Darlene Hoyt v. Career Systems Development Corp.

Ninth Circuit

Darlene Hoyt v. Career Systems Development Corp.

480 F. App'x 879

CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

DecidedAugust 14, 2012

Docket11-55663

StatusUnpublished

This text of 480 F. App'x 879 (Darlene Hoyt v. Career Systems Development Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Darlene Hoyt v. Career Systems Development Corp., 480 F. App'x 879 (9th Cir. 2012).

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Opinion

MEMORANDUM *

Plaintiff Darlene Hoyt appeals the judgment entered in favor of Defendant Career System Development Corporation. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm.

Plaintiff asserts that the district court erred in its instruction to the jury regarding the “right to control.” We disagree. The district court properly instructed the jury that, though the right to control is the most important factor in determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, it is not the only factor. Under California law, the jury was required to consider secondary factors, such as whether the right to discharge at will existed, if specialized skills were needed for the work, and who supplied the tools and place of work. See S.G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Dep’t of Indus. Relations, 48 Cal.3d 341, 256 Cal.Rptr. 543, 769 P.2d 399, 404, 408-09 (Cal.1989). In any event, the district court’s instructions told the jury only that the additional factors may show that she was an employee. Thus, it is difficult to see how Plaintiff could have been prejudiced by that instruction.

Plaintiff also argues that the district court erred when it granted summary judgment on her Unruh Civil Rights Act claim. We again disagree. Here, unlike in Payne v. Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Inc., 130 Cal.App.4th 729, 30 Cal.Rptr.3d 230, 244-45 (Ct.App.2005), Plaintiff was compensated for work and Defendant directed that work. Because the Un-ruh Act only applies to discrimination by a business establishment “in the course of furnishing goods, services or facilities to its clients, patrons or customers” and Plaintiff was none of these, the district court correctly granted summary judgment on Plaintiffs Unruh Act claim. See Alcorn v. Anbro Eng’g, Inc., 2 Cal.3d 493, 86 Cal.Rptr. 88, 468 P.2d 216, 219-20 (Cal.1970); see also Johnson v. Riverside Healthcare Sys., LP, 534 F.3d 1116, 1125-26 (9th Cir.2008).

AFFIRMED.

*

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.

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MEMORANDUM *

Plaintiff Darlene Hoyt appeals the judgment entered in favor of Defendant Career System Development Corporation. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm.

Plaintiff asserts that the district court erred in its instruction to the jury regarding the “right to control.” We disagree. The district court properly instructed the jury that, though the right to control is the most important factor in determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, it is not the only factor. Under California law, the jury was required to consider secondary factors, such as whether the right to discharge at will existed, if specialized skills were needed for the work, and who supplied the tools and place of work. See S.G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Dep’t of Indus. Relations, 48 Cal.3d 341, 256 Cal.Rptr. 543, 769 P.2d 399, 404, 408-09 (Cal.1989). In any event, the district court’s instructions told the jury only that the additional factors may show that she was an employee. Thus, it is difficult to see how Plaintiff could have been prejudiced by that instruction.

Plaintiff also argues that the district court erred when it granted summary judgment on her Unruh Civil Rights Act claim. We again disagree. Here, unlike in Payne v. Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Inc., 130 Cal.App.4th 729, 30 Cal.Rptr.3d 230, 244-45 (Ct.App.2005), Plaintiff was compensated for work and Defendant directed that work. Because the Un-ruh Act only applies to discrimination by a business establishment “in the course of furnishing goods, services or facilities to its clients, patrons or customers” and Plaintiff was none of these, the district court correctly granted summary judgment on Plaintiffs Unruh Act claim. See Alcorn v. Anbro Eng’g, Inc., 2 Cal.3d 493, 86 Cal.Rptr. 88, 468 P.2d 216, 219-20 (Cal.1970); see also Johnson v. Riverside Healthcare Sys., LP, 534 F.3d 1116, 1125-26 (9th Cir.2008).

AFFIRMED.

*

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.

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