Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Snyder Doors

844 F. Supp. 1020, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 475, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,115, 63 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1292
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 24, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. 92-3449
StatusPublished

This text of 844 F. Supp. 1020 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Snyder Doors) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.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. Snyder Doors, 844 F. Supp. 1020, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 475, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,115, 63 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1292 (E.D. Pa. 1994).

Opinion

[1022]*1022 MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

ANITA B. BRODY, District Judge.

In this action I am called upon to decide whether a worker was discriminated against on the basis of race in his wage rate and in being laid off from the work force, and whether he was not rehired in retaliation for filing suit against his employer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. I find that the plaintiff has not proved that he was discriminated against on the basis of race in either the wage or layoff contexts, but that he has proved the retaliatory non-rehiring claim.

' FACTS

I conducted a bench trial on January 6th and 12th. From the evidence and testimony I make the following findings of fact.

1. Snyder Doors Corporation is a corporation operating in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stipulation of Parties.

2. At all times material to this action, Howard Snyder has continuously been and is now an owner, Vice President, and General Manager of Snyder Doors. Stipulation of Parties.

3. Micah Bullock, a black male, has been employed at Snyder Doors since 1981. He ranks second in supervisory authority to Howard Snyder in the Company. Stipulation of Parties.

4. At all times material to this action, Snyder Doors has continuously had and does now have at least fifteen employees. Stipulation of Parties.

5. At all times material to this action, approximately seventy-five percent of the workers at Snyder Do.ors were black. Stipulation of Parties.

6. Plaintiff EEOC has met all statutory conditions precedent to the prosecution of this lawsuit under Title VII. Stipulation of Parties.

7. Snyder Doors hired David Powell, a black male, on December 13, 1982 to work in the Doors Department as a door assembler. Stipulation of Parties.

8. David Powell was hired with a starting hourly rate of $6.80 per hour. Stipulation of Parties.

9. David Powell was paid the following hourly rates as of the following starting dates.

a. September 21, 1988 — $9.25.
b. September 20, 1989 — $9.70.
e. September 6, 1991 — $10.00.
d. September 20, 1991 — $10.40.
e. September 17, 1992 — $11.00.

Stipulation of Parties.

These dates and wages are relied upon by the EEOC as the points of comparison with similarly situated white employees for the claim of racial discrimination in wage rates.

10. Richard Potter, Joe Wrightson, and Peter Rjabanedelia, three white males, were hired in or around 1984. Stipulation of Parties.

11. Richard Potter had taken on some supervisory and administrative responsibilities, different from the work done by David Powell, before April, 1990 when David Powell was laid off. Testimony of Howard Snyder and Richard Potter.

12. Richard Potter was paid the following hourly rates as of the following starting dates.

a. January 7, 1989 — $9.50.
b. January 4, 1989 — $10.00.
c. May 24, 1989 — $10.20.
d. September 20, 1989 — $10.50.
e. September 20, 1990 — $11.20.
f. September 20, 1991 — $11.65.
g. September 17, 1992 — $12.00.

13. Peter Rjabanedelia was paid the following hourly rates as of the following starting dates:

a. September 22, 1988 — $9.50.
b. September 20, 1989 — $10.00.
c. September 20, 1990 — $11.00.
d. September 20, 1991 — $11.44.
[1023]*1023e. September 17, 1992 — $12.00.

14. Joe Wrightson was paid the following hourly rates as of the following starting dates:

a. September 22, 1988 — $9.50.
b. September 20, 1989 — $10.00.
c. September 20, 1990 — $11.00.
d. September 20, 1991 — $11.44.
e. , September 17, 1992 — $12.00.

15. No license, certification, or special skills are required for the job of door assembler, or almost any other job at Snyder Doors except the ability to read a tape measure, and minimal literacy and mathematical ability. Testimony of Howard Snyder. Employees learn their responsibilities on the job. Testimony of David Powell and Pete Rjaba-nedelia.

16. David Powell possessed the minimum qualifications necessary to gain employment as a door assembler at Snyder Doors. See Testimony of Howard Snyder. There is also no dispute that throughout his period of employment he was able and qualified to do the job for which he was hired. See id.

17. Howard Snyder frequently walks around the factory, monitoring the progress of work. Testimony of Howard Snyder. Frequently, he reprimands workers for talking on the job, and has also disciplined them when such talking becomes excessive. Testimony of Howard Snyder and Pete Rjaba-nedelia.

18. David Powell is an average worker, and at times displays a poor attitude. Testimony of Howard Snyder and Micah Bullock.

19. At the time of the layoff, his attendance had been sporadic. Testimony of Howard Snyder. At this time, David Powell was often unreliable in filling orders which were due on a date certain. Testimony of Micah Bullock.

20. David Powell is about as talkative as the average worker. Testimony of Joe Wrightson and Pete Rjabanedelia.

21. There are no written or clearly established policies at Snyder' Doors regarding discipline, performance evaluations, layoffs or rate of pay. Testimony of Howard Snyder. Seniority is not a determinative factor for rate of pay or responsibilities. Id.

22. The usual format for giving raises is as a fixed percentage of rate of pay. Testimony of Howard Snyder. Several times during David Powell’s employment, raises were dispensed by merit. Id. David Powell got a lower raise than some other workers in 1988 under this policy with an understanding that the decision would be reviewed. Id. In February of 1989, Howard Snyder dispensed with the merit raises and gave David Powell the full raise. Id.

23. Health care benefits are offered at Snyder Doors, Co. In 1989, the options were a Blue Cross/Blue Shield indemnity plan for which Snyder Doors provided full coverage, and a more expensive Keystone HMO plan for which Snyder Doors provided partial coverage, and required an employee contribution to cover the balance. Testimony of Kathy Snyder, Wife of Howard Snyder.

24. In 1989, the payroll deduction made to cover the employee contribution for workers receiving single coverage was $4.00 per week. Plaintiffs Exhibit 3. The payroll deduction for family coverage was $33.00 per week. Id.

25. In early 1989, David Powell switched from single to family coverage. Testimony of David Powell.

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844 F. Supp. 1020, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 475, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,115, 63 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1292, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-snyder-doors-paed-1994.