Bryant v. Better Bus. Bureau of Greater Maryland, Civil No. AMD 95-970.

• Citation: 923 F. Supp. 720
• Decision Date: 04 April 1996
• Docket Number: Civil No. AMD 95-970.
• Parties: JoAnn BRYANT, Plaintiff, v. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF GREATER MARYLAND, INC. and Philip Kershner, Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of Maryland

923 F. Supp. 720

JoAnn BRYANT, Plaintiff, v. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF GREATER MARYLAND, INC. and Philip Kershner, Defendants.

Civil No. AMD 95-970.

United States District Court, D. Maryland.

April 4, 1996.

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Beth Pepper, Stein & Schonfeld, Baltimore, Md.; Thomas J. Minton, John Thomas Ward, and Quinn, Ward & Kershaw, Baltimore, Md., for plaintiff.

Robert C. Morgan, Stacey E. Jackson and Mason, Ketterman & Morgan, Baltimore, Md., for defendants.

Karen Peltz Strauss and Marc P. Charmatz, Washington, D.C., for National Center for Law and Deafness and National Association of the Deaf Legal Defense Fund, amici curiae.

DAVIS, District Judge.

                                                           CONTENTS
                I.    Introduction ............................................................... 727
                II.   Brief of Amici Curiae ...................................................... 727
                III.  Summary Judgment Standards ................................................. 728
                IV.   The Facts .................................................................. 729
                V.    Legal Analysis of an ADA Claim ............................................. 732
                      A.  The ADA Statutory Framework ............................................ 732
                      B.  Statutory Language, Legislative History and EEOC Regulations ........... 734
                      C.  Burdens of Production and Proof ........................................ 737
                VI.   Legal and Factual Analysis of the Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment ....... 738
                      A.  ADA Issues ............................................................. 738
                          1. "Undue Hardship" .................................................... 738
                          2. Nondiscriminatory Reason for Transfer ............................... 741
                          3. Alternative Accommodations .......................................... 741
                          4. Lack of Discriminatory Motive ....................................... 742
                          5. Prima Facie Case .................................................... 742
                          6. Plaintiff Not Entitled to Judgment as a Matter of Law ............... 742
                      B.  Title VII .............................................................. 744
                      C.  Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress ........................... 746
                           1. Outrageousness of Conduct .......................................... 746
                           2. Severity of Emotional Distress ..................................... 748
                      D.  Negligent Selection, Supervision and Retention ......................... 750
                VII.  Conclusion ................................................................. 752
                

I. Introduction

The Plaintiff, JoAnn Bryant, filed this action in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, on March 20, 1995. It was removed to this Court on March 31, 1995. 28 U.S.C. § 1441. In her complaint, the Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants, the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, Inc., ("BBB") and its president, Philip Kershner, harassed and discriminated against her on the basis of her sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq., and her disability (hearing loss) in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. In addition, she has filed claims for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent selection, supervision and retention.¹ This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367. Presently before the Court are cross-motions for partial summary judgment and a joint motion by the National Association for the Deaf ("NAD") and the National Center for Law and Deafness ("NCLD") for leave to file a brief amici curiae with respect to the Plaintiff's disability discrimination claims. The Defendants oppose the latter motion.

For the reasons set forth below, the NAD's and NCLD's joint motion to file an amici curiae brief shall be granted. The Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment shall be denied. The Defendants' motion for partial summary judgment shall be granted with respect to the Plaintiff's sex discrimination claims based on disparate treatment, her intentional infliction of emotional distress claim, and her claims of negligent selection, supervision and retention. The Defendants' motion shall be denied, however, as to the Plaintiff's disability claims and her Title VII hostile work environment and retaliation claims.

II. Brief of Amici Curiae

Traditionally, the role of amici has been to act as a friend of the court, providing guidance on questions of law. "At the trial level, where issues of fact as well as law predominate, the aid of amicus curiae may be less appropriate than at the appellate level where such participation has become standard procedure." Yip v. Pagano, 606 F.Supp. 1566, 1568 (D.N.J.1985), aff'd, 782 F.2d 1033 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 476 U.S. 1141, 106 S.Ct. 2248, 90 L.Ed.2d 694 (1986). The decision to grant leave to proceed as amici at the trial court level is discretionary. Hoptowit v. Ray, 682 F.2d 1237, 1260 (9th Cir.1982); Waste Mgmt. v. York, 162 F.R.D. 34, 36 (M.D.Pa.1995) (collecting cases). The aid of amici curiae has been allowed at the trial level where they provide helpful analysis of the law, see, e.g., Waste Mgmt., 162 F.R.D. at 36, they have a special interest in the subject matter of the suit, Strasser v. Doorley, 432 F.2d 567, 569 (1st Cir.1970), or existing counsel is in need of assistance, United States v. Gotti, 755 F.Supp. 1157, 1158 (E.D.N.Y.1991); News & Sun-Sentinel Co. v. Cox, 700 F.Supp. 30, 32 (S.D.Fla.1988) (quoting Donovan v. Gillmor, 535 F.Supp. 154, 159 (N.D.Ohio), appeal dismissed, 708 F.2d 723 (6th Cir.1982)). A motion for leave to file an amicus curiae brief, however, should not be granted unless the court "`deems the proffered information timely and useful,'" Yip, 606 F.Supp. at 1568 (quoting 3A C.J.S. Amicus Curiae § 3 (1973)).

The Defendants argue that NAD and NCLD have gone beyond the traditional role of amicus curiae, as friend of the court, to become "friends of the Plaintiff." See Leigh v. Engle, 535 F.Supp. 418, 422 (N.D.Ill.1982). In particular, they point to the fact that NAD's and NCLD's "brief provisionally filed is titled, in part, `in Support of JoAnn Bryant....'" Dfs' Mem. of Law in Opp. to Mot. for Leave to file Brief Amici Curiae at 4. The Defendants also contend that the issues presented by the parties in their summary judgment motions have been adequately addressed without need for additional assistance from amici. Finally, according to the Defendants, NAD and NCLD "have no special interest in this litigation...." Id. Thus, they maintain that the motion for leave to file a brief amici curiae should be denied.

It is undoubtedly true that NAD and NCLD argue from a partisan position. It has been observed, however, that "by the nature of things an amicus is not normally impartial." Strasser, 432 F.2d at 569. Moreover, "there is no rule that amici must be totally disinterested." Funbus Sys., Inc. v. California Pub. Util. Comm'n, 801 F.2d 1120, 1125 (9th Cir.1986); Hoptowit, 682 F.2d at 1260.

In the instant case, I am satisfied that "those aspects of NAD's and NCLD's brief which advocate Plaintiff's position do not so taint it as to outweigh its usefulness." Yip, 606 F.Supp. at 1568. I also recognize that NAD and NCLD both represent large constituencies of individuals which have a vested interest in how the provisions of the ADA are construed and applied. In addition, NAD and NCLD have not enlarged the issues presented by the parties, see Wyatt by and through Rawlins v. Hanan, 868 F.Supp. 1356, 1358-59 (M.D.Ala.1994), and I believe that the aid of NAD and NCLD can be useful in resolving the issues presented by the parties, see Harris v. Pernsley, 820 F.2d 592, 603 (3d Cir.) ("Permitting persons to appear ... as friends of the court ... may be advisable where third parties can contribute to the court's understanding."), cert. denied sub nom., Castille v. Harris, 484 U.S. 947, 108 S.Ct. 336, 98 L.Ed.2d 363 (1987). Therefore, NAD's and NCLD's joint motion for leave to file a brief amici curiae shall be granted.

III. Summary Judgment Standards

Summary judgment may be granted if no genuine issues of material fact remain to be determined at trial. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56; see also Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Matsushita Elec. Indust. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). "A party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying with specificity those portions of the opposing party's case ... which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). A genuine issue remains "if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party." Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. at 2510.

When considering the motion, the court will view all facts and make all reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 255, 106 S.Ct. at 2513-2514; Shaw v. Stroud, 13 F.3d 791, 798 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 67, 130 L.Ed.2d 24, and cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 68, 130 L.Ed.2d 24 (1994); Miller v. Leathers, 913 F.2d 1085, 1087 (4th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1109, 111 S.Ct. 1018, 112 L.Ed.2d 1100 (1991). Mere speculation by the non-moving party cannot stave off a properly supported motion for summary judgment. See Beale v. Hardy, 769 F.2d 213, 214 (4th Cir.1985). In order to withstand the motion for summary judgment, the nonmoving party must produce sufficient evidence in the form of...