Galloway v. United States

CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJanuary 15, 2020
Docket13-269
StatusPublished

This text of Galloway v. United States (Galloway v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Galloway v. United States, (uscfc 2020).

Opinion

3Jn tbe Wniteb ~tates Qtourt of jfeberal Qtlaints NO.13-269C (Filed: January 15, 2020)

ARNOLD R. GALLOWAY Plaintiff,

v.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Defendant.

Arnold R. Galloway, La Mesa, CA, pro se Plaintiff.

Anthony F. Schiavetti, Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, with whom were Chad A. Readier, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Robert E. Kirschman, Jr., Director, Steven J Gillingham, Assistant Director, and Veronica N Onyema, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, Depaitment of Justice, for Defendant. Kathleen A. 0 'Neill, Associate Counsel, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., of counsel for Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGEMENT IN PART

TAPP, Judge.

Plaintiff, Arnold Galloway ("Galloway"), seeks payment of overtime wages pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. § 207(a). (Transfer Compl. at 4, ECF No. 5). The United States moves for summary judgment. (Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. (Def.'s Mot.) at 11- 12, ECF No. 33). There being no genuine issue of material fact, the United States' motion is GRANTED IN PART. Background The U.S. Navy originally hired Galloway in May 1991, as a Technician III in the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center (FASW) in San Diego, California. (Transfer Compl. at ,r 8, ECF No. 5). 1 In the years following his initial employment, Galloway received additional promotions. In April 2002, the Navy hired Galloway as a full-time employee with an appointment at GS grade 9, step 7. (Def.'s Mot App'x at A40-41, ECF No. 33-1). By January 2008, the Navy had promoted Galloway to an Equipment Specialist, GS grade 11, step 5. (Id. at A 11 ). That same month Mr. Galloway was promoted to "Acting NS Department Head." (Transfer Compl. at ,r,r 9-11); see also (Def.'s Mot. App'x at A46). While working as Acting Department Head, Galloway applied for the permanent depaitment head position, but was never promoted to that position. (Transfer Comp I. at ,r 14; see

1 The Court notes that the patiies are in agreement with the relevant dates, but experienced apparent difficulties with

accurate citation to the appropriate military records. Herein, the Court has attempted to correct these mistakes. also Def.'s Mot. App'x at A212). In April 2009, Galloway's supervisor removed him as Acting Depaiiment Head and restored him to his position as Equipment Specialist. (Def.'s Mot App'x at A46, A212). Galloway learned "around August 21, 2009" that a permanent N5 Depmiment Head had been named. (Id. at A46).

On September 1, 2009, Galloway filed an equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint, alleging that he was subjected to unlawful discrimination constituting a hostile work environment on the bases of race and religion (Id. at A45, A65, A67). Galloway requested compensation for 600 hours of overtime worked, transfer or reassignment out of his· current office, and EEO training for all employees in his office involved in advancement and promotion. (Id. at A45-46, A65, A72-73). 2 In response to Galloway's EEO complaint, the Depatiment of Defense conducted an EEO investigation into his claims. (Def.'s Mot. App'x at A42-A405). At the outset of the EEO investigation, Galloway told an EEO counselor on September 23, 2009 that he should be compensated for his overtime. (Id. at A120-25). Galloway estimated he worked an average of two extra hours per day while he was Acting Department Head, for a total of approximately 600 hours. (Id. at A123). Galloway argued that overtime pay could be calculated in one of three ways: (1) based on his pay while he was handling the responsibilities of the N5 Department Head position; (2) based on the pay of the prior N5 Depmiment Head; or (3) based on the compensation of the current N5 Depmiment Head. (Id.).

Importantly, Galloway and other employees related to the EEO investigation submitted declarations. In his first statement prepared on July 2, 2010, Galloway claimed he had worked 325 to 350 hours of overtime. (Id. at A303). This number differs dramatically from the original estimate provided at the outset of the EEO investigation. (See id. at A46). In his July 2, 2010 declaration to the EEO, Galloway alleged he was denied weekend overtime because his then-supervisor would have been required to be present to supervise. (Id. at A304). Thus, Galloway was put on notice that all overtime would have to be conducted during the work week. (See id.). Galloway did not produce timekeeping records to support his initial claim, nor the subsequent claim he made to the EEO. F ASW utilized a timekeeping program titled the "Standard Labor Date Collection & Distribution Application" (SLDCADA). (Id. at A408, A413). Galloway acknowledged that "until the last command IG inspection," he never used this program. (Id. at A304). According to Galloway, that IG inspection mandated that all civilian employees utilize the SLDCADA website. (Id.).

When asked if he brought up the issue of his unpaid overtime with supervisors, Galloway stated that he discussed the issue with Captain Eric Moss and Commander Michael McCallum in

2 In his Complaint, Galloway claims compensation for 700 hours of overtime. (Transfer Comp!.~ 17, ECF No. 5).

2 an April 24, 2009 meeting. (Id.). According to Galloway, Commander McCallum remarked "it's all about money," but did not elaborate on this ambiguous comment. (Id.). 3

In a second declaration to the EEO on July 14, 2010, Galloway again claimed that he worked 600 hours of ove1time from January 2008 to April 2009. (Id. at A277). This estimate was consistent with his initial statement to the EEO, but inconsistent with both his first EEO declaration and his Complaint.

Galloway also stated that a supervisor, Commander Michael McCallum, approved Monday through Friday overtime because he would be present to supervise. (Id.). This differs from Galloway's July 2 statement in which Galloway mentioned ove1time approval related to the 2008 computer virus but did not disclose any specific weekday ove1time. (Compare id. at A304 with id. at A277).

Captain Moss, the Commanding Officer ("CO") of the FAS W Training Center during the majority of time Galloway was Acting Department Head, disputed Galloway's ove1time claims. (Id. at A333). In his EEO declaration, Captain Moss stated that up until Galloway asked for reassignment, "he never requested any ove1time, never informed [Cpt. Moss] that he worked any ove1iime, nor signed a time card indicating that he had been burdened to work overtime while in the performance of duties as acting NS." (Id.). Captain Moss also stated that despite Galloway's obligation to report overtime, Galloway "didn't tell his supervisor or me [that] he was working overtime .... " (Id.). Richard Frazer, Galloway's co-worker and eventual replacement as NS Department Head, submitted a declaration as paii of the EEO investigation. (Id. at A3S4-S8). During Galloway's tenure as Acting Department Head, Frazer was a subordinate to Mr. Galloway. (Id. at A3SS). Frazer stated that during this, Frazer asked why Galloway "was putting in so many hours while he was Acting DH, because he was not getting paid [for the ove1time work]." (Id. at A3S7). Frazer stated that Galloway responded that "the work had to get done." (Id.). Frazier also stated that Galloway took work home on the weekends though no one had directed him to do so and Galloway "worked late almost every day." (Id. at A3S7-S8). Frazier contends he suggested Galloway request compensatory time, but Galloway did not do so. (Id. at A3S8).

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