Meadows v. Wahler Automotive Systems, Inc.

45 F. Supp. 3d 645, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127798, 2014 WL 4494361
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedSeptember 12, 2014
DocketCase No. 13-cv-11926
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 45 F. Supp. 3d 645 (Meadows v. Wahler Automotive Systems, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Meadows v. Wahler Automotive Systems, Inc., 45 F. Supp. 3d 645, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127798, 2014 WL 4494361 (E.D. Mich. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (ECF #14)

MATTHEW F. LEITMAN, District Judge.-

INTRODUCTION

In this action, Plaintiff Vonetta Meadows (“Meadows”), a former employee of Defendant Wahler Automotive Systems, Inc. (“Wahler”), claims that Wahler subjected her to a hostile work environment and unlawfully terminated her employment in retaliation for her filing of a discrimination charge with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (the “MDCR”) and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”). Wahler denies Meadows’ allegations and has moved for summary judgment. For the reasons stated below, the Court GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN PART Wah-ler’s motion.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. The Alleged Harassment

Wahler manufactures automotive thermostats and other products. (Deposition of Wahler Vice President Jerry Howe (“Howe”), ECF # 14-2 at 25-27, Pg. ID 120-122.) In July 2010, Advanced Staffing, an employment agency, hired Meadows and assigned her to work at Wahler as a temporary employee. (See, e.g., Meadows Dep., ECF # 14-3 at 10-11, Pg. ID 153.) In December 2010, Wahler hired Meadows directly on a permanent basis. Meadows worked on Wahler’s assembly line as both an “inspector” and a “machine operator.” (Id. at 12-13, Pg. ID 153.) Paul Belleperche (“Belleperche”), Wahler’s plant manager, supervised Meadows. (Id. at 24, Pg. ID 155; see also Howe Dep., ECF # 15-13 at 31, Pg. ID 329.)

Meadows says that between October and December 2010 Belleperche sexually harassed her “every single day.” (Meadows Dep. at 55, Pg. ID 163). Meadows alleges that Belleperehe’s harassment included the following:

• Belleperche told Meadows that she had “a nice ass [a]ll the time” and got “very upset” if Meadows did not “give him any attention.” (Meadows’ Handwritten Notes, ECF # 15-2 at 3, Pg. ID 256; see also Meadows Dep. at 66, Pg. ID 166);
• Belleperche stared at Meadows’ rear end and told her “to lift up [her] shirt because he wanted to look at [her] butt.” (ECF # 15-2 at 4-5, Pg. ID 257-258; see also Meadows Dep. at 73-74, Pg. ID 168);
• Belleperche “approached [Meadows] with a dollar bill and tried to put the dollar bill in [her] pocket”—as a patron would do in a strip club—and he did so in front of Meadows’ co-workers. (ECF # 15-2 at 4, Pg. ID 257; see also Meadows Dep. at 68, Pg. ID 166);
• Belleperche brushed against Meadows’ breast as he was placing something in a refrigerator. (See ECF # 15-2 at 3, Pg. ID 256; see also Meadows Dep. at 65, Pg. ID 165);
• Belleperche fed Meadows crackers in front of her co-workers even though Meadows told Belleperche she didn’t want to eat any crackers. (See ECF #15-2 at 4, Pg. ID 257; see also Meadows Dep. at 67, Pg. ID 166);
• Belleperche told Meadows that he had “all kinds of nuts” in a Christ[649]*649mas gift box but that his “nuts” were “too big to fit in that box.” (ECF # 15-2 at 5, Pg. ID 258; see also Meadows Dep. at 74-75, Pg. ID 168);
• Belleperche “pulled on [Meadows’] belt loop more than once” even though she told “him [to] stop doing that.” (ECF # 15-2 at 2, Pg. ID 255; see also Meadows Dep. at 61, Pg. ID 164);
• Belleperche asked Meadows to go to Brazil, offered to buy her lunch, and asked her to go to a bar after work “to have a couple drinks.” (ECF # 15-2 at 2, Pg. ID 255; see also Meadows Dep. at 57-58; Pg. ID 163-164); and
• Belleperche texted Meadows on her personal cell phone on multiple occasions. (See ECF # 15-2 at 2, Pg. ID 255; see also Meadows Dep. at 59-60, Pg. ID 164.)1

Meadows repeated throughout her deposition that Belleperche’s harassment was continuous and relentless. She insisted that his misconduct occurred “every single day ... from the time [she] walked in until the time [she] went home.” (Id. at 75-76, Pg. ID 168; see also id. at 61, Pg. ID 164 (testifying that Belleperche “always pulled on my belt loop”); id. at 66, Pg. ID 166 (testifying that Belleperche would stare at her and make offensive comments “every single day”); id. at 75-56, Pg. ID 168 (testifying that Belleperche would “always” tell her how he felt about her “every single day”).) Meadows says that the sexual harassment “died down” in December 2010, but she insists that Belleperche “still messed with [her] every single day” even after that time. (Meadows Dep. at 86, Pg. ID 171.)

Meadows also asserts that she heard “racial comments [ ] while working.” (ECF # 15-2 at 5, Pg. ID 258.) However, she was able to identify only a few such comments. As one example, Meadows claims that Belleperche said that the different ethnicities of Wahler’s employees made it “like a rainbow in here.” (Id.) Meadows could not identify or remember any other racial comments Belleperche made, but she insists that he said “a lot of racial things ... that [she] didn’t like.” (Meadows Dep. at 78, Pg. ID 169.)

B. Meadows Receives Wahler’s Anti-Harassment Policy

When Wahler hired Meadows as a permanent employee in December 2010, it gave her a copy of its employee handbook. (See id. at 11, Pg. ID 153; see also the “Wahler Handbook,” ECF # 14-4.) The Wahler Handbook contained an “anti-harassment” policy (the “Policy”). (See id. at 10-11, Pg. ID 183-184.) In the Policy, Wahler “affirm[ed] its commitment to provide a work environment free from intimidation and harassment. Abuse of the dignity of anyone though ethnic, racist or sexual slurs or though other derogatory or objectionable conduct is offensive employee behavior.” (Id. at 10, Pg. ID 183.) The Policy warned Wahler employees that “[if] you harass another employee of the Company ... because of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, wright, heights, or any [650]*650other protected classification ... you will be subject to disciplinary action, including discharge.” (Id.) With respect to sexual harassment, the Policy further provided:

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination ... It is the express policy of [Wahler] that sexual harassment of employees ... by you or agents of the company, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Unwelcome or unwanted sexual advances, requests for favors or other visual, verbal or physical conduct will be deemed sexual harassment when: [....]
(3) Such behavior has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

(Id.)

The Policy also instructed Wahler employees, to raise instances of harassment promptly with management in an informal manner: “Likewise, if you feel you have been the object of harassment or intimidation based upon the aforementioned, you are to institute the procedures indicated below.” (Id.) These “procedures” required:

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

Related

Baggett v. Bailey
W.D. Michigan, 2024
Hall v. City of Dearborn
E.D. Michigan, 2021
Marotta v. Ford Motor Co.
119 F. Supp. 3d 676 (E.D. Michigan, 2015)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 F. Supp. 3d 645, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127798, 2014 WL 4494361, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/meadows-v-wahler-automotive-systems-inc-mied-2014.