Rocha v. Coastal Carolina Neuropsychiatric Crisis Services, P.A.

979 F. Supp. 2d 670, 28 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1432, 2013 WL 5651801, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148858
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. North Carolina
DecidedOctober 16, 2013
DocketNo. 7:12-CV-2-D
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 979 F. Supp. 2d 670 (Rocha v. Coastal Carolina Neuropsychiatric Crisis Services, P.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rocha v. Coastal Carolina Neuropsychiatric Crisis Services, P.A., 979 F. Supp. 2d 670, 28 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1432, 2013 WL 5651801, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148858 (E.D.N.C. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER

JAMES C. DEVER III, Chief Judge.

On January 4, 2012, Maurice Rocha (“Rocha”) filed this employment discrimination action against Coastal Carolina Neuropsychiatric Crisis Services, P.A. (“CCNCS”), Ash Mikhail (“Mikhail”), and Tobi Gilbert (“Gilbert”) (collectively “defendants”). See [D.E. 1]. In his complaint, Rocha (who is proceeding pro se) alleged that CCNCS, Mikhail, and Gilbert terminated his employment as a mental health worker with CCNCS in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213, the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 701-796, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e-2000e-17 (“Title VII”). On January 23, 2012, Rocha filed an amended complaint alleging that he was terminated because of a disability and due to his national origin (“first amended complaint”) [D.E. 6]. On March 5, 2012, defendants filed a motion to dismiss and an answer to Rocha’s complaint and first amended complaint, admitting that CCNCS terminated Rocha’s employment, but denying unlawful employment discrimination [D.E. 20]. According to CCNCS, it terminated Rocha’s employment because he failed to disclose three felony cocaine possession convictions on his employment application.

On June 20, 2012, the court allowed Rocha to amend his complaint for the second time. See [D.E. 31]. In his second amended complaint [D.E. 32], Rocha omits any reference to the Rehabilitation Act, thereby withdrawing any claim related to the Rehabilitation Act, but restates his disparate treatment claim under the ADA and his disparate impact claim under Title VII. Specifically, Rocha contends that (1) CCNCS regarded him as being a drug addict and terminated his employment in violation of the ADA and (2) CCNCS has a policy of not hiring people convicted of crimes, which has a disparate impact on Hispanics in violation of Title VII. On June 20, 2012, the court held that defendants Mikhail and Gilbert could not be individually liable under the ADA or Title VII and dismissed them from the action. See [D.E. 31],

On June 27, 2013, CCNCS moved for summary judgment [D.E. 113] and filed a memorandum [D.E. 114] and evidence [D.E. 115] in support. Essentially, CCNCS contends that it never regarded Rocha as being disabled or being a drug addict and that it has never had a policy of not hiring people convicted of crimes. [674]*674Rather, CCNCS contends that it terminated Rocha’s employment after concluding that Rocha made a material misrepresentation about his criminal history on his employment application. Rocha responded in opposition [D.E. 118, 119, 120] to CCNCS’s motion for summary judgment and filed his own cross-motion for summary judgment [D.E. 125]. Thereafter, the parties filed responses, replies, and numerous other motions. As explained below, the court grants CCNCS’s motion for summary judgment and denies all other motions.

I.

CCNCS operated an out-patient mental health treatment facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina where it treated patients with mental health disorders and drug addictions. [D.E. 115-1], Gilbert Aff. ¶ 6 (“Gilbert Aff.”).1 CCNCS offered several mental health services in Jacksonville, including a 23-hour observation service, a non-hospital based medical detox service, and a crisis facility. Id. The medical detox service and crisis facility were both licensed pursuant to the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Act of 1985. See id. ¶ 7; N.C. Gen.Stat. §§ 122C-1-122C-433. CCNCS’s treatment of patients often included the use of controlled substances, narcotics, and other medications. Gilbert Aff. ¶¶ 15-16.

On October 13, 2010, Rocha applied for employment with CCNCS as a mental health worker. Id. ¶¶ 9-14. As part of the application process, Rocha completed an employment application. The employment application contained the following statement and question:

A RECORD OF CONVICTION DOES NOT NECESSARILY DISQUALIFY YOU FROM EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATION. Have you ever been CONVICTED of a felony or misdemean- or, other than traffic violations? YES _NO__
If YES, list only convictions and dates:

[D.E. 115-1] 8. On his employment application, Rocha wrote that he had never been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Id. The employment application also contained the following statement, which Rocha signed, certifying that his employment application was true, correct, and complete:

IMPORTANT-READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING I certify that the information provided in this Application for Employment is true, correct and complete. If employed, any misstatement or omission of material fact on this application will result in my immediate dismissal. I authorize all persons, schools, companies, corporations, credit bureaus, government agencies, or any other party to release information concerning my background which may include, but is not limited to, criminal, credit, driver’s records, so long as not prohibited by law and the requests are job related.

Id. 9 (emphasis added).

As part of the application process, Dr. Tobi Gilbert, CCNCS’s Clinical Director, interviewed Rocha. See Gilbert Aff. ¶ 10. Dr. Gilbert’s interview notes indicate that she “liked” Rocha. See [D.E. 115-3] 2. During the interview, Rocha never mentioned his felony convictions, never stated that he was a recovering drug addict, and never asked for any accommodation under the ADA. See [D.E. 115-7], Rocha Dep. 87-88, 102-07 (“Rocha Dep.”). After the interview, CCNCS extended a conditional employment offer to Rocha on October 18, [675]*6752012. See Gilbert Aff. ¶¶ 10-12. In accordance with its standard employment procedure, CCNCS conditioned Rocha’s employment offer upon Rocha submitting to a criminal background check. See id. Upon making the conditional offer of employment to Rocha, CCNCS provided Rocha with a copy of the CCNCS employee handbook (“CCNCS handbook”), which contained CCNCS’s employment policies. [D.E. 115-1], Ex. C; Gilbert Aff. ¶ 12. The CCNCS handbook states in relevant part:

Standards and Misconduct Issues We have established standards and work rules which are designed to provide the orderly and safe conduct of employees while on the practice’s property The list of unacceptable behavior below (which is not all-inclusive) represents the types which may subject an individual to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
• Misrepresentation in seeking employment.
• Dishonesty, stealing or removal of another employee’s property....

[D.E. 115-1] 26 (emphasis added). The CCNCS handbook also states that “[e]mployees are free to leave CCNCS’s service at any time and that any employee can be terminated at any time with or without notice and with or without stated cause [or] reason, except [as] prohibited by law.” [D.E. 115-1] 15.

Rocha also received a copy of CCNCS’s criminal records policy. See [D.E. 115-1], Ex. D; Gilbert Aff. ¶ 12.

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Bluebook (online)
979 F. Supp. 2d 670, 28 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1432, 2013 WL 5651801, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148858, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rocha-v-coastal-carolina-neuropsychiatric-crisis-services-pa-nced-2013.