Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Federal Express Corp.

537 F. Supp. 2d 700, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5834
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 18, 2005
Docket1:02-cv-01194
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 537 F. Supp. 2d 700 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Federal Express Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania 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. Federal Express Corp., 537 F. Supp. 2d 700, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5834 (M.D. Pa. 2005).

Opinion

AMENDED MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

YVETTE KANE, District Judge.

Before the Court are the following post-trial motions filed in the above-captioned case: (1) Defendant’s renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law (Doc. No. 257); (2) Defendant’s motion to alter or amend judgment (Doc. No. 249); (3) Inter-venor’s motion to amend judgment to include prejudgment interest (Doc. No. 266); (4) Intervenor’s motion to amend judgment to account for negative tax consequences (Doc. No. 264); (5) Intervenor’s motion to amend judgment (Doc. No. 303); and (6) Intervenor’s petition for attorneys’ fees and costs (Doc. Nos. 260 and 271). Each motion will be addressed in turn.

I. Background

On February 25, 2002, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) brought suit against Defendant on behalf of Marion Shaub in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging employment discrimination on the basis of sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (“Title VII”). On March 7, 2002, Ms. Shaub (“In-tervenor”) moved to intervene in the action, which request was granted on April 5, 2002. On that same day, Intervenor filed an intervening complaint against Defendant, alleging employment discrimination on the basis of sex in violation Title VII, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, 43 Pa.S. § 951 et seq. (“PHRA”), and the common law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, together with a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Subsequently, pursuant to an Order dated June 6, 2002, the case was transferred to this Court.

Intervenor’s claims were tried to a jury in a trial commencing on February 9, 2004. On February 24, 2004, the jury returned a verdict for Intervenor finding that although Intervenor was not subjected to unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, Defendant was liable to Intervenor for a hostile working environment and was also liable to Intervenor for retaliation, all in violation of Title VII. In addition, the jury found that Defendant was liable to Inter-venor for intentional infliction of severe emotional distress (“IIED”).

The jury found that Intervenor was entitled to receive back pay damages in the amount of $101,400 and front pay damages *707 in the amount of $290,000 for the Title VII violations. The jury further awarded In-tervenor $350,000 in compensation for emotional pain and distress, apportioned 60% for the Title VII violations and 40% for the IIED claim. Finally, the jury awarded Intervenor punitive damages in the amount of $2.5 million, apportioned 50% to the Title VII claim and 50% to the IIED claim.

II. Discussion

A. Defendant’s Renewed Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law (Doc. No. 257)

Defendant argues that contrary to the jury verdict, judgment should be entered in its favor because (1) the jury’s decision was based on irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial testimony of a former employee, Lorraine Metz; (2) Intervenor failed to present evidence demonstrating that she was subjected to a hostile work environment because of her gender; (3) I-nterve-nor failed to establish a prima facie case of retaliation; (4) Intervenor’s IIED claim is statutorily barred under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act and because Intervenor failed to establish that Defendant’s conduct was extreme or outrageous; and (5) the punitive damage award should be set aside because the evidence did not demonstrate that Defendant acted with malice or reckless indifference.

A motion for judgment as a matter of law should be granted only if, “viewing all the evidence which has been tendered and should have been admitted in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, no jury could decide in that party’s favor.” Walter v. Holiday Inns, Inc., 985 F.2d 1232, 1238 (3d Cir.1993). “The question is not whether there is literally no evidence supporting the party against whom the motion is directed, but whether there is evidence upon which the jury could properly find a verdict for that party.” Id. (quoting Patzig v. O’Neil, 577 F.2d 841, 846 (3d Cir.1978)). The Third Circuit has held that denial of a motion for judgment as a matter of law will be upheld where, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmov-ing party, there is a “minimum quantum of evidence” from which a jury could reach a verdict for that party. Keith v. Truck Stops Corp., 909 F.2d 743, 745 (3d Cir.1990) (citations omitted). Judgment as a matter of law should be granted sparingly, although a “scintilla of evidence” is insufficient to sustain a verdict of liability. Dun & Bradstreet Software Servs., Inc. v. Grace Consulting, Inc., 307 F.3d 197, 205 (3d Cir.2002) (citation omitted). The Court will address in seriatim Defendant’s five arguments in support of its motion.

i. Testimony of Lorraine Metz Was Relevant and Not Unfairly Prejudicial

Defendant first contends that “the jury’s decision was based on irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial evidence from a former employee, Cynthia Metz.” 1 (Doc. No. 258, at 5.) Defendant’s argument in this regard is conclusory and unsupported by legal authority. Moreover, Defendant’s challenge to the relevance of Ms. Metz’ testimony to Intervenor’s claims rings hollow. In a recitation of her own experience of a hostile work environment and intentional discrimination at Federal Express, Ms. Metz testified that, like Intervenor, she was the only female Ramp Transport Driver at her facility. Like Intervenor, she was supervised by Robert Flynn. Like *708 Intervenor, she endured constant and unrelenting verbal abuse. Like Intervenor, she complained. Like Intervenor, following her complaints the abuse escalated and the brake lines on her tractor trailer were sabotaged. Like Intervenor, Ms. Metz received inadequate managerial responses to her claims of discrimination and sabotage. Like Intervenor, Ms. Metz was “driven out” of Federal Express. The testimony of Ms. Metz was linked to evidence that three members of Defendant’s management who were aware of Ms. Metz’s allegations of harassment were involved with the investigation of Intervenor’s claims of sexual harassment. Accordingly, Ms. Metz’s testimony was highly relevant to establish that Defendant was on notice regarding conditions of significant sexual harassment present in the workplace. Her testimony bears on the issue of Federal Express’ liability for sex discrimination and on Intervenor’s claim for punitive damages.

Defendant further complains that even if Ms. Metz’s testimony was relevant to establish notice, the testimony was nevertheless unfairly prejudicial to Defendant and that “but for” this testimony, Defendant “would not have been unfairly prejudiced.” (Doc. No. 258, at 6.) Again, Defendant’s contention is conclusory and not supported by any legal authority.

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Bluebook (online)
537 F. Supp. 2d 700, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5834, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-federal-express-corp-pamd-2005.