Burns v. Cook

458 F. Supp. 2d 29, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77625, 2006 WL 3007704
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedOctober 23, 2006
DocketNo. 6:05-CV-1376
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 458 F. Supp. 2d 29 (Burns v. Cook) 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
Burns v. Cook, 458 F. Supp. 2d 29, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77625, 2006 WL 3007704 (N.D.N.Y. 2006).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM-DECISION and ORDER

HURD, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Debra A. Burns (“plaintiff’ or “Burns”) brings this action against defendants Oren F. Cook (“Cook”), the Adirondack Central School District Board of Education (“Board of Education”), and the Adirondack Central School District (“District”) under various federal, state, and common law theories of recovery. Specifically, plaintiff claims that defendants (1) retaliated against her for engaging in constitutionally protected speech in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and arti-ele 1, section 8, of the New York State Constitution; (2) violated her substantive due process rights in contravention of the Fourteenth Amendment; (3) denied her equal protection of the laws in violation of both the Fourteenth Amendment and article 1, section 11, of the New York State Constitution; (4) failed to provide reasonable accommodations to her physical limitations in violation of section 102 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12112; (5) took adverse personnel actions against her for disclosing what she believed to be improper governmental conduct to governmental bodies, in violation of section 75-b of the New York Civil Service Law; (6) defamed her; (7) damaged her property interests and professional reputation; and (8) intentionally caused her to suffer emotional distress.1

Defendants move to dismiss plaintiffs complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failing to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Plaintiff opposes. Oral arguments were heard on March 10, 2006, in Utica, New York. Decision was reserved.

II. FACTS2

Plaintiff has been employed by the District as a secretary-typist since 1991, a position which she holds to this day. She attained status as a permanent civil service employee under New York law on April 13, 1993, and is a member of the non-teaching personnel union.

In April 1995, plaintiff suffered a myocardial infarction and has since suffered from a heart condition and related illness [36]*36(the details of which are not specified in the complaint). Thereafter, she notified the District of her heart condition and need for reasonable accommodations. In June 1995, plaintiffs full-time secretary-typist position was reduced to a half-time position because of her medical condition.

In May 2001, plaintiff was notified by the District Superintendent that her halftime secretary-typist position would be eliminated. On July 1, 2001, plaintiffs position was in fact eliminated. Prior to and following the elimination of her position, plaintiff informed the District that she was entitled to “bump” into an existing full-time typist position pursuant to New York State Civil Service Law and the terms of her collective bargaining agreement. (Comply 22.) The District refused to reappoint her to an existing full-time typist position. As a result, plaintiff contacted the Oneida County division of the New York State Department of Civil Service (“Civil Service”) and notified that body of the District’s actions, which she believed constituted a violation of her seniority rights. Civil Service then notified the District that plaintiff did in fact have a right to an existing full-time typist position. In August 2001, the District offered plaintiff an existing full-time position at the District’s middle school, but informed her that because of her medical condition she would work only four hours per day instead of a normal seven-hour day. Plaintiff accepted this position.

Plaintiff did not begin her new employment at the middle school until October 1, 2001. Because she was not employed by the District from July 1, 2001, until that date, plaintiff lost vacation time, personal leave time, holiday time, and other fringe benefits. As a result, plaintiff contacted the Civil Service and complained about the District’s delay in reemploying her.

In February 2002, plaintiff provided to the District a note from her physician stating that he had never advised the District to remove plaintiff from the workplace, that she had been performing her duties without a problem, and that her condition required only that she take periodic rest through the regular vacation process.

In May 2002, plaintiff informed the District Superintendent and Board of Education that she believed they were violating her statutory and contractual rights by withholding the fringe benefits, and requested that such benefits be restored retroactive to July 1, 2001. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff was advised, by whom it is unclear, that the District was going to “get rid of her” because of her communications with the Civil Service. (ComplY 29.)

On October 6, 2002, Cook became the District Superintendent. On November 13, 2002, he informed plaintiff that he was going to re-title a full-time labor aide position at the middle school as a four-hour typist position and transfer her there. Plaintiff told Cook, in the presence of “others,” that she would not consent to such a transfer because she believed it was in violation of her statutory and contractual rights. (Comply 33.) In December 2002, Cook denied plaintiff the use of personal leave time when her mother passed away, requiring her to use vacation time instead. In April 2003, Cook denied plaintiff the use of both personal leave and vacation time to rest in accordance with her physician’s orders, requiring her to take unpaid leave instead. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff suffered another heart attack which required a catheterization and an extended period of time off for recuperation.

In July 2003, plaintiff requested that the District make reasonable accommodations so that she could return to work. She then became aware, how it is unclear, that several District employees had been given [37]*37access to her medical records and thereby-gained knowledge of her medical condition. She was also informed, by whom it is unclear, that the District Business Manager considered her to be a liability to the District and wished to keep her from re-toning to work. Nonetheless, plaintiff returned to her four-hour position at the middle school, and at the request of the District, actually worked seven-hour days for several months during the 2003-04 school year.

During the 2003-04 school year, plaintiff publicly supported her union president’s candidacy for a position on the Board of Education. Plaintiff voiced her support for the candidate “in the general community, at meetings and at social occasions.” (Comply 39.) Specifically, plaintiff handed out fliers to other District employees and asked them to support the candidate in the May 2004 election. Cook and certain members of the Board of Education supported a candidate running in opposition to plaintiffs union president. Sometime during the spring of 2004, Cook reprimanded plaintiff for publicly endorsing her union president’s candidacy.

On April 7, 2004, Cook informed plaintiff by letter that her position would be abolished effective July 1, 2004.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Dougal v. Lewicki
N.D. New York, 2023
Poplardo v. Adelberg
S.D. New York, 2023
Militinska-Lake v. Kirnon
N.D. New York, 2021
Morales v. City of New York
S.D. New York, 2021
Rivers v. New York City Housing Authority
176 F. Supp. 3d 229 (E.D. New York, 2016)
Dorcely v. Wyandanch Union Free School District
665 F. Supp. 2d 178 (E.D. New York, 2009)
Washpon v. Parr
561 F. Supp. 2d 394 (S.D. New York, 2008)
Colandrea v. Town of Orangetown
490 F. Supp. 2d 342 (S.D. New York, 2007)
Henneberger v. County of Nassau
465 F. Supp. 2d 176 (E.D. New York, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
458 F. Supp. 2d 29, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77625, 2006 WL 3007704, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burns-v-cook-nynd-2006.