Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. v. Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations

273 N.W.2d 206, 86 Wis. 2d 393, 1 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 41, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 2009, 18 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8880, 18 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1447
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 9, 1979
Docket76-421
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 273 N.W.2d 206 (Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. v. Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. v. Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations, 273 N.W.2d 206, 86 Wis. 2d 393, 1 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 41, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 2009, 18 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8880, 18 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1447 (Wis. 1979).

Opinion

BEILFUSS, C. J.

DILHR found the complainant had a “drinking problem,” concluded it was a handicap and that the employer discharged the complainant because of his handicap contrary to Wisconsin’s Fair Employment Act. 1 A make-whole order was issued and is the., subject of this appeal.

The dispositive issues as we view them are whether the evidence is sufficient to support the findings, and whether the findings of fact and conclusions of law are adequate. We conclude they are not and reverse.

On August 8, 1973, Gerald F. Bachand, the claimant, was discharged by petitioner-appellant Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. Bachand .had been with Connecticut General in various positions in branch offices in several cities for over five years. At the time of his discharge he was an assistant manager in the company’s Racine office, a position he had occupied since *396 his promotion and transfer to the branch approximately one year earlier. The appellant-employer maintains that Bachand was fired for his unsatisfactory job performance. The respondent DILHR concluded that Bachand was discharged because of a handicap. The trial court affirmed this finding by DILHR.

Gerald Bachand filed a complaint with DILHR on August 29, 1973, alleging discrimination and unlawful discharge by his former employer, the appellant Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, because of a handicap. The charge was routinely handled by a DILHR field representative. On the basis of her investigations, on May 15, 1974 an initial determination was made that there was probable cause to believe Connecticut General had discriminated against Bachand because of a handicap in violation of sec. 111.31-111.37, Stats. The department’s conciliation effort over the next several months undertaken pursuant to sec. 111.36(3) proved unsuccessful, and on December 5, 1974 the matter was certified for hearing.

Notice of hearing dated April 30, 1975 was given the parties. Connecticut General responded on May 8, 1975, with an answer denying any unlawful discrimination on its part and alleging that Bachand was legitimately terminated for not properly discharging his duties, for acting beyond the scope of his authority and for having a disruptive influence on the other personnel in the office. In addition, it asserted affirmative defenses: first, that the complaint failed to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action; second, that alcoholism was not a handicap within the meaning of sec. 111.32 of the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act; third, that even if alcoholism were to be so classified, appellant’s action in discharging Bachand was legitimated by the terms of the exemption in sec. 111.32(5) (f) since Bachand’s drinking problem prevented him from adequately fulfilling his job-related responsibilities.

*397 On June 5, 1975, a hearing was held on the complaint before a DILHR hearing examiner. Complainant Gerald Bachand and Robert Strom, Regional Claims Manager of appellant company and Bachand’s former supervisor, were the principal witnesses at the hearing. In addition, Kendra Piotrowski, office supervisor of the Racine branch, testified on behalf of the company, corroborating certain aspects of Strom’s testimony.

Gerald Bachand testified he worked for appellant company for more than five years. He joined the company as a junior claims representative, received several promotions and ultimately rose to the position of Assistant Manager of the company’s Racine office — the position he occupied at the time of his termination. The company’s annual progress evaluation reports ranked him as a satisfactory employee who met or exceeded company standards and had good potential. Strom himself had given Bachand a satisfactory rating seven months before deciding to discharge him. To the best of Bachand’s knowledge, there had been no complaints from policyholders about the manner in which he handled their accounts.

In sharp contrast to Bachand’s testimony, Strom testified that Bachand’s work was frequently inconsistent and untimely throughout the entire time he had been with the Racine office. There had been many situations where Strom had received complaints from disgruntled policyholders that calls had not been returned or things had been delayed past promised or due dates. However, no written warnings had been given to Bachand. Kendra Piotrowski corroborated Strom’s evaluation. She testified that files referred to Bachand were delayed “quite frequently.” None of her staff wanted to submit work to Bachand for his approval for fear they would not get it back. From the end of 1972 on, Ms. Piotrowski would frequently report to Strom that Bachand was not doing his work.

*398 The testimony at the hearing also revealed that the events which immediately preceded and allegedly triggered Bachand’s termination were also in dispute. Bach- and testified that he voluntarily admitted himself to DePaul Rehabilitation Hospital, a rehabilitation hospital for alcoholics and drug addicts, for a period of approximately one month from April 29, 1973 to May 26, 1973. He informed his supervisor Strom two days prior to his admittance. At this time Strom was very supportive; he told Bachand that he had been doing a good job and was generally encouraging. On his return Bachand essentially resumed the same duties as before, with the additional management of a new project involving the computerization of Long Term Disability (LTD) benefit policies.

On May 30, 1973, just four days after his release from DePaul, Bachand and Strom had a meeting. According to Bachand’s testimony, at this meeting Strom “informed me that the personnel department told him to tell me that if I had one slip I’d be placed on disability retirement.” Strom in his testimony denied making that statement. Strom also asked to receive Bachand’s medical records and a written statement from his treating psychiatrist indicating what he could and could not do. Bachand testified that the usual post-sick leave procedure was simply to provide a “certification” for work letter from the physician. At the end of June, Bachand left for vacation. At this time there was no indication that the LTD project was falling behind. On July 10, 1973, shortly after returning from his vacation, he received a letter signed by Strom placing him on “demand performance.” In a meeting the following day, Strom explained that this was due to the fact that the LTD computer conversion project had fallen seriously behind in his absence and had required extensive overtime work by other employees to meet the scheduled deadline. Approximately twenty days after being placed on probation *399 Bachand received a termination letter effective August 3,1973.

Bachand contends that his loss of favor with the company from the time his drinking problem became known to his ultimate firing, his previous satisfactory work record, and the lack of substantial reasons for termination cited by the company justify the conclusion that he was discharged because of his handicap.

Strom’s testimony concerning the two-month period between Bachand’s return from sick leave and his ultimate termination was very different.

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

Related

Julie Diaz v. Saucon Valley Manor Inc
579 F. App'x 104 (Third Circuit, 2014)
Erickson v. Labor and Industry Review Commission
2005 WI App 208 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2005)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Labor & Industry Review Commission
2000 WI App 272 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2000)
Skakel v. Benedict
738 A.2d 170 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1999)
Madison Teachers, Inc. v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission
580 N.W.2d 375 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1998)
Citizens' Utility Board v. Public Service Commission
565 N.W.2d 554 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1997)
CH2M Hill, Inc. v. Black & Veatch
557 N.W.2d 829 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1996)
State v. Mobley
634 A.2d 305 (Connecticut Superior Court, 1993)
State v. Soke
584 N.E.2d 1273 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1989)
Marriage of DeLaMatter v. DeLaMatter
445 N.W.2d 676 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1989)
Clowes v. Terminix International, Inc.
538 A.2d 794 (Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1988)
Hayden v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America
500 So. 2d 831 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1986)
Cuna Mutual Insurance Society v. Wisconsin Department of Revenue
355 N.W.2d 541 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1984)
City of Onalaska v. State Labor & Industry Review Commission
354 N.W.2d 223 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1984)
Bachand v. Connecticut General Life Insurance
305 N.W.2d 149 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1981)
Bucyrus-Erie Co. v. Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations
280 N.W.2d 142 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
273 N.W.2d 206, 86 Wis. 2d 393, 1 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 41, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 2009, 18 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 8880, 18 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1447, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/connecticut-general-life-insurance-co-v-department-of-industry-labor-wis-1979.