United States Department of Labor v. Ghosn

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Oklahoma
DecidedApril 2, 2020
Docket5:19-cv-00242
StatusUnknown

This text of United States Department of Labor v. Ghosn (United States Department of Labor v. Ghosn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States Department of Labor v. Ghosn, (W.D. Okla. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

EUGENE SCALIA, SECRETARY ) OF LABOR, UNITED STATES ) DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Case No. CIV-19-242-PRW ) SAMIR GHOSN, individually, and ) THE CHATEAU OF LAWTON, INC., ) a corporation, ) ) Defendants. )

ORDER

Plaintiff claims that Defendants willfully violated the Fair Labor Standards Act’s1 minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping provisions, and as a result are liable for $22,819.06 in damages plus an equal amount of liquidated damages.2 Plaintiff argues that the undisputed material facts entitle him to an order granting summary judgment and enjoining future violations of the FLSA. For the reasons outlined below, the motion is granted in part and denied in part. Background The Chateau of Lawton is a retirement and assisted living facility operated by Defendants Samir Ghosn and The Chateau of Lawton, Inc.3 Plaintiff initiated an

1 29 U.S.C § 201 et seq. 2 See Pl.’s Mot. for Summ. J. & Br. in Supp. (Dkt. 27) at 4. 3 See Compl. (Dkt. 1) at 12; Pl.’s Mot. for Summ. J. & Br. in Supp. (Dkt. 27) at 5. investigation into the employment practices at the Chateau of Lawton in August 2017.4 The investigation was performed in large part by wage and hour inspector Cheryl Masters,

who concluded from December 2015 through December 2017, many of the Chateau of Lawton’s employment practices violated the FLSA.5 In particular, she concluded the employment practices of the Chateau of Lawton violated the FLSA’s minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping provisions.6 As a result, Plaintiff brought this suit for these alleged FLSA violations against Defendants and now move for summary judgment on all

claims. Standard of Review Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a) provides that “[t]he court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” In deciding whether summary judgment is proper,

the court does not weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter asserted, but determines only whether there is a genuine dispute for trial before the fact-finder.7 The movant bears the initial burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine, material dispute and an entitlement to judgment.8 A fact is “material” if, under the substantive law, it is

4 See Compl. (Dkt. 1) at 3. 5 See Pl.’s Mot. for Summ. J. & Br. in Supp. (Dkt. 27) at 616. 6 See id. 7 Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986); see also Birch v. Polaris Indus., Inc., 812 F.3d 1238, 1251 (10th Cir. 2015). 8 Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). essential to the proper disposition of the claim.9 A dispute is “genuine” if there is sufficient evidence on each side so that a rational trier of fact could resolve the issue either way.10 If the movant carries the initial burden, the nonmovant must then assert that a

material fact is genuinely in dispute and must support the assertion by “citing to particular parts of materials in the record, including depositions, documents, electronically stored information, affidavits or declarations, stipulations (including those made for purposes of the motion only), admissions, interrogatory answers, or other materials”; by “showing that the materials cited [in the movant’s motion] do not establish the absence . . . of a genuine

dispute”; or by “showing . . . that an adverse party [i.e., the movant] cannot produce admissible evidence to support the fact.”11 The nonmovant does not meet its burden by “simply show[ing] there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts,”12 or by theorizing a “plausible scenario” in support of its claims.13 “Rather, ‘the relevant inquiry is whether the evidence presents a sufficient disagreement to require submission to a jury

or whether it is so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law.’”14 If there is a

9 Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248; Adler v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 144 F.3d 664, 670 (10th Cir. 1998). 10 Id. 11 Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1); see also Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. 317; Beard v. Banks, 548 U.S. 521, 529 (2006). 12 Neustrom v. Union Pac. R.R. Co., 156 F.3d 1057, 1066 (10th Cir. 1998) (alteration in original) (quoting Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986); Ulissey v. Shvartsman, 61 F.3d 805, 808 (10th Cir. 1995)). 13 Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 380 (2007). 14 Neustrom, 156 F.3d at 1066 (quoting Anderson, 477 U.S. at 251–52; Bingaman v. Kan. City Power & Light Co., 1 F.3d 976, 980 (10th Cir. 1993)). genuine dispute as to some material fact, the district court must consider the evidence and all reasonable inferences from the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.15

The Court’s local rule governing summary judgment also provides “[t]he brief in opposition to a motion for summary judgment . . . shall begin with a section responding, by correspondingly numbered paragraph, to the facts that the movant contends are not in dispute and shall state any fact that is disputed . . . .”16 Each individual statement “shall be followed by citation, with particularity, to any evidentiary material that the party presents

in support of its position pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c).”17 If this procedure is not followed, then “[a]ll material facts set forth in the statement of material facts of the movant may be deemed admitted for the purpose of summary judgment . . . .”18 Analysis Procedural & Evidentiary Matters

1. Plaintiff’s list of undisputed material facts is deemed admitted

Defendants did not comply with the summary judgment procedure mandated by LCvR56.1 because they did not cite to any evidentiary material to dispute Plaintiff’s

15 Scott, 550 U.S. at 380; Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., 475 U.S. at 587; Sylvia v. Wisler, 875 F.3d 1307, 1328 (10th Cir. 2017). 16 LCvR56.1(c). 17 LCvR56.1(d). 18 LCvR56.1(e). material facts.19 As a result, Plaintiff’s material facts are deemed admitted.20 These facts and any inferences are still, however, viewed in the light most favorable to Defendants. 2. Anonymous employee statements underlying affidavit of WHI Masters are not hearsay and informer’s privilege remains in effect

The bulk of Plaintiff’s evidentiary support is found in WHI Masters’ affidavit.

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United States Department of Labor v. Ghosn, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-department-of-labor-v-ghosn-okwd-2020.