Dose v. Buena Vista University

229 F. Supp. 2d 910, 13 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1504, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21469, 2002 WL 31454007
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Iowa
DecidedNovember 4, 2002
DocketC01-4061-MWB
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 229 F. Supp. 2d 910 (Dose v. Buena Vista University) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dose v. Buena Vista University, 229 F. Supp. 2d 910, 13 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1504, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21469, 2002 WL 31454007 (N.D. Iowa 2002).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REGARDING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

BENNETT, Chief Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION. 04 rH O)

A. Procedural Background. 04 t — i C5

B. Factual Background. CO t — i 05

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS. 918

A. Standards For Summarg Judgment . 918

1. Requirements of Rule 56. 918

2. The parties’burdens . 919

3. Summarg judgment in emplogment discrimination cases 919

B. Elements Of An ADA Claim . 920

C. Dose’s Claims Under The ADA. 921

1. Dose’s actual disabilitg claim. 921

2. Dose’s claim for a record of disabilitg. 923

3. Dose’s claim that he was regarded as disabled. 924

D. Nondiscriminatorg Reason For Dose’s Discharging. 926

926 III. CONCLUSION.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Procedural Background

On June 11, 2001, plaintiff David Dose filed a complaint against his former employer, defendant Buena Vista University (“BVU”), seeking damages resulting from the termination of his employment on July 19, 2000. In his complaint, Dose alleges claims of disability discrimination pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., and similar claims under Iowa Code Chapter 216 et seq. Specifically, Dose asserts that he was discriminated against because: (1) he is disabled; (2) he has a record of being disabled; and, (3) he was regarded as being disabled by BVU. Defendant BVU answered Dose’s complaint on July 6, 2001, denying Dose’s claims and asserting various defenses.

On September 3, 2002, defendant BVU filed a motion for summary judgment on all of Dose’s claims. First, defendant BVU asserts that Dose is not “disabled” within the meaning of either the ADA, or Chapter 216 of the Iowa Code. Specifically, defendant BVU asserts that Dose does not have a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of his major life activities. Second, BVU claims that Dose has no record of a disability. Third, BVU asserts that Dose cannot establish that he was regarded as being disabled by BVU. Finally, BVU argues that it fired Dose because he made a threat against a BVU employee and not because of any alleged disability. BVU claims that Dose cannot demonstrate that its stated reason for terminating his employment was pretextual. On September 27, 2002, Dose resisted BVU’s Motion for Summary Judgment, arguing that there are genuine issues of material fact in dispute regarding all of his claims. On October 15, 2002, BVU filed a reply brief in support of its summary judgment motion.

On October 29, 2002, the court heard telephonic oral arguments on BVU’s Motion for Summary Judgment. Plaintiff *913 Dose was represented by Margaret M. Prahl of Heidman, Redmond, Fredrigill, Patterson, Plaza, Dykstra & Prahl, L.L.P., Sioux City, Iowa. Defendant BVU was represented by Daniel G. Wilzcek of Fagre & Benson, L.L.P., Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Gary W. Armstrong of Mack, Hansen, Gadd, Armstrong & Brown, P.C., Storm Lake, Iowa. Before discussing the standards for BVU’s Motion for Summary Judgment, however, the court will first examine the factual background of this case.

B. Factual Background

The summary judgment record reveals that the following facts are undisputed.

Plaintiff Dose was employed by BVU as a custodian. He began his employment with BVU in 1994. The custodian position responsibilities include mopping and scrubbing floors, stairs and other surfaces, using light and heavy floor machines, vacuuming • carpeted areas, shampooing and extracting carpeted areas, cleaning lavatories, and moving furniture.

Dose was assigned to clean the library. Sylvia Reed was his immediate supervisor. Reed, in turn, reported to Rudy Fleege. Dose was required to clean stairs and restrooms using a mop and bucket. He also had to use a large carpet extractor and a large vacuum cleaner. In addition, he needed to use a large ladder to change light bulbs in the library’s ceiling. All of the equipment weighs , in excess of 30 pounds.

On January 31, 2000, Dose was admitted to St. John’s Regional Medical Center for treatment of a blood clot condition, pulmonary embolism. 'Dose now takes a blood thinner to control the condition. Dr. Jonathan Hruska issued a work restriction that Dose could not lift more than 25 pounds or shovel snow for two weeks. BVU was informed of Dose’s work restriction. On February 22, 2000, Dose returned to work with his temporary work restrictions. On February 29, 2000, Dr. Hruska revised his work restrictions for Dose by extending the'snow shoveling ban for the remainder of the year.

On March 2, 2000, Dr. Hruska sent a letter to Amy Dettmer, BVU’s Human Resources Manager. In the letter, Dr. Hrus-ka recommended that Dose be restricted from lifting over 25 pounds and engaging “in repetitive activities such as bending and stooping' (especially when associated with lifting.).” Defendant’s App. at 93. Dr. Hruska further stated in the letter that the restrictions should be in place for six weeks and then re-evaluated. Dose continued to work with his temporary work restrictions. On April 6, 2000, Dr. Hruska provided, in a note, a revised work restriction for Dose. Dr. Hruska indicated that Dose should not .lift more than 25 pounds but “may continue his usual duties.” Defendant’s App. at 94. Dr. Hruska further indicated in the note that the restrictions should be in place for six weeks and then re-evaluated. Dose continued to work with his temporary lifting restriction of 25 pounds.

On April 18, 2000, Dr. Hruska sent Dett-mer another letter. Ip his letter, Dr. Hruska continued the. restrictions set out in his April 6, 2000, note. Dr. Hruska did not place .a time limit on the restrictions. On May 16, 2000, Dr. Jeffrey Sykes released Dose to work without any restrictions. While it was Dose’s understanding that he was not to engage in strenuous activities which would risk injury to his leg or another blood clot, Dr. ■ Sykes did not place any written work restrictions on Dose. Dose performed his normal job duties. Shortly after he was released without restrictions, Dose was instructed to push a wheeled mail cart full of graduation programs from the mail room to the chapel on .the BVU campus, a distance of approximately one city block.' Dose esti *914 mates that the cart weighed more than 100 pounds. Dose did not attempt to move the cart. Dose did not think that he could push the cart without risking injury to his leg.

A meeting was held with Dose, Fleege, Dettmer, and Randy Flehr, BVU’s Vice President of Business Services.

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229 F. Supp. 2d 910, 13 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1504, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21469, 2002 WL 31454007, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dose-v-buena-vista-university-iand-2002.