Bugg-Barber v. Randstad US, L.P.

271 F. Supp. 2d 120, 14 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1172, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17019, 2003 WL 21675135
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedMay 20, 2003
DocketCIV.A.01-2470 RMC
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 271 F. Supp. 2d 120 (Bugg-Barber v. Randstad US, L.P.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bugg-Barber v. Randstad US, L.P., 271 F. Supp. 2d 120, 14 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1172, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17019, 2003 WL 21675135 (D.D.C. 2003).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

COLLYER, District Judge.

Juanita A. Bugg-Barber has sued her former employer, Randstad US, L.P. (“Randstad”), alleging that her discharge on January 2, 2001, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (“ADA”), and the Human Rights Act of the District of Columbia, D.C. CODE § 2-1402.11 (“DCHRA”). At the close of discovery, Randstad filed a motion for summary judgment, which is opposed by Ms. Bugg-Barber. After careful review of the parties’ submissions, deposition testimony, and supporting evidence, the Court concludes that Randstad is entitled to summary judgment.

I. BACKGROUND 1

Randstad, Ms. Bugg-Barber’s employer from July 2000 to January 2001, provides temporary staff to various companies, such as the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (“PBGC”). The PBGC is a federal agency that manages pension fund assets of bankrupt and near-bankrupt companies to ensure employee pension benefits. Ms. Bugg-Barber worked as a Customer Service Representative (“CSR”) at the PBGC’s call center in Washington, D.C., answering calls and providing information on benefit inquiries from covered employees. CSRs work in small cubicles surrounded by fellow CSRs who are engaged in telephone conversations with outsiders. Ms. Bugg-Barber’s employment was subject to a Randstad Employee Handbook, which required employees to “control voice level and avoid arguing with coworkers and associates” and to maintain “[cjourtesy and professionalism” at all times. Rand-stad St. ¶ 11. Randstad reserved the right to impose “immediate dismissal” for “misconduct or major offenses.” Id. ¶¶ 10, 11.

Ms. Bugg-Barber is a Type 1 Insulin Dependent Diabetic, whose pancreas does *123 not produce insulin. She is also considered a “brittle” diabetic, one whose condition is more erratic and difficult to control. She must monitor her blood sugar levels at least four times a day, administer injections of insulin, and respond to variations in her blood sugar levels with glucose tablets, food, orange juice and rest. Her doctor testified in deposition that it requires “a substantial effort to attempt to control the blood sugar” in patients like Ms. Bugg-Barber who, “despite their best effort, ... are unable to control” their sugar level fluctuations. Pinzone Dep. at 218.

As a result of her diabetes, high levels of sugar in Ms. Bugg-Barber’s blood, or hyperglycemia, can produce blurred vision, serious dehydration, irritability, mood swings, and impaired thinking. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can produce anxiety, difficulty in focusing, difficulty in concentrating, acute hunger, difficulty standing, irritability and mood swings. See Pinzone Dep. at 223-228. The exact nature of the impact of these conditions on Ms. Bugg-Barber’s daily life is described in various ways. 2 Ms. Bugg-Barber asserts that she suffers from these symptoms regularly, sometimes on a daily basis. Prior to filing suit, she submitted a sworn affidavit to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) stating that she experiences “severe problems” when she “do[es] not take [her] insulin regularly.” PI. Dep. at 71 (quoting PL Aff.). Dr. Joseph Pinzone, her treating physician and expert witness, testified that the debilitating effects of her diabetes are “intermittent” and “[o]n an average day, she, like others with a similar problem, are [sic ] able to generally function.” Pinzone Dep. at 230.

Throughout her employment with Rand-stad, Ms. Bugg-Barber reported to Valerie Palmer and was directly supervised by Carolyn Wheeler. Ms. Palmer knew that Ms. Bugg-Barber had diabetes, that she had gone to the PBGC nurse on one occasion to check her blood sugar, that she was contemplating getting an insulin pump, and that a “sick note” from September 2000 mentioned diabetes. Ms. Wheeler had at least one conversation with Ms. Bugg-Barber in which Ms. Wheeler learned that Ms. Bugg-Barber was considering insulin pump therapy. However, Ms. Wheeler recalled no conversations about how Ms. Bugg-Barber’s diabetes affected her. Ms. Bugg-Barber testified that she once told her supervisors where they could find her glucose tablets and that they should give her two or three if she did not appear well. She also recalled describing things that had happened to her in previous jobs, including instances where she became disoriented or irritable, and that she sometimes became confrontational. Ms. Bugg-Barber asserts that she once provided a document concerning hyper- and hypoglycemia symptoms to her supervisors.

The immediate events leading to Ms. Bugg-Barber’s discharge are not materially in dispute. Ms. Bugg-Barber has admitted most of the facts contained in the Randstad Statement. Those matters over which there are disputes are noted but, as discussed below, do not affect the legal conclusions.

At approximately 4:00 p.m. on December 29, 2000, Carolyn Wheeler observed Ms. *124 Bugg-Barber standing next to the desk of a new trainee, Chrishelle Bertrand. Ms. Wheeler approached Ms. Bugg-Barber and, as she routinely does to keep the call center operating efficiently, asked, “what are you working on[?]” Randstad St. ¶ 17 (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 53). Ms. Bugg-Barber responded that she was “working on a record.” Id. (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 53). Ms. Wheeler was skeptical about this response because Ms. Bugg-Barber was standing next to the cubical of a new, inexperienced employee who Ms. Wheeler believed could not have been assisting Ms. Bugg-Barber with a record. Ms. Wheeler instructed Ms. Bugg-Barber that she needed to return to her desk and get on the telephone because they had “calls in queue.” Id. ¶ 19 (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 58).

In response to Ms. Wheeler’s inquiry and request, Ms. Bugg-Barber became confrontational and disruptive. 3 Ms. Bugg-Barber repeatedly told Ms. Wheeler that Ms. Wheeler was “bothering her” and demanded that Ms. Wheeler “leave her alone.” Id. ¶ 21 (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 60-61). Ms. Bugg-Barber stepped back to her own work cubicle, remained standing, and told Ms. Wheeler “to leave her alone because her blood sugar was up.” Bugg-Barber St. ¶ 21 (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 61). Ms. Wheeler asked Ms. Bugg-Barber to speak with her in private, but Ms. Bugg-Barber did not comply and only continued to mutter that Ms. Wheeler should stop “bothering” her. Randstad St. ¶¶ 23-24 (quoting Wheeler Dep. at 60); see Bugg-Barber St. ¶¶ 23-24.

Supervisor Palmer and Assistant Supervisor Brian Johnson heard something of this exchange and came over to see what was happening. 4 Both of them observed Ms. Bugg-Barber pointing her finger in Ms. Wheeler’s face and threatening to show Ms. Wheeler a “side of me that you don’t want to see.” Randstad St. ¶ 27 (quoting Palmer Dep. at 35-36). Mr. Johnson’s written memorandum reported that Ms. Bugg-Barber was “yelling at the top of her voice” for Ms. Wheeler to “get out of my face” and also stated that she was “sick and tired of the supervisors.” Id. ¶ 28 (quoting Blessing Dep. Ex. A). Ms. Palmer asked Ms.

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271 F. Supp. 2d 120, 14 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1172, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17019, 2003 WL 21675135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bugg-barber-v-randstad-us-lp-dcd-2003.