Sbrogna v. ChipCom Corp.

7 Mass. L. Rptr. 497
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedSeptember 30, 1997
DocketNo. 9501464A
StatusPublished

This text of 7 Mass. L. Rptr. 497 (Sbrogna v. ChipCom Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sbrogna v. ChipCom Corp., 7 Mass. L. Rptr. 497 (Mass. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

Travers, J.

INTRODUCTION

On September 5, 1997, the Plaintiff, Jennie Sbrogna (Sbrogna) and the Defendants, ChipCom and 3Com (ChipCom)2 filed the Defendant 3Com’s Motion for Summaiy Judgment and the Plaintiffs Cross Motion for Summaiy Judgment. The Defendant’s motion seeks summary judgment on all counts of the Amended Complaint (Amended Complaint). Sbrogna’s motion seeks summaiy judgment on two counts of the Amended Complaint, namely those which allege handicap discrimination under G.L.c. 151B, §4(16) and maternity leave discrimination under G.L.c. 149, §105D.

For the following reasons, summary judgment is rendered as follows:

On Count I of the Amended Complaint (gender discrimination resulting in termination): ChipCom’s Motion for Summaiy Judgment is DENIED;

On Count II of the Amended Complaint (gender discrimination due to denial of short term disability benefits): ChipCom’s Motion for Summary Judgment is ALLOWED;

On Count III of the Amended Complaint (handicap discrimination by failure to accommodate): both Sbrogna’s and ChipCom’s Motions for Summaiy Judgment are DENIED;

On Count IV of the Amended Complaint (violations of Massachusetts Maternity Leave Act by permanently replacing Sbrogna): Sbrogna’s Motion for Summaiy Judgment is DENIED; and ChipCom’s Motion for Summaiy Judgment is ALLOWED;

On Counts V, VI and VII of the Amended Complaint (equal rights violations and breach of contract): ChipCom’s Motion for Summaiy Judgment is ALLOWED.

BACKGROUND

The undisputed facts of this case are as follows:

Sbrogna worked for ChipCom in 1992 and later resigned in early 1993. Sbrogna was rehired in July 1993, on a temporary, part-time basis by ChipCom. In December 1993, Sbrogna was hired to work as a part-time, regular employee under the supervision of William Rebello (Rebello). Sbrogna was hired to work 25 hours per week for $16.00 per hour. Sbrogna’s duties are not contested. Sbrogna worked most hours from home due to child care needs.3

In March 1994, Sbrogna informed Rebello that she was pregnant, and suffering complications (nonimmune fetal hydrops). Sbrogna requested and was granted various short leaves of absence from her position.4 Sbrogna returned to work until early July 1994. In the interim, Sbrogna’s work performance was such that no complaints or reprimands issued to her.

Sbrogna developed further complications and was ordered to bed rest in early July 1994. In the spring, Sbrogna requested maternity leave to begin in July. Sbrogna was granted 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave, and was scheduled to return in October. Sbrogna’s son died August 22, 1994, as a result of nonimmune fetal hydrops.

In June 1994, when it became apparent that Sbrogna would need maternity leave, she discussed with Rebello the possibility of bringing in an individual to take her place, and suggested Lori Cameron-Fleck, an employee scheduled to return from maternity leave in July 1994.5 A memorandum from Janine McLauchlan in Human Resources to Sbrogna dated July 19, 1994, stated that Sbrogna’s job would be opened to hire a replacement. Cameron-Fleck was subsequently offered the position and hired on a full-time, permanent basis in July 1994.

In August 1994, Sbrogna contacted Janine Mc-Lauchlan to return to ChipCom. Janine McLauchlan contacted Matthew Caruso, also in Human Resources, to find a part-time position in the company. Janine McLauchlan did not do anything further to place Sbrogna. Sbrogna did not return to work for ChipCom. This suit was filed on July 12, 1995.

[498]*498DISCUSSION

I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

ChipCom has moved for Summary Judgment on all counts of Sbrogna’s Amended Complaint. Counts One through Three (OT22-24) allege sex and handicap discrimination, in violation of G.L.c. 151B. CountFour alleges violation of the Massachusetts Maternity Leave Act, G.L.c. 149, §105D. Counts Five and Six seek relief under the Equal Rights Act, G.L.c. 93, §§102, 103 for sex and handicap discrimination. Count Seven seeks damages for breach of contract due to discriminatory termination.

Summary judgment will be granted where there are no genuine issues of material fact and where the record presented entitles the moving party to judgment as a matter of law. See Cassesso v. Comm'r of Correction, 390 Mass. 419, 422 (1983); Community Nat’l Bank v. Dawes, 369 Mass. 550, 553 (1976); Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(c) (1997). The moving party bears “the burden of demonstrating that there is no genuine issue of material fact on every relevant issue.” Pederson v. Time, Inc., 404 Mass. 14, 17 (1989). “(A) party moving for summary judgment in a case in which the opposing party will have the burden of proof at trial is entitled to summary judgment if he demonstrates, by reference to material described in rule 56(c), unmet by countervailing materials, that the party opposing the motion has no reasonable expectation of proving an essential element of that party’s case." Kourouvacilis v. General Motors Corp., 410 Mass. 706, 716 (1991). Once the moving party “establishes the absence of a triable issue, the party opposing the motion must respond and allege specific facts which would establish the existence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Pederson, 404 Mass. at 17.

II. STANDARD FOR DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS

Counts One and Two of Sbrogna’s Amended Complaint both allege sex discrimination by ChipCom. These claims each allege disparate treatment by Chip-Corn.6 “In a ’’disparate treatment" case, ‘proof of the employer’s discriminatory motive is critical.’ We have adopted, therefore, a framework of shifting burdens of persuasion and production of evidence that is ‘intended progressively to sharpen the inquiry into the elusive factual question of intentional discrimination.’ “ Whalen v. Nynex Info. Resources Co., Inc., 419 Mass. 792, 795 (1995) (citations omitted). In the first part of a three-step test, ’’the plaintiff has the burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence a prima facie case of discrimination ... In the second stage, the employer can rebut the presumption created by the prima facie case by articulating a legitimate, nondiscriminatoiy reason for its hiring decision . . . Once the defendant articulates a nondiscriminatory reason for the challenged hiring action, the proceedings have reached the third stage in the order of proof. The presumption created by a prima facie case drops from the case if the defendant satisfies its burden of production, but a plaintiff who has established a prima facie case and persuaded the trier of fact that the employer’s articulated justification is not true but a pretext, is entitled to judgment." Blare v. Husky Injection Molding Systems Boston, Inc., 419 Mass. 437, 442, 443 (1995) (footnotes omitted)(citations omitted).

To make out her prima facie case, Sbrogna “must produce evidence that, if believed, would be sufficient to establish facts that would entitle him to judgment.” Whalen, 419 Mass. at 796. Sbrogna need not prove each and every element of her claim to make out a prima facie case. See Id. “(T]he facts necessary to establish a prima facie case of discrimination will vary depending on the circumstances of each case.” Beal v.

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

Related

WEST VA. JUD. INQUIRY COM'N v. Allamong
252 S.E.2d 159 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 1979)
G. H. Bass & Co. v. Maine Employment Security Commission
250 A.2d 492 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1969)
Charland v. Muzi Motors, Inc.
631 N.E.2d 555 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1994)
Pederson v. Time, Inc.
532 N.E.2d 1211 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1989)
LaLonde v. Eissner
539 N.E.2d 538 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1989)
School Committee v. Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
386 N.E.2d 1251 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1979)
Community National Bank v. Dawes
340 N.E.2d 877 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1976)
College v. Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
380 N.E.2d 121 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1978)
Kourouvacilis v. General Motors Corp.
575 N.E.2d 734 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Flesner v. Technical Communications Corp.
575 N.E.2d 1107 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Cassesso v. Commissioner of Correction
456 N.E.2d 1123 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1983)
Morris's Case
238 N.E.2d 35 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1968)
Peabody Properties, Inc. v. Sherman
638 N.E.2d 906 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1994)
White v. University of Massachusetts at Boston
574 N.E.2d 356 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Brunner v. Stone & Webster Engineering Corp.
603 N.E.2d 206 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1992)
Betz v. Telegraph Investment, Inc.
844 S.W.2d 556 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1992)
Tate v. Department of Mental Health
645 N.E.2d 1159 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1995)
Blare v. Husky Injection Molding Systems Boston, Inc.
646 N.E.2d 111 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
7 Mass. L. Rptr. 497, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sbrogna-v-chipcom-corp-masssuperct-1997.