Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Autumn Leaves Nursing Home

521 F. Supp. 1052, 27 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 302, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14508
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Mississippi
DecidedApril 3, 1981
DocketNo. GC 76-87-OS-O
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 521 F. Supp. 1052 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Autumn Leaves Nursing Home) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Autumn Leaves Nursing Home, 521 F. Supp. 1052, 27 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 302, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14508 (N.D. Miss. 1981).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

ORMA R. SMITH, Senior District Judge.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (hereafter referred to as “EEOC”), filed its complaint in the action sub judice on June 7,1976, against Autumn Leaves Nursing Home (hereafter referred to as “Autumn Leaves”).

EEOC alleged in broad terms:

Since July 2, 1965, and continuously up until the present time, Defendant Company has intentionally engaged in unlawful employment practices ... [which] include, but are not limited to the following practices:
A. Discharging a Black employee because of her race;
B. Maintaining policies and practices, terms and conditions of employment, which deprive and tend to deprive Blacks of Equal Employment Opportunities because of their race.
and,
Since at least July 2, 1965, Defendant Company has failed, in violation of Section 711(a) and (b), 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e-10(a) and (b), to post and keep posted notices which have been prepared and approved by the Commission setting forth pertinent provisions of Title VII and information pertinent to the filing of a complaint.

EEOC sought broad injunctive relief enjoining defendant from engaging in any employment practice which discriminates because of race, requiring defendant to institute and carry out policies, practices and affirmative action programs which provide equal opportunity for blacks, and eradicate the effect of past and present unlawful employment practices; requiring defendant to post the necessary notices required by Title VII; and ordering defendant to make whole persons adversely affected by the alleged unlawful employment practices.

On August 22, 1977, the court permitted Linda Atkins, Ella Griffin, Lillian Thomas, Sophia Thomas and Marvin Washington, to intervene as plaintiff-intervenors. Frazier Jones also appears in the action as a plaintiff-intervenor.

During the pretrial proceedings on April 26, 1978, the magistrate assigned to the action recommended the sanction of dismissal against plaintiff-intervenors Linda Atkins, Lillian Thomas, and Sophia Thomas, for wilful and deliberate failure and refusal to answer defendant’s interrogatories. The court, on May 10, 1978, entered an order approving the Report and Recommendations and directed the entry of final judgment by the clerk as to said plaintiff-intervenors. The court found that there was no just reason for delay in the entry of final judgment. The dismissal of the intervention complaints of the three named plaintiff-intervenors became final, no appeal having been prosecuted from the entry of the final judgment. Rule 54(b), Fed.R. Civ.P.

After entry of final judgment as to the claims of plaintiff-intervenors Linda Atkins, Lillian Thomas and Sophia Thomas, there remained as parties plaintiff only EEOC and plaintiff-intervenors Ella Griffin, Marvin Washington and Frazier Jones.

[1054]*1054The magistrate filed with the court on September 4, 1977, his Report and Recommendation relative to Autumn Leaves’ motion to dismiss the complaint and for allowance of fees and expenses. The magistrate recommended the entry of an order precluding plaintiff EEOC from introducing into evidence upon trial of this action of any acts of discrimination by defendant Autumn Leaves Nursing Home, Inc., except the following:

a. The incident of March 5, 1974, in the course of which Betty Ricks was allegedly discharged by defendant because she addressed her supervisor, Patricia Hernandez, by her first name.
b. Defendant’s alleged practice of segregating its patients by race.
c. Defendant’s alleged failure to have written objective published personnel policies and procedures prior to March 5, 1974, but EEOC should be precluded from introducing evidence of specific instances of discrimination allegedly resulting from such alleged failure.

The court accepted the magistrate’s Report and Recommendation and on October 26,1977, entered an order precluding EEOC from introducing any evidence at the trial of the action except as expressly set forth in the Report and Recommendation. This preclusion did not apply with respect to any evidence tendered at the trial by plaintiffintervenors Ella Griffin, Marvin Washington and Frazier Jones.

The action sub judice came for hearing before the court without a jury at the United States Courthouse in Greenville, Mississippi, on June 19, 1978. The trial continued until June 21, 1978. At the conclusion of the trial, the parties presented the pretrial order in lieu of Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. At the request of counsel for EEOC, the court permitted the parties to arrange for procurement of a transcript of the court reporter’s notes and thereafter to submit Supplemental Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.

The court reporter’s transcript has now been prepared and copies have been obtained by counsel. The court has received counsels’ Supplemental Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. The matter is now ripe for decision.

This Memorandum of Decision will include the court’s Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law as required by Rule 52(a), Fed.R.Civ.P.

The pretrial order entered herein on June 14, 1978, contains in paragraph seven (7) thereof, an extensive resume of facts established by the pleadings, or by stipulation, or admissions of counsel. The facts were submitted as reflecting uncontroverted matters material to the resolution of the issues. It appears unnecessary for the court to make specific findings with reference to facts which are not controverted by any party. The court adopts as a part of this Memorandum the facts as set forth in paragraph seven (7) of the pretrial order. A true copy of said paragraph is attached as an Appendix.

I. The Claim of Ms. Betty Ricks, the Charging Party.

Ms. Ricks was employed by Autumn Leaves as a probationary employee on October 29, 1973. Each new employee of the home is subjected to an evaluation period of ninety (90) days. Ms. Ricks completed this period in January, 1974. Mr. McKinney, Autumn Leaves’ Superintendent and principal owner, terminated her services in a summary manner on March 5, 1974. Ms. Ricks filed a charge with the EEOC on March 14, 1974, contending the termination of her employment with Autumn Leaves was racially motivated. Ms. Ricks is a member of the black race.

The court finds that Ms. Ricks had a dispute on March 5, 1974, with Ms. Hernandez, her superior, a member of the white race. In the argument, Ms. Hernandez told Ms. Ricks that she should address her by the courtesy title “Ms. Hernandez”, and not by her nickname “Pat”. Ms. Hernandez reported the incident to Ms. Bolls, Director of Nurses, with the observation that Ms. Ricks should call her “Ms. Hernandez”.

[1055]*1055Ms. Ricks was late for work on March 5, 1974, and when Mr. McKinney arrived for the day, this fact was made known to him by Ms. Bolls. Mr. McKinney directed that Ms. Bolls send Ms. Ricks to his office. Upon her arrival, Mr. McKinney escorted her to the time clock and ordered her. to punch out and leave the premises, thereby terminating her employment with Autumn Leaves.

Ms.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
521 F. Supp. 1052, 27 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 302, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14508, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-autumn-leaves-nursing-home-msnd-1981.