Dagel v. City of Great Falls

819 P.2d 186, 250 Mont. 224, 48 State Rptr. 919, 1991 Mont. LEXIS 265
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 10, 1991
Docket91-069
StatusPublished
Cited by59 cases

This text of 819 P.2d 186 (Dagel v. City of Great Falls) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dagel v. City of Great Falls, 819 P.2d 186, 250 Mont. 224, 48 State Rptr. 919, 1991 Mont. LEXIS 265 (Mo. 1991).

Opinions

[226]*226JUSTICE WEBER

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Plaintiff, Carlene Dagel, brought this action alleging harassment by her supervisor which forced her to resign from her job. She sued the City of Great Falls under theories of violation of constitutional rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, wrongful discharge, and both negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Plaintiff also filed a motion to join Charlis Manzer, her supervisor, as a party defendant and also filed a motion for summary judgment on a number of grounds. The City also filed a motion for summary judgment. The District Corut for the Eighth Judicial District, Cascade County, denied plaintiff’s motions and granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Great Falls. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm in part and reverse in part.

The issues are:

1. Did the District Court properly conclude that the City of Great Falls is not liable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983?

2. Did the District Court properly hold that the City of Great Falls is immune from plaintiff’s state law claims under § 2-9-111, MCA?

3. Did the District Court properly conclude that plaintiff was covered by a written collective bargaining agreement at the time of her discharge, thus preempting suit under the Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act?

4. Did the District Court properly conclude that plaintiff’s claims of violation of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and for infliction of emotional distress are barred by the Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act?

5. Did the District Court properly deny plaintiff’s motion to join Ms. Manzer under Rules 19 and 20, M.R.Civ.P.?

Plaintiff, Carlene Dagel, was hired on August 16,1984, by the City of Great Falls Public Works Department (City) as a “Clerk II.” Plaintiff’s duties included taking phone messages, doing reports, billing, filing, and some typing for various divisions within the Public Works Department. Her immediate supervisor was Charlis Manzer (Ms. Manzer). Ms. Manzer was an administrative assistant who also supervised one or two other clerks and a secretary.

Ms. Manzer disciplined plaintiff for poor performance of her duties with disciplinary actions ranging from oral counseling to suspension for a period of days. Plaintiff maintains that only one reprimand was [227]*227contained in her personnel file when she was terminated but that Ms. Manzer kept other information concerning plaintiff in her own separate file. In November 1987, plaintiff resigned her employment following the last of these disciplinary actions because she felt her treatment by Ms. Manzer was causing her emotional problems. Plaintiff stated under oath:

"... it was three years, I have been so frustrated, and I have tried five times to commit suicide within the last few years .... And I decided, well, hey maybe that isn’t the way that should be. If she’s getting to me that much, maybe I should just get out of there. And so I drew up my letter of resignation after the last reprimand she gave me. I just felt that was so far out of fine, and it just really, really upset me.”

During most of her employment, plaintiff was a member of a union, the Montana Public Employees’ Association, a collective bargaining unit, which had contracted with the City. The union contract with the City expired on June 30, 1986; plaintiff resigned in November 1987; and a new contract was executed December 1, 1987.

Both plaintiff and the union attempted to file a grievance under the procedure set forth in the union contract. The City refused that request, as set forth in the following letter submitted as an exhibit in the summary judgment proceeding:
“City of GREAT FALLS Montana
“P.O. Box 5021
“December 17, 1990
“Mr. Jim Adams
“Montana Public Employees Association
“P.O. Box 5600
“Helena, MT 59604
“Re: Carlene Dagel
“Dear Mr. Adams:
“I have your letter of December 11, 1987, where for the first time you attempt to assert the grievance procedure in this matter under a contract negotiated with the City.
“In response, it is the City’s position that the union lacks jurisdiction to initiate the grievance procedure for the following reasons:
“ ‘1. The dates of Dagel’s suspension, November 3, 4, 5, 1987, occurred after the expiration of the former contract which terminated on June 30, 1986, and before the date of the current contract, [228]*228December 1, 1987. In other words, there was no contract and no grievance procedure in effect or available to the union members during the dates of suspension.
“ ‘2. Dagel voluntarily terminated her employment with the City by letter dated November 4, 1987. By terminating her employment on November 4, 1987, Dagel severed her rights under any grievance procedure of a collective bargaining agreement or otherwise. No question was raised on the disciplinary procedure prior to Dagel’s termination letter of November 4, 1987, and we submit neither she nor the union has jurisdiction to pursue such a claim now that she has voluntarily terminated her employment.’
“As explained in previous correspondence, we deem the City’s disciplinary action to be proper under the circumstances and, for the reasons stated above, consider the matter closed.
“Sincerely,
“s/ Hal Million
“Hal Million
“Acting Public Works
“Director”

Subsequently, plaintiff filed this action in District Court to recover damages for wrongful discharge, violation of her constitutional rights, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Plaintiff claimed that throughout her employment with the City, she was subjected to continual harassment by Ms. Manzer in the form of “purported counselings and reprimands.”

Plaintiff moved for summary judgment and to join Ms. Manzer, as a defendant. The City responded by filing a cross-motion for summary judgment. The District Court adopted the City’s proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and granted the City’s motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff moved to amend judgment or grant a new trial, which motion was denied. This appeal followed.

I.

Did the District Court properly conclude that the City of Great Falls is not liable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983?

Plaintiff sought recovery under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 which provides:

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Bluebook (online)
819 P.2d 186, 250 Mont. 224, 48 State Rptr. 919, 1991 Mont. LEXIS 265, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dagel-v-city-of-great-falls-mont-1991.