Hannon v. Continental National Bank

427 F. Supp. 215, 23 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 607, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17438, 14 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1364
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedFebruary 9, 1977
DocketCiv. A. 76-F-930
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 427 F. Supp. 215 (Hannon v. Continental National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hannon v. Continental National Bank, 427 F. Supp. 215, 23 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 607, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17438, 14 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1364 (D. Colo. 1977).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DISMISS AND MOTION TO STRIKE

SHERMAN G. FINESILVER, District Judge:

This matter arises on a Motion to Dismiss or for Summary Judgment, filed by Defendant Western Bancorporation on October 12, 1976, and on a Motion to Strike Plaintiff’s claims for compensatory and punitive damages, for jury trial on all issues, and for damages resulting from alleged intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress, filed by Defendant Continental National Bank together with its Answer on October 12. Plaintiff filed this action under the Age Discrimination in. Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. § 621, et seq., for reinstatement, back pay, exemplary damages, liquidated damages, attorney fees, and costs, and for compensatory damages under a state claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. We grant both motions.

I.

Plaintiff admits that he did not name Western Bancorporation 1 until September 1, 1976 in a notice of intent to file *217 suit. This suit was filed only twenty days later, naming Western Bancorporation as a defendant. Because of the importance of providing the Secretary of Labor with an opportunity to undertake conciliatory measures, 29 U.S.C. § 626(d) explicitly provides that “[n]o civil action may be commenced by any individual under this section until the individual has given the Secretary not less than sixty days’ notice of an intent to file such action.” This requirement has been held to be a mandatory, jurisdictional prerequisite to the filing of an ADEA suit. Eklund v. Lubrizol Corp., 529 F.2d 247 (6th Cir. 1976); Edwards v. Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Sales, Inc., 515 F.2d 1195 (5th Cir. 1975); Goger v. H. K. Porter, Inc., 492 F.2d 13 (3d Cir. 1974). Therefore, Defendant Western Bancorporation must be dismissed from this suit. We note that Plaintiff’s ability to obtain relief under the ADEA from Defendant Continental National Bank, his employer, is not in any way prejudiced by this dismissal.

II.

In order to determine whether an award of compensatory or punitive damages is permissible in this case, we must examine the enforcement provisions of the ADEA, 29 U.S.C. § 626(b) and (c):

(b) The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced in accordance with the powers, remedies, and procedures provided in sections 211(b), 216 (except for subsection (a) thereof), and 217 of this title, and subsection (c) of this section. Any act prohibited under section 623 of this title shall be deemed to be a prohibited act under section 215 of this title. Amounts owing to a person as a result of a violation of this chapter shall be deemed to be unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation for purposes of sections 216 and 217 of this title: Provided, That liquidated damages shall be payable only in cases of willful violations of this chapter. In any action brought to enforce this chapter the court shall have jurisdiction to grant such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, including without limitation judgments compelling employment, reinstatement or promotion, or enforcing the liability for amounts deemed to be unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation under this section. Before instituting any action under this section, the Secretary shall attempt to eliminate the discriminatory practice or practices alleged, and to effect voluntary compliance with the requirements of this chapter through informal methods of conciliation, conference, and persuasion.
(c) Any person aggrieved may bring a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction for such legal or equitable relief as will effectuate the purposes of this chapter: Provided, That the right of any person to bring such action shall terminate upon the commencement of an action by the Secretary to enforce the right of such employee under this chapter.

We believe that the purposes of the ADEA are virtually identical to those for remedying discrimination in employment under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq. See 29 U.S.C. § 621(b). This Court has held that compensatory and punitive damages are unavailable under Title VII. Alexander v. Consolidated Freightways Co., 421 F.Supp. 450 (D.Colo., 1976); Carreathers v. Alexander, No. C-5082 (D.Colo., Dec. 11, 1974). The possibility of receiving a large monetary award for pain and suffering, or for willful conduct by an employer, would substantially impair the conciliation process. Rogers v. Exxon Research and Engineering Co., 550 F.2d 834, at 841-842 Nos. 76-1114 and 1115 (3d Cir., Jan. 20, 1977). An award of general punitive of compensatory damages will not effectuate the conciliatory purposes of the ADEA.

Unlike § 812(c) of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing), 42 U.S.C. § 3612(c), which contemplates an award of punitive damages up to $1,000, § 626(b) does not mention punitive damages, nor does it refer to any section of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. § 201, et seq., which permits a general award of punitive damages. However, § 626(b) specifically pro *218 vides for discretionary payment of liquidated damages in cases of “willful violations.” “[I]f Congress had intended the allowance of punitive in addition to ‘liquidated damages’, it would have written it into the Act, just as it did in § 812 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. § 3612.” Platt v. Burroughs Corp., 424 F.Supp. 1329, 1336 (E.D.Pa.1976).

The provision for liquidated damages in § 626(b) refers to § 16(b) of the FLSA, which provides for a mandatory award of liquidated damages in an amount equal to the unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation. § 626(b) makes such award applicable only in the event of a willful violation. The provision for liquidated damages operates as a penalty, and is a legislative substitute for any other type of punitive damages. No other punitive remedy is appropriate under the ADEA.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Hipp v. Liberty National Life Insurance
29 F. Supp. 2d 1314 (M.D. Florida, 1998)
Cedillo v. Valcar Enterprises & Darling Delaware Co.
773 F. Supp. 932 (N.D. Texas, 1991)
Cripps v. United Biscuit of Great Britain
732 F. Supp. 844 (E.D. Tennessee, 1989)
Drez v. E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc.
674 F. Supp. 1432 (D. Kansas, 1987)
Pettibon v. Pennzoil Products Co.
649 F. Supp. 759 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1986)
Marquez Velez v. DAVID M. PUERTO RICO GRAPHIC SUPPLIES
622 F. Supp. 568 (D. Puerto Rico, 1985)
DiRito v. Ideal Basic Industries, Inc.
617 F. Supp. 79 (D. Colorado, 1985)
Pascoe v. Hoyle Lowdermilk, Inc.
614 F. Supp. 546 (D. Colorado, 1985)
Redenbaugh v. Valero Energy Corp.
603 F. Supp. 138 (W.D. Texas, 1985)
Haroldson v. Hospitality Systems, Inc.
596 F. Supp. 1460 (D. Colorado, 1984)
Ritter v. Colorado Interstate Gas Co.
593 F. Supp. 1279 (D. Colorado, 1984)
Kempe v. Prince Gardner, Inc.
569 F. Supp. 779 (E.D. Missouri, 1983)
Smith v. Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc.
567 F. Supp. 1331 (D. Colorado, 1983)
James v. KID Broadcasting Corp.
559 F. Supp. 1153 (D. Idaho, 1983)
Boddorff v. Publicker Industries, Inc.
488 F. Supp. 1107 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1980)
Lyons v. Allendale Mutual Insurance
484 F. Supp. 1343 (N.D. Georgia, 1980)
Brame v. Ray Bills Finance Corp.
85 F.R.D. 568 (N.D. New York, 1979)
Douglas v. American Cyanamid Co.
472 F. Supp. 298 (D. Connecticut, 1979)
Stevenson v. J. C. Penney Co.
464 F. Supp. 945 (N.D. Illinois, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
427 F. Supp. 215, 23 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 607, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17438, 14 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1364, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hannon-v-continental-national-bank-cod-1977.