Guthrie v. Raythoen Co.

15 Mass. L. Rptr. 20
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJuly 16, 2002
DocketNo. CA984749
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 20 (Guthrie v. Raythoen Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guthrie v. Raythoen Co., 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 20 (Mass. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

Agnes, A.J.

I. Background

This is a motion for summary judgment brought before the court by the defendants, Raytheon Company (“Raytheon”), Robert “Guy” Hoeffer (“Hoeffer”), and Christos “Chris” Brustas (“Brustas”). The plaintiffs, Marlene and Thomas Guthrie (plaintiffs) brought the complaint on five counts: (1) sexual harassment and gender discrimination in violation of G.L.c. 15 IB, §§4(1) and 4(16A); (2) Retaliation in violation of G.L.c. 15 IB, §4(4); (3) Aiding and Abetting the previous in violation of G.L.c. 151B, §4(5); (4) Intentional Interference with Advantageous /Contractual Employment Relationship; and (5) Loss of Consortium. The first and second counts concern Raytheon Co. as a defendant. Counts Two through Five involve Hoeffer and Brustas, as named defendants. The fifth count is for loss of consortium against Hoeffer and Brustas.

Marlene Guthrie alleges that she was the victim of pervasive abuse by reason of her gender, which created a hostile and demeaning work environment. Plaintiffs allege that Raytheon, through its actions and the actions of its agents, intentionally sexually harassed Marlene Guthrie and discriminated against her [21]*21on the basis of her gender, and that this conduct is part of a continuing course of conduct dating back to the period 1990-1992. It is further alleged that the plaintiff was targeted for abuse in retaliation for her continued opposition to the previously alleged conduct. Plaintiffs also allege that the acts and omissions of defendants, Hoeffer and Brustas, aided and abetted this harassment and discrimination, and that they intentionally interfered with Ms. Guthrie’s employment relationship with Raytheon. Lastly, it is alleged by plaintiff, Thomas Guthrie, that the actions of defendant’s Hoeffer and Brustas, as previously alleged, interfered with, invaded, and injured his relations with his spouse, Marlene Guthrie.

II. Statement of the Undisputed Material Facts

For the purpose of summary judgment determination, the following facts are considered true, undisputed, and material. The plaintiff, Marlene Guthrie has been working for the defendant, Raytheon Company since 1973. In October of 1990, the plaintiff was transferred to the second shift (“night shift”) in Raytheon’s Environmental Test Laboratory (“ETL”) at the company’s Andover, MA plant. While serving as a lab technician on the night shift, Ms. Guthrie was exposed to conduct which is conceded by Raytheon to be of a sexually harassing nature. This conduct involved the use of pornographic movies and magazines by employees of defendant Raytheon. The plaintiff did not report the conduct, but an investigation was launched when her supervisor, defendant Guy Hoeffer, discovered and reported the incidents to the Labor Relations division of the company. In November of 1991, Ms. Guthrie filed a formal grievance alleging sexual harassment and gender discrimination in violation of her collective bargaining agreement. Following the internal investigation, several of the plaintiffs co-workers were disciplined and Ms. Guthrie was transferred to the day shift. Ms. Guthrie signed a statement indicating that the matter had been resolved to her satisfaction.

From 1992-1997, the plaintiff does not allege that she was subjected to sexual harassment in the manner in which she previously experienced; instead, she alleges that she was exposed to discriminatory conduct that she believes was gender based. Also during this period, Ms. Guthrie alleges she became the victim of a retaliatory campaign for her stated opposition to her co-workers’ treatment of her, as well as her seniority and marital status. The behavior on which the plaintiffs base this allegation includes disparaging remarks, bypassed overtime, exclusion from social events, and un-rewarded work performance. Only one Raytheon employee, Dennis Naffa, who had worked with the plaintiff on the night shift was transferred to the day shift. Mr. Naffa refused to talk with the plaintiff, but did nothing else. The specific incidents that occurred within the six months prior to her MCAD complaint, but before Ms. Guthrie left the ETL are:

1. Brustas bypassed Guthrie for overtime. This was corrected following her grievance (10/29/96).
2. Hoeffer ignored her request for safety shoes. Other employees did not want them. He is said to have made the statement that Ms. Guthrie was “awkward and clumsy” outside of her presence (11-12/96).
3. Outside of Guthrie’s presence, one employee said to another words to the effect, “I have a picture of my toilet,” when Guthrie showed her vacation pictures (1/3/97).
4. As Guthrie was leaving for two week leave of absence, two employees yelled comments to the effect, “Hey Marlene, you have two weeks to get your pictures developed," and “Who cares, nobody missed you, who gives a damn.” (1/3/97.)
5. When Guthrie returned from leave, an employee said words to the effect of, “it was nice around here, too and nobody missed you.” (1/22/97.)
6. A supervisor in another department (she was on loan at the time) asked Guthrie about solder certificates, and she informed him hers had expired. Hoeffer saw her later and “screamed” words to the effect of, “I thought you were solder certified. I thought you went to school.” (1/31/97.)
7. Guthrie saw Brustas later and teased him that he was in trouble because she had already told him that her solder certificate expired. Another employee then said to Brustas words to the effect of, “I told you she was nothing buttrouble.” (1/31/97.)
8. The day after Guthrie had difficulty finding her car in the parking lot, an employee said to other employees that Guthrie was stupid because she could not find her car. (2/7/97.)
9. Guthrie overheard two employees talking to each other, and they were saying that a woman who had been beaten with a bat probably deserved it. (2/13/97.)

Ms. Guthrie alleges that she continually complained about the ongoing harassment, including complaints to another supervisor, defendant Chris Brustas, but that the defendants failed to take action. In 1997, Ms. Guthrie lodged a formal complaint with the union, which was followed by an investigation undertaken by Raytheon. Marlene Guthrie was transferred out of the ETL during this investigation.

Her interactions with co-workers, which she interpreted as hostile, were limited following this transfer. The incidents the plaintiff classifies as problematic prior to her transfer are reflected for the most part in notes taken by a Raytheon Employee Relation’s representative and are contained in the record. These incidents include various instances where Marlene Guthrie believes she was mistreated on account of her gender, but on none of the occasions was Marlene Guthrie the target of sexual harassment of the kind [22]*22she experienced on the night shift in the ETL.1 She filed an MCAD complaint on April 16, 1997, and subsequently filed this matter before the court. Ms. Guthrie remains employed at Raytheon and has since been transferred to an area where she is unlikely to interact with former co-workers.

III. Discussion Standards Applicable to a Motion for Summary Judgment

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15 Mass. L. Rptr. 20, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guthrie-v-raythoen-co-masssuperct-2002.