McGuiness v. East West Industries

857 F. Supp. 2d 259, 19 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 360, 2012 WL 1320174, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51984
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 10, 2012
DocketNo. CV 11-628
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 857 F. Supp. 2d 259 (McGuiness v. East West Industries) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGuiness v. East West Industries, 857 F. Supp. 2d 259, 19 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 360, 2012 WL 1320174, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51984 (E.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WEXLER, District Judge.

Plaintiff John McGuiness (“Plaintiff’), a former employee of Defendant East West Industries, Inc. (“East West” or “Defendant”) alleges that he was terminated from [261]*261employment in violation of Federal and New York State law. Plaintiffs Federal claim alleges violation of the Family Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 (the “FMLA”).1 The State law claims allege violation of the New York State Humans Rights Law, N.Y. Exec. L. § 296, and breach of contract. The latter claim is based upon rights alleged to stem from Defendant’s employee manual. Presently before the court is Defendants’ motion, pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for summary judgment.

BACKGROUND

I. Facts

The facts set forth below are drawn from documents properly before the court, including the parties’ statements pursuant to Rule 56.1 of the rules of this court.

A. Plaintiffs Employment With Defendant

Plaintiff is a resident of Suffolk County who was intermittently employed by Defendant beginning in 1993. Plaintiff left Defendant’s employ for the first time in 1998, but was rehired in April of 2001. He again voluntarily resigned in 2002, and was rehired in 2006. Thereafter, Plaintiff remained an employee of Defendant until his termination in February of 2010.

Plaintiffs 2006 employment application — the last application completed by Plaintiff — states that the application “does not constitute an agreement or contract for employment for any specified period or definite duration.” Upon his final rehiring, Plaintiff was provided with Defendant’s employee manual (the “Manual”). The Manual, which Plaintiff acknowledged receiving, provides that it “constitutes Management guidelines only and is neither to be interpreted as a contract between [Defendant] and me, nor does it constitute a guarantee that my employment will continue for any specified period of time or end under only certain conditions.” The Manual also states that “[n]o policy in this manual should be taken to constitute the terms of an employment contract.”

B. Plaintiffs Request Pursuant to The Family Medical Leave Act

Plaintiffs son suffers from what Plaintiff characterizes a severe psychological disability, which has on occasion required hospitalization. On April 25, 2007, Plaintiff requested an accommodation to his work schedule so that he could care for his son. During the course of his conversation with fellow employee Theresa Ferraro (“Ferraro”), Plaintiff expressed that he would be satisfied with the ability to leave work two hours early to care for his son. Following the conversation with Ferraro, Plaintiff was provided with a form entitled “Intermittent Family Leave Form (the “FMLA Form”)”. The FMLA Form, which is before the court, was signed by Plaintiff on April 25, 2007. It memorializes the agreement reached with Ferraro that Plaintiff would be allowed to leave work “approximately two hours early per day.” The FMLA Form further states Plaintiffs understanding and agreement that the leave provided “will not exceed 12 weeks/480 hours within a 12 month period and will include all Family Medical Leave hours.” Following a period during which Plaintiff left work early, Plaintiff returned to his full schedule.

While the FMLA Form executed in 2007 is the only such form executed by Plaintiff referring to the care of his son, Plaintiff again requested leave under the FMLA on [262]*262July 7, 2009. That leave was requested so that Plaintiff could care for himself following a car accident. Although the 2009 leave was requested to last from July 30, 2009 through October 22, 2009, Plaintiff returned to work September 8, 2009.

C. Plaintiffs Employment Records and His Termination

Employee records signed by Plaintiff after expiration of the 12 month period provided for in the 2007 FMLA Form indicate that following the expiration of his FMLA leave, Plaintiff took paid vacation time to care for certain medical needs of his son. Such documents include, for example, a March 10, 2009 “Employee Status Report,” signed by Plaintiff stating that vacation time was taken so that he could bring his son for a CAT Scan. A similar form indicates that Plaintiff took paid vacation time to attend a school meeting for his son.

Plaintiffs job performance for the period covering July 1, 2008 through July 1, 2009, was evaluated shortly before his July 2009 accident-related FMLA leave. While Plaintiff received nearly all “average” evaluations, and no ratings of “below average” or “unsatisfactory,” it was noted that Plaintiff should pay greater attention to his inspection duties and avoid cell phone use. It was further noted that Plaintiff was absent eleven days, and late on twenty-four occasions during a 222 day period of employment. In November of 2009, Plaintiff received an “Employee Status Report” noting, again, that Plaintiff spent an excessive amount of time on his cell phone. That report further states that while it was understood that there were “problems at home,” Plaintiff was previously told that he “cannot spend the better part of a day on the phone conducting personal business no matter what the circumstance.”

On February 10, 2010, Plaintiff was terminated from his position with Defendant. A form entitled “Separation from Employment,” states the “reason for separation,” as “[ljack of work and poor attendance.” The “lack of work” refers to Defendant’s contention of a slow down in the company’s business and the need for cuts in staff. Following Plaintiffs termination, his position was eliminated, and was thereafter not filled.

II. Plaintiffs Causes of Action

As noted, Plaintiff alleges both Federal and State claims. As to the Federal Claims, Plaintiff alleges that he was terminated for exercising his rights under the FMLA. Plaintiffs State Human Rights claim also alleges a violation of family leave benefits. Finally, the breach of contract claim is based upon the allegation that Defendant failed to follow the procedures set forth in the Manual.

III. The Motion for Summary Judgment

Defendants move for summary judgment dismissing the complaint in its entirety. As to the Federal claims, Defendants assert that the only FMLA leave granted Plaintiff was the intermittent leave that expired in 2008, and that Plaintiff mistakenly believes that such leave continued indefinitely thought the next several years of his employment. The State Human Rights Act claim is sought to be dismissed on the same ground as the Federal claims. Finally, the breach of contract claim is argued to fail because the Manual makes clear that neither it, nor any of the terms contained therein, constitute a contract of employment. After setting forth applicable legal principles, the court will turn to the merits of the motion.

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Principles

A. General Summary Judgment Standards

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Bluebook (online)
857 F. Supp. 2d 259, 19 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 360, 2012 WL 1320174, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51984, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcguiness-v-east-west-industries-nyed-2012.