Montgomery v. J.R. Simplot Co.

916 F. Supp. 1033, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20843, 1994 WL 875924
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedAugust 17, 1994
DocketCivil 93-1130-AS
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 916 F. Supp. 1033 (Montgomery v. J.R. Simplot Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Montgomery v. J.R. Simplot Co., 916 F. Supp. 1033, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20843, 1994 WL 875924 (D. Or. 1994).

Opinion

ORDER

ROBERT E. JONES, Judge:

Magistrate Judge Donald C. Ashmanskas filed Findings and Recommendation on June 21, 1994, in the above entitled case. The matter is now before me pursuant to 28 *1035 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Fed.R.Civ.P. 72(b). When either party objects to any portion of a magistrate judge’s Findings and Recommendation, the district court must make a de novo determination of that portion of the magistrate judge’s report. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Commodore Business Machines, Inc., 656 F.2d 1309, 1313 (9th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 920, 102 S.Ct. 1277, 71 L.Ed.2d 461 (1982).

Plaintiff has timely filed objections. I have, therefore, given de novo review of Magistrate Judge Ashmanskas’s rulings.

I find no error. Accordingly, I ADOPT Magistrate Judge Ashmanskas’s Findings and Recommendation dated June 21, 1994 (# 42), in its entirety. Defendant’s motion to strike evidence in opposition to defendant’s motion for summary judgment (#35-1) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. Defendant’s motion for summary judgment (#20-1) is GRANTED. Defendant’s motion for oral argument (# — ) is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION

ASHMANSKAS, Magistrate Judge:

Presently before the court is defendant J.R. Simplot Company’s (“Defendant”) motion for summary judgment pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 56. Plaintiff Becky Montgomery (“Plaintiff’) alleges that Defendant violated the provisions of O.R.S. Chapter 659 by discharging her because of her sex and in retaliation for her filing a complaint with the Bureau of Labor and Industries (“BOLI”) and discriminating against her on the basis of her sex in the terms, conditions and privileges of her employment. Plaintiff also asserts claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful retaliatory termination of her employment. Defendant seeks summary judgment on all of these claims.

Background

The following is a summary of the facts which the parties agree are not in dispute. Plaintiff was hired by Defendant as a truck driver at Defendant’s Hermiston plant. Plaintiffs first day at work was February 12, 1991. As pari of Plaintiffs introduction to Defendant’s workplace, Plaintiff was provided with a copy of Defendant’s Driver Policy Statement (the “Statement”), which Plaintiff read and understood. The Statement provided that “all employment is at the discretion of the company, and employment may be terminated at any time by either the company or the employee with or without cause.” The Statement set forth specific conduct which would serve as grounds for immediate termination including, in pari: 1) insubordination to supervisors or guards or the use of abusive or profane language; 2) refusal to perform an assigned job or a reasonable amount of overtime; and 3) walking off the job or leaving company property without permission during working hours. The Statement also identified conduct which “may, at the Company’s discretion, result in immediate termination of employment or other disciplinary actions; however, repeat violations will, at the company’s discretion, usually result in immediate termination of employment.” This conduct included excessive absenteeism which was defined in the following manner:

Absenteeism: Unexcused absence will mean absence from the job without prior notice to and consent from the Company. (Calling in does not necessarily mean the absence will be excused. Consent of the appropriate supervisor or leadperson is required for an excused absence.) A doctor’s statement does not necessarily classify an absence as excused if absenteeism has become chronic. Three unexcused absences within a 12-month period will be cause for discharge. Employees with a poor attendance record will not be considered for promotion even though otherwise qualified. Chronic absence (8 incidences) for any reason will be cause for discharge.

In addition, sexual harassment is listed as conduct which may result in termination at the discretion of Defendant. “Sexual Harassment is defined in the Statement as: “intimate physical contact, statements, soliciting, intimidating, or otherwise affecting an individual’s work, teasing or joking com- *1036 merits that have sexual connotation.” The Statement further provides that “sexual harassment” will not be tolerated and that “all complaints will be thoroughly and impartially investigated.”

Shortly after Plaintiff commenced her employment with Defendant, she requested assistance from Dean Dovey, who generally occupied the position of lead person on the night shift. The lead person was responsible for supervising the other drivers on that shift but was not considered “management.” Mr. Dovey refused to assist Plaintiff stating that if Plaintiff couldn’t do the job on her own, she didn’t deserve to have it. Mr. Dovey called Plaintiff a “bitch” and stated that she was taking a job away from a man that could do the job and that Plaintiff belonged in the kitchen or the bedroom.

Plaintiff had another run-in with Mr. Do-vey on August 10, 1991, in which Mr. Dovey called Plaintiff a “bitch” and told Plaintiff that she should leave the job. Plaintiff reported Mr. Dovey’s conduct to management at this time. Mr. Dovey did not make any inappropriate or discriminatory comments in the presence of Plaintiff after Plaintiff reported him to management.

In February 1992, Andy Williams, Terminal Manager, wrote a memorandum to Plaintiff expressing his concern over her chronic absenteeism (the “Memo”). 1 In the Memo, Mr. Williams indicated that Plaintiff had been absent from work 22 times from August 1991 to February 1992 and warned Plaintiff that continued absences could “endanger” her employment.

On April 20, 1992, Plaintiff filed a claim against Defendant with BOLI (the “BOLI Claim”). In the BOLI Claim, Plaintiff alleged that Defendant was discriminating against her on the basis of her sex. Defendant was given notice that Plaintiff had filed the BOLI Claim on or after May 4, 1992.

On June 3, 1992, Mr. Williams issued a “Critical Incident” report indicating that Plaintiff had been absent 45 times since she started her employment with Defendant (the “Report”). The Report again cautioned Plaintiff that the absenteeism must stop, that the disciplinary measures outlined in the Statement would be used to correct the problem and that documentation would need to be provided if a medical problem existed. In addition, Mr. Williams advised Plaintiff that the Employee’s Assistance Program was available to her if that would be helpful. Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
916 F. Supp. 1033, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20843, 1994 WL 875924, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/montgomery-v-jr-simplot-co-ord-1994.