Thomas v. Town of Se.

336 F. Supp. 3d 317
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedSeptember 17, 2018
Docket15 Civ. 8978 (NSR)
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 336 F. Supp. 3d 317 (Thomas v. Town of Se.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. Town of Se., 336 F. Supp. 3d 317 (S.D. Ill. 2018).

Opinion

NELSON S. ROMÁN, United States District Judge

Plaintiff Timothy Thomas ("Plaintiff") initiated this action on November 16, 2015 by filing a federal complaint, which he thereafter amended on February 25, 2016 (the "Am. Compl."), against Defendants the Town of Southeast (the "Town"), Tony Hay, and Michael Bruen (collectively, "Defendants"). The Amended Complaint asserts various causes of action, including retaliation in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. (the "ADEA"), pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, violations of his Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to equal protection and procedural and substantive due process, malicious prosecution in violation of the Fourth Amendment, and retaliation in violation of the First Amendment, as well as several pendent state law claims. Presently before the Court is the Defendants' motion for summary judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 (the "Defendants' Motion"). For the following reasons, Defendants' Motion is GRANTED.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The following facts are taken from the Amended Complaint, Defendant's Rule 56.1 Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("Def. 56.1") (ECF No. 36), Plaintiff's Rule 56.1 Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("Plf. Resp.") (ECF No. 40), Defendant's Counter Response to Plaintiff's 56.1 Statement ("Def. Cntr.") (ECF No. 44), and are uncontested except where indicated.

Plaintiff was employed as a Road Maintenance Equipment Operator ("RMEO") in the Town's Highway Department for over eleven years. (See Plf. Resp. ¶¶ 2, 3.) As an RMEO, Plaintiff was required to perform *322inspections on the equipment and vehicles he operated prior to their use. (Id. ¶ 25; Declaration of James A. Randazzo in Support of Defendants' Motion ("Randazzo Decl.") (ECF No. 38), Ex. C at 50-54; Ex. F at 76-78.) After performing such inspections, Plaintiff and other employees like him were required to complete a pre-trip inspection form, and if they perceived any safety issues, they were required to inform the mechanic immediately. (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 25; Randazzo Decl., Ex. F at 76-78.)1 At the time of the Defendants' alleged unlawful conduct, Plaintiff was 32 years old. (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 1; Am. Compl. ¶ 5.)

In January of 2015, following an incident between Plaintiff and Defendant Bruen, Plaintiff was suspended without pay, pending charges pursuant to Civil Service Law § 75. (See Plf. Resp. ¶¶ 30-42.) Disciplinary charges were issued on February 4, 2015 and a disciplinary hearing presided over by William Wallens (the "Hearing Officer") followed (the " Section 75 Hearing"). (Id. ¶¶ 51-55.) Following the Section 75 Hearing, the Town Board voted to terminate Plaintiff. (Id. ¶ 68.)

Defendant Hay is the Supervisor of the Town and was in that position during the time relevant to Plaintiff's Amended Complaint. (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 4.) Defendant Bruen serves as the Highway Superintendent for the Town and has been in that position since approximately November 18, 2013. (Id. ¶ 6; Am. Compl. ¶ 32; Randazzo Decl., Ex. F at 38.) Plaintiff contends that after Bruen became the Highway Superintendent, he began to engage in a course of conduct which constituted harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment, with the alleged acquiescence and approval of Hay. (See Am. Compl. ¶ 32.)

In July of 2012, over a year before Bruen became Highway Superintendent, Plaintiff entered into a stipulation of settlement with the Town whereby he agreed to a disciplinary suspension of five days without pay in resolution of three allegations of misconduct.2 (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 8; see Randazzo Decl., Ex. N at Town Ex. 11.) In September of that year, Plaintiff applied to the position of Assistant Mechanic, but he was not chosen and the position was not filled. (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 10.) The position was offered again in December of 2013 and Plaintiff applied, but again was not chosen for the position. (Id. ¶¶ 12-13.) In April of 2014, Plaintiff applied to the position of Construction Equipment Operator, but Bruen hired another individual to fill the position that December. (Id. ¶¶ 14-15.) The individuals chosen for each position were older than Plaintiff. (Id. ¶¶ 16.)

In 2014, Plaintiff received five Letters of Counseling and/or Reprimand. (See Plf. Resp. ¶¶ 18-24.) In March and April, he received Letters of Reprimand for insubordination. (Id. ¶¶ 18-19.)3 In May, Plaintiff *323received a Letter of Counseling for insubordination and was advised that further acts of insubordination would result in disciplinary action. (Id. ¶ 20.) In June, Plaintiff received a second Letter of Counseling for missing work without prior approval for two days in May. (Id. ¶¶ 21-24.)4 This Letter of Counseling also contained an advisement that further similar conduct would lead to disciplinary action. (Id. ¶ 24.)

In the summer of 2014, Plaintiff was instructed to operate a 10-wheeler truck. (Id. ¶ 27.) The operation of such a truck was within Plaintiff's job description. (Id. ¶ 26.) After performing an inspection on the truck, Plaintiff complained to the mechanic on the job, Michael Burdick, that he would not drive the truck because it had bald tires.5 (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 27; Randazzo Decl., C at 49-50; Ex. D at 211-215.)

On January 9, 2015, Plaintiff filed a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights ("NYSDHR") which was dually filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") alleging, inter alia , that he was discriminated against on the basis of his age when he was denied the promotions in December 2013 and April of 2014. (See Plf. Resp. ¶¶ 28-29.) Thereafter, Bruen asked Plaintiff if he had filed the complaint, if he was "aware of what it was doing to the morale" of the department, and said that the complaint was "bringing down everything [Bruen] felt [they] had accomplished" in the department. (See Defs. Cntr. ¶¶ 84-85.) Plaintiff also contends that, at some unidentified time, Bruen referred to him as "a young mistaken boy." (Id. ¶ 91.)6 Plaintiff amended his discrimination charge on June 30, 2015 to include retaliation, discrimination, and a hostile work environment. (See Plf. Resp. ¶ 58.) By determination and order dated July 1, 2015, following an investigation, the NYSDHR held there was no probable cause to believe that Defendants engaged in the alleged discriminatory practices. (Id. ¶ 59.) The EEOC adopted the findings of the NYSDHR on August 19, 2015, dismissed Plaintiff's complaint, and issued a notice of right to sue. (Id. ¶ 60.)

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336 F. Supp. 3d 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-town-of-se-ilsd-2018.