Evans v. Central Piedmont Community College

475 F. Supp. 114, 30 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1751, 10 ERC (BNA) 1082, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10306
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedAugust 20, 1979
DocketC-C-76-169, C-C-76-327
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 475 F. Supp. 114 (Evans v. Central Piedmont Community College) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Evans v. Central Piedmont Community College, 475 F. Supp. 114, 30 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1751, 10 ERC (BNA) 1082, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10306 (W.D.N.C. 1979).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND ORDER

McMILLAN, District Judge.

These cases were tried without a jury beginning February 20, Í979. The court heard the evidence and argument of counsel, and examined and considered the exhibits tendered by the parties, and now makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On May 28, 1976, plaintiff Elizabeth Evans, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, filed an action (C-C-76-169) pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (hereafter sometimes referred to as “the Act”), seeking relief for alleged violations of § 704 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a).

2. Upon motion of plaintiff Evans, Alena M. Stevenson and Jayne C. Eddens were added as named plaintiffs by order of this court dated November 29, 1976.

3. On November 26,1976, Joyce Y. Massey, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, filed a suit against Central Piedmont Community College (C-C-76-327), alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. Upon the motion of defendants, the two cases, C-C-76-169 and C-C-76-327, were consolidated for trial by order of this court dated February 17, 1977.

4. Plaintiff Massey sought to maintain her case as a class action and represent a class consisting of “qualified blacks who have been or may be subjected to discrimination by Defendant in the exercise of its employment practices based on race.” At a hearing on June 22, 1978, plaintiff Massey acknowledged that she could not satisfy the requisites for maintenance of a class action. Her request for certification of a class was denied by order of this court on July 18, 1978, without prejudice to the rights of potential class members alleged in the complaint.

5. The court entered an order on July 19,1978, conditionally certifying a class consisting of “all qualified women who have held or have applied for non-academic jobs at Central Piedmont Community College since August 13, 1975, and who have been or may be subjected to discrimination by defendants on account of sex.” A notice to class members, approved by the court, was mailed to known class members and published in a local newspaper.

6. Defendant Central Piedmont Commu-' nity College (CPCC) is an educational institution operating pursuant to Chapter 115A of the General Statutes of North Carolina. CPCC has its principal offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is an employer within the meaning of Title VII.

7. Defendant Richard Hagemeyer is President of CPCC, and defendant Melvin Gay is Vice President of Student Services. Plaintiffs have not made a showing which would subject these defendants to individual liability. Therefore the claims against them will be dismissed.

THE NAMED PLAINTIFFS

8. The named plaintiffs have complied with the administrative requirement of Ti,tle VII.

9. Plaintiff Elizabeth Evans is a black woman, and a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been in charge if the Admissions Office at CPCC since 1969, supervising the work of up to twelve part-time or work-study students. Evans was classified and paid as a clerical employee. The work in the Admissions Office is primarily clerical — starting files for entering *117 students, filing test scores and other student records, scheduling placement tests, and some limited counseling of students. In the course of supervising the employees in the Admissions Office, Evans set their work hours, assigned duties, interviewed applicants, and made recommendations for hiring, transfer, discharge, and discipline of her employees.

10. Plaintiff Evans represented CPCC at various workshops and seminars around the state, and at local high schools. At various times Evans was referred to as “Admissions Officer” with the knowledge and consent of college officials.

11. Plaintiff Evans filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on February 10,1976, alleging that CPCC failed to promote her or pay her commensurate with her responsibilities because of her race and sex. Within a few weeks thereafter, Evans’ job was essentially taken away. Her pay remained the same, but the work her office had previously done was shifted to another group of people. The Admissions Office worked closely with the counselors at CPCC. When the head of counseling proposed that the work be shifted back to Evans, Dr. Gay, who was responsible for the shift, refused, saying that the matter should be held up pending the outcome of Evans’ suit against them. These actions by CPCC, shifting Evans’ work to another area, were in retaliation for her filing a charge with the EEOC.

12. The defendant CPCC discriminated against Evans, on the basis of her sex, by not promoting her or paying her commensurate with her responsibilities in the Admissions Office, and by taking her job away in retaliation for filing a charge with the EEOC.

13. Plaintiff Alena Stevenson is a white woman. She worked at CPCC as an executive secretary beginning in 1972. In 1973, she was named Financial Aids Officer. The job title was later changed to Assistant Director, Student Financial Aid Office. While holding both jobs in the financial aid office, Stevenson was classified as a clerical employee, but performed duties which were discretionary, managerial and supervisory.

14. In 1974, Mrs. Stevenson refused to assume the title of Director of Financial Aid because she did not believe that she would be paid a salary commensurate with the job responsibilities. Mrs. Stevenson’s beliefs were well founded. While classified as a clerical employee, she continually requested that her administrative and managerial responsibilities be removed from her job description, or that her job classification and salary be upgraded to an administrative position. At that time she preferred to remain a clerical employee. Although some minor changes were made in her job, CPCC refused her request for a salary or title change. In 1975, Mrs. Stevenson decided to apply for the then vacant job of Director of Financial Aid. CPCC hired a man from outside the school, contrary to a policy of promotion from within.

15. The defendant CPCC discriminated against plaintiff Alena Stevenson on the basis of her sex by not promoting her or paying her a salary commensurate with her job responsibilities.

16. Plaintiff Jayne Eddens is a white woman. She worked at CPCC in 1976 in the Registration Center as a clerical employee. Eddens was in charge of the Registration Center with supervisory responsibilities over numerous other employees. The job held by Eddens was essentially the same as that held by a man a few years earlier, although there were some changes made. The man had been paid a salary of an administrative employee. A woman who held the job in the interim between the man and Eddens was also paid the salary of an administrative employee after she protested. Before Eddens assumed the job, the title was changed and the pay lowered.

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Related

Evans v. Central Piedmont Community College
626 F.2d 860 (Fourth Circuit, 1980)

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Bluebook (online)
475 F. Supp. 114, 30 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1751, 10 ERC (BNA) 1082, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10306, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/evans-v-central-piedmont-community-college-ncwd-1979.