Hurley v. Cal. Dep't of Parks & Recreation

229 Cal. Rptr. 3d 219, 20 Cal. App. 5th 634
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedFebruary 21, 2018
DocketD070098
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 229 Cal. Rptr. 3d 219 (Hurley v. Cal. Dep't of Parks & Recreation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hurley v. Cal. Dep't of Parks & Recreation, 229 Cal. Rptr. 3d 219, 20 Cal. App. 5th 634 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

McCONNELL, P.J.

*223Savage Day and Kelly Savage Day for Defendant and Appellant Leda Seals.

*638Plaintiff Delane Hurley appeals a judgment in her action against defendants California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and Leda Seals (together Defendants) that alleged, inter alia, causes of action for sexual orientation discrimination, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, all in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA; Gov. Code, § 12900 et seq. ), and a cause of action for violation of the Information Practices Act (IPA; Civ. Code, § 1798 et seq.1 ) and additionally alleged causes of action against Seals only for intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED) and negligent infliction of emotional distress (NIED). Following trial, the jury returned verdicts in favor of Defendants on the FEHA causes of action, against Defendants on the IPA cause of action, and against Seals on the IIED and NIED causes of action. The jury awarded Hurley $19,200 for past economic damages and $19,200 for past noneconomic losses against both Defendants, and $28,800 in punitive damages against Seals only. The court denied Defendants' motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). On appeal, Hurley contends the trial court erred by excluding evidence that was relevant to her FEHA causes of action.

DPR and Seals filed appeals challenging the judgment against them on the IPA cause of action and the trial court's denial of their JNOV motions. In its appeal, DPR contends: (1) there is insufficient evidence to support the finding it violated the IPA; and (2) the litigation privilege under section 47, subdivision (b), barred the IPA cause of action against it. In her appeal, Seals contends: (1) there is insufficient evidence to support the finding she violated the IPA; (2) the litigation privilege barred the IPA cause of action against her; (3) the IPA cause of action was alleged under, and the jury was instructed on, a statute (i.e., § 1798.45) that was inapplicable to her; (4) there is insufficient evidence to support the findings against her on the IIED and NIED causes of action; (5) the workers' compensation exclusivity doctrine barred the IIED and NIED causes of action against her; and (6) the punitive damages award *639against her must be reversed for, inter alia, instructional error and insufficiency of the evidence to support it.

Based on our reasoning below, we affirm the judgment, except for the award of economic damages against DPR, and modify the judgment accordingly.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In December 2009, Hurley was hired by Seals as a staff services analyst (SSA) for DPR's Ocotillo Wells Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation District (OWD). Seals was Hurley's direct supervisor from the date of her hiring until she (Hurley) went on medical leave on September 28, 2011. Kathy Dolinar, OWD's district superintendent, was Seals's supervisor.

Seals socialized with her staff during and after work hours. She asked overly personal questions of OWD employees and gave them unsolicited personal advice. Seals and other employees often discussed *224sex and sexual orientation. Seals expressed frustration that Hurley did not share personal information with her. Seals was also known to be a micromanager.

In January 2011, Hurley met with Seals regarding the addition of her domestic partner as a beneficiary of her health insurance. On or about September 27, 2011, Seals, while in her office, discussed with Charles Rennie, a DPR nonsupervisory employee, how she might more effectively supervise Hurley. During that discussion, Seals disclosed to Rennie information from Hurley's personnel file that she had failed her probation in a prior job. At the time of the discussion, Hurley was standing outside of Seals's office, heard Seals discussing her personnel file with Rennie, and saw her personnel file open on Seals's desk. Hurley became sick and threw up. She then went to her office, wrote an email to Dolinar about the incident, and told Seals she was leaving work. Hurley went on medical leave the following day, September 28, and never returned to work at OWD.2

In October 2011, Hurley filed a formal discrimination complaint with DPR's Human Rights Office (HRO), alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. In November or December, HRO began its investigation of Hurley's complaint. During the course of its investigation, HRO interviewed many employees. In March 2012, Seals was placed on administrative leave for one month, which leave was twice extended for additional one month periods. While on administrative leave, Seals asked Dolinar to deliver to her *640home her (Seals's) supervisory drop file that she had maintained for Hurley so that she (Seals) could review it in preparation for her upcoming HRO interview regarding Hurley's complaint. Dolinar agreed and delivered the drop file to Seals at her home.

HRO completed its investigation of Hurley's complaint in May 2012 and informed Hurley and Seals of its determinations. Seals went on medical leave in June and, except for a short period in August (during which she worked at DPR's Sacramento office), remained on medical leave thereafter. In late December, DPR notified Seals that her employment was going to be terminated. In January 2013, Seals retired in lieu of termination, but never returned the supervisory drop file to DPR.

In August 2012, Hurley accepted an SSA position at DPR's Monterey location. On October 17, 2012, Hurley filed a complaint, alleging causes of action against both DPR and Seals for: (1) harassment based on sex and sexual orientation in violation of FEHA; (2) retaliation in violation of FEHA; (3) IIED; and (4) NIED. It also alleged causes of action against DPR for: (1) failure to prevent harassment based on sex and sexual orientation in violation of FEHA; (2) employment discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation in violation of FEHA; (3) failure to remedy harassment in violation of FEHA; and (4) negligent hiring, retention, and supervision. On April 29 and 30, 2013, during the course of discovery in this case, Seals's counsel delivered to Hurley over 9,000 pages of documents, including the supervisory drop file that Seals had retained after her retirement and given to her (Seals's) counsel. On or about December 20, 2013, Hurley filed a motion for leave to file a first amended complaint, which would add causes of action against Defendants for: (1) invasion of constitutional *225right to privacy; (2) invasion of privacy by public disclosure; (3) breach of medical confidentiality; and (4) violation of the IPA. On that date, the trial court granted Hurley's motion for leave and her first amended complaint was filed. The court subsequently granted in part DPR's motion for summary adjudication and dismissed the causes of action against DPR for IIED, NIED, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision. The court denied Seals's motion for summary adjudication on the four privacy causes of action.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
229 Cal. Rptr. 3d 219, 20 Cal. App. 5th 634, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hurley-v-cal-dept-of-parks-recreation-calctapp5d-2018.