Macleroy v. City of Childersburg

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Alabama
DecidedApril 9, 2020
Docket1:18-cv-00395
StatusUnknown

This text of Macleroy v. City of Childersburg (Macleroy v. City of Childersburg) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Macleroy v. City of Childersburg, (N.D. Ala. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA EASTERN DIVISION

ROBERT MACLEROY, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Case No. 1:18-CV-395-CLM ) CITY OF CHILDERSBURG, ) ) Defendant. ) MEMORANDUM OPINION Robert Macleroy sues the City of Childersburg, Alabama, his former employer, alleging claims for unpaid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act and disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Childersburg has moved for summary judgment on both claims. (Doc. 26). For the reasons explained within, the Court GRANTS Childersburg’s motion and summarily dismisses Macleroy’s remaining claims. FACTUAL BACKGROUND Macleroy worked as an animal control officer for the City of Childersburg from 1999 to 2017. As animal control officer, Macleroy worked in Childersburg’s police department, but he was not classified as a law enforcement officer or a first responder. A. Facts about Macleroy’s unpaid overtime claim As a Childersburg employee, Macleroy was required to work a five-day, 40-

hour workweek. Each work day consisted of nine hours minus a one-hour, unpaid lunch break. Childersburg allowed Macleroy to take his one-hour lunch break at any point during a two-hour window—from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Childersburg used time cards to ensure that its employees worked these hours. Macleroy would “clock in and out” with a time card at the start and end of each day, and Childersburg would automatically deduct his one-hour unpaid lunch break from his time. Childersburg employees periodically reviewed and revised their time cards,

correcting any errors. After doing so, employees submitted their reviewed and corrected time cards to their supervisors and to Childersburg’s payroll clerk, who would each independently double-check the employees’ time cards for accuracy.

Macleroy’s claim for unpaid overtime stems from his claim that, from 2015 to 2017 (the relevant period here), he sometimes received dispatch calls for animal control jobs during his one-hour lunch break. Childersburg did not document animal control dispatch calls, and Macleroy did not revise his time cards to document them.

Instead, Macleroy asserts that his supervisors should have known about the lunchtime calls because animal control dispatch calls came over the police dispatch radio. Macleroy admits that Childersburg authorized him to resume his lunch break

after handling a dispatch call but claims there often was no time to do so. B. Facts about Macleroy’s Disability Claim Macleroy’s disability discrimination claim is based upon his alleged illiteracy.

Macleroy dropped out of school in the ninth grade, where he was enrolled in special education classes, and he claims that he never learned to read or write. While Macleroy claims that a doctor may have given a medical reason for his illiteracy to

his parents when he was a child, he has not tried to obtain any such diagnosis as an adult. Rather, he says that he is “stubborn” and “didn’t want to learn” to read when he was in school. Since dropping out of school, the thought of returning has “never crossed [Macleroy’s] mind” because he “ain’t interested” in learning.

Macleroy claims that former Childersburg employees Shane Burnett and Misty Hepp knew that he was illiterate because he once asked Burnett to read him a deposition and he thought Hepp knew that he had only an eighth-grade education.

Macleroy also claims that Captain Tommy Wallace knew he was illiterate. Macleroy did not, however, affirmatively disclose his illiteracy to Childersburg employees. On the contrary, he had his wife complete some papers, including his employment application, without telling his colleagues or supervisors.

He asked other Childersburg employees to complete other paperwork for him, telling them he could not because “he didn’t have his glasses on.” And Macleroy signed forms indicating that he had read various Childersburg policies and manuals, without

admitting to his colleagues or supervisors that he had not read them. In his Complaint, Macleroy alleges that Childersburg began “insisting” that he write citations in 2015 and 2016, and he claims that he was terminated because

Childersburg “wanted somebody in [his position] that could really write a ticket.” (Doc. 1, pp. 5-6; Doc. 24-1, pp. 92-93). But Macleroy was never instructed to write a ticket, nor was he disciplined for failing to write tickets.

Richard McClelland was the Chief of Police when Macleroy stopped working for Childersburg. Macleroy admits that Chief McClelland did not know he was illiterate. Chief McClelland confirms that Macleroy was never responsible for writing tickets. Nor have any of Childersburg’s subsequent animal control officers

written tickets. C. Facts surrounding the end of Macleroy’s employment Three incidents preceded Macleroy’s departure in April 2017. First, Macleroy

cut wires in his city vehicle without permission, damaging the vehicle. Second, Macleroy called Captain Wallace a derogatory name during an argument. Third, Macleroy refused to show up for work the day after the argument, and he failed to notify either Captain Wallace or Chief McClelland of his absence—a violation of

Childersburg policy. Because of these incidents, Captain Wallace prepared two “employee counsel forms” and one “employee reprimand form,” and, on April 18, 2017, Chief

McClelland called Macleroy along with Captain Wallace to his office to present Macleroy with the forms. Upon receiving the forms, Macleroy told Chief McClelland and Captain Wallace that he planned to take two weeks of vacation and

that if things did not change after he came back he would quit. The parties dispute what happened after that. Macleroy claims that Chief McClelland looked at Captain Wallace and asked, “Did he resign?” In response,

Macleroy claims that Captain Wallace stated, “Yeah, that’s what it sounds like.” Macleroy claims that Chief McClelland then looked at him and said, “Put your badge on my desk.” Macleroy claims he was terminated, while Childersburg claims Macleroy voluntarily resigned. The parties agree, however, that Macleroy’s alleged

illiteracy was not discussed at the meeting. On March 14, 2018, Macleroy filed this lawsuit. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56, the Court should grant summary judgment only upon a showing that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. The moving party bears the burden of proof, and the Court should “view all evidence and make all reasonable inferences in favor of the party opposing summary

judgment.” Whatley v. CNA Ins. Cos., 189 F.3d 1310, 1313 (11th Cir. 1999); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 255 (1986). Summary judgment is appropriate where “the pleadings, depositions, answers

to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c). Entry of summary

judgment is appropriate “after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden

of proof at trial.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett,

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Bluebook (online)
Macleroy v. City of Childersburg, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/macleroy-v-city-of-childersburg-alnd-2020.