Taylor v. Home Insurance

646 F. Supp. 923, 42 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 421, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18759, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,888
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedOctober 22, 1986
DocketNo. C-C-82-098-M
StatusPublished

This text of 646 F. Supp. 923 (Taylor v. Home Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. Home Insurance, 646 F. Supp. 923, 42 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 421, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18759, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,888 (W.D.N.C. 1986).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS FOR SANCTIONS AND FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

McMILLAN, District Judge.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

This is an action under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. It was tried to a jury in October, 1983. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff on the age discrimination claim and further found the violation to be willful. Judgment was entered on the verdict and appropriate equitable relief was ordered. On appeal the Circuit Court affirmed on all matters except the jury verdict of willfulness, which was remanded for retrial. The mandate of the Circuit Court was received in this court on January 24, 1986, and on April 28, 1986, a partial final judgment was filed reading in pertinent part:

[I]t is ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED:
# # * * # *
2. Defendant is directed to offer Plaintiff the job of Charlotte Branch Manager and the job of Southern Regional Casualty Underwriting Manager (with relocation expenses) when each next becomes available, and Plaintiff may decline or accept the first such offer and in either event await the other offer.
3. Until such time as Plaintiff is thus reinstated in one of those two positions, or declines them both, Defendant shall pay Plaintiff at the higher of (1) the same salary, benefits, and emoluments, including increases and bonuses, as have been or are being and will be paid to Southern Regional Underwriting Managers with no less seniority than Plaintiff, or (2) the same salary, benefits, and emoluments, including increases and bonuses, as have been or are being and will be paid to Southern Region Branch Managers with no less seniority than Plaintiff. Such emoluments shall include full participation in the Home Builder plan.
Such payments shall be reduced by such amounts as Plaintiff earns, or is able to earn, with reasonable diligence, during that period.
4. Defendant shall continue to pay Plaintiff on the higher of the two foregoing bases until such time as Plaintiff (1) accepts reinstatement in the lower paying position or (2) declines an offer of [925]*925the higher paying job, in which case defendant shall thereafter and until reinstatement pay Plaintiff at the rate of the lower paying position.
5. Defendant is further ORDERED to provide Plaintiff with all pension benefits which would have accrued to Plaintiff had he not been illegally demoted by Defendant; specifically, Defendant shall consider as “earnings,” for purposes of Plaintiffs pension plan, the salary of the Charlotte Branch Manager until January 31, 1981, and, following that date, the higher of (1) the salary of the Charlotte Branch Manager, or (2) the salary of the Southern Regional Underwriting Officer.
Following reinstatement to one of the two positions, referred to in paragraph 4, above, Plaintiffs pension and retirement benefits shall be computed and set aside, and paid upon his retirement, on a basis commensurate with the salary Plaintiff actually receives in the positions] in which he is placed.
6. Plaintiff shall be provided office space and working conditions and equipment and stenographic and other assistance commensurate with those afforded others of comparable rank and seniority.
7. Interest shall be paid on all sums now payable, from the day the verdict was entered.

By separate order filed the same day, April 28, 1986, discovery was reopened.

On June 10, 1986, plaintiff filed a motion to compel discovery, stating that the defendant had made no response to the several sets of interrogatories and document requests then outstanding.

On July 22, 1986, plaintiff filed an amended motion to compel discovery, which recited that defendant had made some discovery since the motion to compel, but that substantial discovery was still overdue.

At a hearing held July 28, 1986, defendant offered no substantial explanation for its failure to comply with plaintiffs discovery requests.

Accordingly, on July 29, 1986, the court entered the following order:

1. Defendant will comply with all outstanding discovery requests by August 15, 1986.
2. Sanctions will be imposed under the rules if this order is not complied with by August 15, 1986.
3. Upon motion, plaintiff will be awarded fees and expenses as may be appropriate.
4. Plaintiff by August 25, 1986, will propose such orders and judgments as may be justified after the discovery order has been complied with.

On August 22, 1986, plaintiff filed a motion for sanctions, in which he claimed that defendant had made additional discovery by August 15, as ordered, but had materially failed to make complete discovery. In particular, plaintiff complained that defendant had failed to make discovery (A) about the “green books” (Southern Region Monthly Management Reports), and (B) about the qualifications of Wendell Saline, the head of defendant’s Southern Region and a person who, plaintiff claims, holds the position which the plaintiff, absent discrimination, would presently have occupied.

On August 27, 1986, the plaintiff filed a motion for partial entry of judgment pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 56 seeking the following relief:

1. That plaintiff be awarded the next vacancy in the positions of the head of the Southern Region or of the Mid-South Region.
2. That the defendant pay the plaintiff the salary and bonuses paid to the various listed officers of the defendant who plaintiff alleges occupy the positions which rightfully the plaintiff should occupy.
3. That the defendant credit the plaintiff’s various retirement plans so that each has the present value it would have if the plaintiff had received salary and bonuses equivalent to those of the person in the plaintiff’s rightful place.
4. That the defendant allow the plaintiff to attend office staff meetings in Charlotte and allow the plaintiff to attend conferences and meetings with com[926]*926pany officials which the Charlotte branch manager attends.
5. That the defendant allow the plaintiff to attend meetings of the Carolina Insurance Managers Association.
6. That the defendant give the plaintiff access to the management information available to the Charlotte Branch Manager, to the Southern Regional Head, and to the Mid-South Regional Head.
7. That the defendant provide the plaintiff with office quarters equal to those of the Charlotte Branch Manager.
8. That the defendant pay the plaintiff the sum of $14,350.00 for the defendant’s failure to allow the plaintiff to use a company car for personal business.

On September 4, 1986, the defendant filed an affidavit by Ms. Elaine Lesser in opposition to the plaintiff’s motion for sanctions.

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Bluebook (online)
646 F. Supp. 923, 42 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 421, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18759, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,888, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-home-insurance-ncwd-1986.