. Plaintiff was informed that payment for her lost time would be considered if she furnished a suitable written report from her doctor describing her ailment and need to leave work. This report was not forthcoming, and she did not respond to attempts by Le Moyne’s Worker’s Compensation Coordinator to contact her. Nevertheless, plaintiff was paid for her time off before her resignation in July 2000.

Le Moyne has a Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy (“EEO/AA”) that specifically prohibits racial harassment and set forth procedures *251 for investigating complaints. Plaintiff did not make any complaints under this policy or to her supervisors regarding any verbal abuse or other harassing behavior by her fellow employees. She did complain to Le Moyne’s Human Resources that she was upset that a copy of George magazine, published by the late John F. Kennedy, Jr., was left on her janitor cart opened to an article which plaintiff believed to be racially offensive. Human Resources forwarded the complaint to the EEO/AA officer for investigation the same day it was received, July 5, 2000. Plaintiff was notified of this action, but failed to respond to several attempts by the EEO/AA office on July 6th and 7th to contact her. Before further action could be taken, plaintiff resigned on July 12, 2000.

During her period of employment at Le Moyne, plaintiff filed grievances with defendant Union on January 28, 2000. These grievances are: changes in her work shift schedule; June 29, 2000, discrimination due to her union activity; and July 7, 2000, not paid for her time when she left to leave work to obtain medical attention. The Union advised Le Moyne that it intended to have plaintiffs three grievances arbitrated. In a letter dated July 12, 2000, plaintiff advised the Union that she had resigned from Le Moyne’s employment but “to keep all records concerning my grievances and pursuant of arbitration,” because these documents would be needed in the federal case she was instituting. (Ex. I, Mark May aff d.)

The Union was not named as a party in either of the complaints against Le Moyne that plaintiff filed with the EEOC.

Currently before the court is a motion by each defendant for summary judgment dismissing the complaint as against it pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff has entered opposition to these two motions.

DISCUSSION

Rule 56 allows for summary judgment where the evidence demonstrates that “there is no genuine issue of any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Summary judgment is properly regarded ... as an integral part of the Federal Rules as a whole, which are designed to “secure the just, speedy and inexpensive determination of every action.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 327, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)(quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 1). In determining whether there is a genuine issue of material fact a court must resolve all ambiguities and draw inferences against the moving party. United States v. Diebold, 369 U.S. 654, 655, 82 S.Ct. 993, 994, 8 L.Ed.2d 176 (1962)(per curiam). An issue of credibility is insufficient to preclude the granting of a motion for summary judgment.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
306 F. Supp. 2d 244, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2646, 2004 WL 413246, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bright-v-le-moyne-college-nynd-2004.