Siano v. Haber

40 F. Supp. 2d 516, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3931, 83 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1733, 1999 WL 184343
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 29, 1999
Docket97 Civ. 2459 DC
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 40 F. Supp. 2d 516 (Siano v. Haber) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Siano v. Haber, 40 F. Supp. 2d 516, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3931, 83 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1733, 1999 WL 184343 (S.D.N.Y. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION

CHIN, District Judge.

In this employment case, plaintiff Angelina Siano alleges that defendants unlawfully terminated her employment because of her age. Defendants move for Summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Although plaintiff was seventy-one years old when defendants fired her, she was already sixty-four years old when they hired her. Moreover, defendants present compelling evidence that Siano was unable to adapt to her job as it evolved over time. On the record before the Court, no reasonable jury could conclude that defendants discharged her because of her age. Defendants’ motion is therefore granted and the complaint is dismissed.

BACKGROUND

A. The Facts

Construed in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the facts are as follows:

Defendant Micro-Bio Medics, Inc. (“MBM”) is in the business of buying and selling medical supplies. Defendants Bruce Haber and Louis Buther are, respectively, its President and Vice President. In March 1995, defendant Stuart Fleischer joined MBM as Vice President of Finance. Plaintiff claims that she began experiencing age discrimination about the time Fleischer started working at MBM.

Siano was born on August 4, 1924. She was sixty-four when MBM hired her on February 8, 1989. Siano worked in the *518 Accounts Payable department as a file clerk where her supervisor was Marvin Kalter, the Controller. In approximately September 1993, MBM hired Meherzeen Katrak, who eventually became co-supervisor in August 1995. Both Kalter and Kat-rak were supervised by Fleischer. MBM terminated plaintiffs employment on May 31, 1996, when she was seventy-one years old. Siano was replaced by a series of younger women.

Siano performed her job as file clerk well. She consistently received satisfactory performance evaluations and annual pay raises. By the time she was fired, however, the company had come to rely heavily on computers to manage information. Plaintiffs position as file clerk had evolved from being completely paper-based to requiring use of the company’s computer system. MBM claims that despite attempts to train Siano, she was not able to become proficient at the computer. Plaintiff argues that she only received minimal training and was never informed that her job was in jeopardy despite company policy requiring oral and written warnings as well as probation before discharging an employee.

B. Procedural History

Siano has duly exhausted her administrative remedies. She timely filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) and received a right-to-sue letter dated January 15, 1997. On April 8, 1997, within ninety days of receipt of the right-to-sue letter, Siano commenced this lawsuit.

In her complaint, plaintiff alleges: (1) age discrimination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (the “ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. § 630(f); New York State Human Rights Law, N.Y.Exec. Law § 292(6); and New York City Human Rights Law, N.Y.C.Admin.Code § 8-102(l)(a); 1 and (2) negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Siano seeks damages, costs, and attorney’s fees. On July 24, 1997, defendants filed an answer denying the allegations and asserting affirmative defenses.

This motion followed.

DISCUSSION

A. Legal Standards

1. Summary Judgment

The standards governing motions for summary judgment are well settled. A court may grant summary judgment only where there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party, is therefore entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 585-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Accordingly, the Court’s task is not to “weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). To create an issue for trial, there must be sufficient evidence in the record to support a jury verdict in the nonmoving parties favor. See id. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

To defeat a motion for summary judgment, however, the nonmoving party “must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348. The nonmoving party may not rest upon mere “conclusory allegations or denials,” but must set forth “concrete particulars” showing that a trial *519 is needed. National Union Fire Ins. Co. v. Deloach, 708 F.Supp. 1371, 1379 (S.D.N.Y.1989) (quoting R.G. Group, Inc. v. Horn & Hardart Co., 751 F.2d 69, 77 (2d Cir.1984)). As the Supreme Court stated in Anderson: “If the evidence is merely colorable, or is not significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505 (citations omitted).

2. Age Discrimination

In the absence of direct evidence of discrimination, a plaintiff in an employment discrimination case usually relies on the three-step McDonnell Douglas test. First, a plaintiff must establish a prima facie case of unlawful discrimination by showing that (1) she or he is a member of a protected class (2) who was qualified for her or his position (3) who suffered an adverse employment action (4) under circumstances giving rise to an inference of discrimination. See McDonnell Douglas v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973); Shumway v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 118 F.3d 60, 63 (2d Cir.1997). Second, if the plaintiff establishes a prima facie case, a rebuttable presumption of discrimination arises and the burden then “shifts” to the defendant to articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the employment decision. See Stratton v.

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40 F. Supp. 2d 516, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3931, 83 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1733, 1999 WL 184343, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/siano-v-haber-nysd-1999.