Torres-Alman v. Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc.

522 F. Supp. 2d 367, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 90431, 2007 WL 4225416
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedNovember 13, 2007
DocketCivil 06-1967(JAG/MEL)
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 522 F. Supp. 2d 367 (Torres-Alman v. Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Torres-Alman v. Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc., 522 F. Supp. 2d 367, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 90431, 2007 WL 4225416 (prd 2007).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

MARCOS E. LÓPEZ, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. Introduction

On September 26, 2006, plaintiff Ana Julia Torres-Almán (“Torres”) filed the complaint in this case pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended, (“ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621-634, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1991, as amended (“Title VII”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e-2000e-15, against: (1) Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc.; (2) Verizon Information Services-Puerto Rico, Inc., S. en C.; and (3) Axesa Servicios de Información, S. en C. (“Axesa”). Torres claims discrimination by age and disability, as well as by her association with a disabled person. Torres also claims denial of a reasonable accommodation, retaliation due to her opposition and participation against defendants’ alleged unlawful employment practices, and violation of her civil rights. Docket No. 1. Additionally, Torres requests the court to exercise its supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims pursuant to Law Num. 80 of May 30, 1976, as amended, P.R. Laws Ann., tit. 29, §§ 185(a)-185(m) (“Law 80”); Law Number 44 of June 2, 1985, as amended, P.R. Laws Ann., tit. 1, §§ 501-511(b) (“Law 44”); and Law 100 of June 30, 1959, as amended, P.R. Laws Ann., tit. 29, §§ 146-151 (“Law 100”). 1

On September 21, 2007, Axesa moved for summary judgment on Torres’s claims. Docket Nos. 33-34. On October 23, 2007, Torres opposed the request for summary judgment. Docket No. 42. Axesa replied on November 2, 2007. Docket Nos. 53-54.

II. Factual Background

The following material facts are not in genuine issue or dispute pursuant to the *375 stipulations and supporting evidence submitted by the parties:

1. Axesa is a company authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Docket No. 34, ¶ 1; Docket No. 42, “Plaintiffs Statement of Contested and Uncontested Facts in Support of her Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment” (“SCUF”), ¶ 1.

2. Axesa is a company with local offices at San Roberto Street, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, which publishes the “Yellow Pages” book, the “Mobile Guide,” the “Business Register,” “Places To Go,” “Bienvenidos,” as well as two other electronic products. Docket No. 34, ¶ 2; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶1.

3. Axesa was formerly known as Verizon Information Services-Puerto Rico, Inc., S. en C. Docket No. 34, ¶ 3; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

4. Torres was born on May 14, 1965. Docket No. 34, ¶ 4; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶1.

5. Torres has eleven brothers and sisters. Three of her brothers and sisters live in the United States and the remaining eight five in Cayey, Puerto Rico. Docket No. 34, ¶ 5; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

6. Torres began working at Axesa as a Sales Supervisor on January 29, 2001. Docket No. 34, ¶ 6; Docket No. 42, SCUF, VI.

7. Torres received a copy of Axesa’s Code of Conduct and participated in a training session of the same. Docket No. 34, ¶ 7; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

8. Axesa sells space in its business products during sales campaigns known as “Sales Canvasses”. Each sales canvass has a specific time frame and targets sales in a specific geographical area or for a specific product. The “Isla” canvass targets sales to Axesa’s clients outside of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. The “Metro” canvass targets sales to clients in the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Docket No. 34, ¶ 8; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

9. At the beginning of each sales canvass, Axesa establishes specific objectives in terms of the amount of sales to be attained during the canvass. An important part of the sales representatives’ responsibilities and functions is reaching that sales objective. Docket No. 34, ¶ 9; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

10. When Torres began working at Ax-esa, she was a Sales Supervisor in the New Media Department under the supervision of Luz Eneida Torres. Docket No. 34, ¶ 10; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

11. As a Sales Supervisor, Torres was responsible for training, evaluating and developing the Sales Representatives under her supervision in order to achieve the sales revenue objectives established by Ax-esa for each sales canvass. Docket No. 34, ¶ 11; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

12. On or around April 2002, Torres was transferred to the position of Sales Supervisor in the Premise Division. Docket No. 34, ¶ 12; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

13. The Premise Division at Axesa is responsible for direct sales to Axesa’s clients. The sales objectives for the Premise Division are higher than the sales objectives for the New Media Division. Torres’ position as a Sales Supervisor in the Premise Division involved more responsibilities and more pressure because of the higher sales objectives. Docket No. 34, ¶ 13; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

14. As a Sales Supervisor in the Premise Division, Torres once supervised Enid Cintrón (“Cintrón”) and trained her as a sales representative. Eventually, Cintrón also became a Supervisor in the Premise Division. Docket No. 34, ¶ 14; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

15. As a Sales Supervisor in the Premise Division, Torres was supervised by Lo- *376 relli Navarro (“Navarro”), Sales Manager for the Premise Division. Docket No. 34, ¶ 15; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

16. On or around July of 2004, Michael Báez (“Báez”) offered Torres the position of Major Accounts Representative in the Premise Division. Docket No. 34, ¶ 16; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

17. At all relevant times, Báez has been Axesa’s Director of Sales and Cin-tron’s and Navarro’s supervisor. Docket No. 34, ¶ 17; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

18. Torres accepted the transfer to the Major Accounts Representative position conditioned upon her not being supervised by Carlos Villafañe. Axesa granted Torres’ request and, effective August 9, 2004, Torres was transferred to the position of Major Accounts Representative in the Premise Division. Docket No. 34, ¶ 18; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

19. As a Major Account Representative in the Premise Division, Torres did not supervise any employees. Instead she was responsible for: selling advertising in telephone directories to key clients; providing customer service to key clients; developing and delivering presentations regarding Axesa’s products; maintaining and submitting sales reports regarding sales to clients; assisting formal training; and working and managing rejects as well as working with the Arts Department, among others. Docket No. 34, ¶ 19; Docket No. 42, SCUF, ¶ 1.

20. As a Major Account Representative in the Premise Division, Torres was also responsible for developing forecasts and projections as to her expected sales.

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522 F. Supp. 2d 367, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 90431, 2007 WL 4225416, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/torres-alman-v-verizon-wireless-puerto-rico-inc-prd-2007.