Sister Mary Benedict v. St. Mary's Corporation

124 N.W.2d 548, 255 Iowa 847, 1963 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 777
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedNovember 12, 1963
Docket51112
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 124 N.W.2d 548 (Sister Mary Benedict v. St. Mary's Corporation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sister Mary Benedict v. St. Mary's Corporation, 124 N.W.2d 548, 255 Iowa 847, 1963 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 777 (iowa 1963).

Opinion

*849 Moore, J.

On July 30, 1961, Sister Mary Benedict filed her petition for arbitration before the industrial commissioner seeking compensation and payment of medical and hospital expenses in connection with her injury suffered on July 29, 1960, in a convent owned by defendant St. Mary’s Corporation, at Marshalltown. After hearing, a deputy commissioner awarded compensation and ordered defendant and its insurer to pay certain medical and hospital expenses. On review the award was affirmed by the commissioner. This decision was affirmed by the district court and judgment entered accordingly. Defendant and its insurer have appealed.

Defendant assigns three errors. The evidence does not warrant or support the commissioner’s findings that (1) plaintiff was an employee of St. Mary’s Corporation, (2) plaintiff sustained injury arising out of and in the course of her employment and (3) medical and hospital expenses should be paid.

Before referring to the record it seems desirable we call attention to the functions of the industrial commissioner and the court in this and like cases. Section 86.29, Codes, 1958, 1962, in part provides, “In the absence of fraud the findings of fact made by the industrial commissioner within his powers shall be conclusive” on appeal. Section 86.30 insofar as here applicable provides any decision of the commissioner “may be modified, reversed, or set aside on one or more of the following grounds and on no other: * * * 3. If the facts found by the commissioner do not support the order or decree. 4. If there is not sufficient competent evidence * * * to warrant * * * the order or decision.” No claim is made here of fraud or that the commissioner acted without or in excess of his powers.

We have repeatedly and consistently construed these provisions as making the commissioner’s findings of fact conclusive where the evidence is in dispute or reasonable minds may differ on the inferences fairly to be drawn from the facts. Such findings have the same standing as a jury verdict. Bocian v. Armour & Co., 244 Iowa 304, 56 N.W.2d 900 ; Hassebroch v. Weaver Construction Co., 246 Iowa 622, 67 N.W.2d 549; Elliott v. Wilkinson, 248 Iowa 667, 81 N.W.2d 925; Lamb v. Standard Oil Co., 250 Iowa 911, 96 N.W.2d 730; Daggett v. Nebraska- *850 Eastern Exp., Inc., 252 Iowa 341, 107 N.W.2d 102; Ziegler v. United States Gypsum Co., 252 Iowa 613, 106 N.W.2d 591.

It is the court’s duty to examine tbe evidence to' determine whether it is sufficient to support the factual conclusion of the commissioner. Bocian v. Armour & Co., Hassebroch v. Weaver Construction Co. and Ziegler v. United States Gypsum Co., all supra.

The evidence submitted at the arbitration hearing and later reviewed by the industrial commissioner and district court is the testimony of Sister Mary Benedict, Sister Mary Joseph, Monsignor Skahill, and a fourth witness who testified regarding value of housing. Several exhibits were also offered. The testimony of the first three varies and conflicts to some extent but creates no serious dispute. Several reasonable inferences may be drawn therefrom.

Plaintiff, Sister Mary Benedict, is a member of the Congregation of the 'Sisters of Humility of Mary, a Catholic order, whose Mother House is at Ottumwa. Saint Mary’s Corporation operates a parochial school in connection with the church at Marshalltown. The school superintendent is Monsignor Skahill. The schoolteachers are Sisters and are secured each year by Monsignor Skahill’s request to the Mother 'Superior of the Order at Ottumwa. From the list of teachers submitted the Monsignor has a right to accept or reject any one or more. If a teacher proved unsatisfactory, the Monsignor could release her at once but would probably take the matter up with the Mother Superior.

During the school year beginning in August 1959 plaintiff was one of the teachers at St. Mary’s. The Monsignor assigned Sister Mary Joseph to serve as school principal. Plaintiff taught business subjects and was also secretary-treasurer at St. Mary’s High School Convent where living quarters were furnished to all teachers and where they were required to live. Her work as secretary-treasurer was performed at the convent. She testified: “For my services as teacher or secretary-treasurer, I received $750 a year plus a furnished room, private room, furnished, in the convent at 12 West Linn.” She also had use of all the facilities of the house.

*851 She could withdraw from her teaching or employment at anytime but testified she would probably first submit her request to the Mother Superior for a dispensation.

The pay for the services of the teachers, including plaintiff, was paid by one monthly cheek made payable to the order. Plaintiff endorsed each of these cheeks for the order and deposited them. Nothing was paid directly to her. She did not have a social security number nor file any income tax returns.

During July 1960 plaintiff each day was doing her work as secretary-treasurer at the convent. On July 29 at about 8 a.m. she prepared a little breakfast for herself and two other Sisters. There was no cook present. After breakfast while putting a dish in the cupboard she fell. She suffered a left hip fracture. Surgery, hospitalization and a long period of recuperation followed.

I. Defendant contends there was no evidence on which the commissioner could properly base his finding that plaintiff was an “employee” within the terms of Code section 85.61(2). It provides:

“2. ‘Workman’ or ‘employee’ means a person who has entered into the employment of, or works under contract of service, express or implied, or apprenticeship, for an employer, except as hereinafter specified.”

In Knudson v. Jackson, 191 Iowa 947, 949, 183 N.W. 391, 392, we said: “As used in this statute, we do not think there is any legal distinction to be recognized between the phrases in section 2477-ml6. A person ‘who has entered the employment of an employer’ is ‘a person who works under contract of service, express or implied, for an employer.’ ” Section 2477-ml6 is now section 85.61(2).

In other words, employment implies the required contract on the part of the employer to hire and on the part of the employee to perform service.

The major elements of the employer-employee relationship for the purposes of workmen’s compensation under the Iowa Act are: (1) The employer’s right of selection, or to employ at will, (2) responsibility for the payment of wages by the employer, (3) the right to discharge or terminate the relation *852 ship, (4) the right to control the work, and (5) is the party-sought to be held as employer the responsible authority in charge of the work or for whose benefit the work is performed. Hjerleid v.

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

Related

Renda v. Iowa Civil Rights Commission
784 N.W.2d 8 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 2010)
Joyce v. Pecos Benedictine Monastery
895 P.2d 286 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1995)
Beier Glass Co. v. Brundige
329 N.W.2d 280 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1983)
Betts v. Ann Arbor Public Schools
271 N.W.2d 498 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1978)
Auxier v. Woodward State Hospital-School
266 N.W.2d 139 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1978)
DeShaw v. Energy Manufacturing Company
192 N.W.2d 777 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971)
McClure v. Union, Counties
188 N.W.2d 283 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971)
Henderson v. Jennie Edmundson Hospital
178 N.W.2d 429 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1970)
Snook v. Herrmann
161 N.W.2d 185 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1968)
Poole v. Hallett Construction Co.
154 N.W.2d 716 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1967)
Nelson v. Cities Service Oil Company
146 N.W.2d 261 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1966)
Murphy v. Franklin County
145 N.W.2d 465 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1966)
Youngwirth v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
140 N.W.2d 881 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1966)
Crees v. Sheldahl Telephone Company
139 N.W.2d 190 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1965)
Leffingwell v. City of Lake
135 N.W.2d 536 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1965)
Prokop v. Frank's Plastering Company
133 N.W.2d 878 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1965)
Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric Company v. Gaffney
129 N.W.2d 832 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1964)
Usgaard v. Silver Crest Golf Club
127 N.W.2d 636 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1964)
Olson v. Goodyear Service Stores
125 N.W.2d 251 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
124 N.W.2d 548, 255 Iowa 847, 1963 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 777, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sister-mary-benedict-v-st-marys-corporation-iowa-1963.