Sessin v. Thistledown Race Track, LLC et al
Filing
26
Opinion & Order signed by Judge James S. Gwin on 5/4/16. The Court, for the reasons set forth in this order, denies the defendants' motion for summary judgment as to the disability discrimination claims and grants the defendants' motion for summary judgment as to the retaliation claims, the hostile work environment claims, the constructive discharge claims and the intentional infliction of emotional distress claims. (Related Doc. 20 ) (D,MA)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
------------------------------------------------------:
JOSEPH SESSIN,
:
:
Plaintiff,
:
:
v.
:
:
THISTLEDOWN RACETACK, LLC, et al., :
:
Defendants.
:
-------------------------------------------------------
Case. No. 1:15-CV-01691
OPINION & ORDER
[Resolving Doc. 20]
JAMES S. GWIN, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE:
On August 24, 2015, Plaintiff Joseph Sessin filed a complaint against Defendants
Thistledown Racetrack, LLC, Thistledown Management, LLC, and Lynn Shoda
(“Thistledown”). He alleges disability discrimination, hostile work environment, constructive
discharge, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress
Defendants move for summary judgment.1 For the following reasons, the Court DENIES
Defendants’ motion for summary judgment as to the disability discrimination claims and
GRANTS Defendants’ motion for summary judgment as to the retaliation claims, the hostile
work environment claims, the constructive discharge claims and the intentional infliction of
emotional distress claims.
I.
Factual Background
Thistledown is a “racino” located in Ohio which offers a combination of live horse
racing, video lottery terminals, dining and nightlife options. Plaintiff Sessin began working at
Thistledown as an Accounting Supervisor in February 2013.2 Director of Finance Lynn Shoda
interviewed and hired Sessin. Shortly after Sessin started his employment at Thistledown,
1
2
Doc. 20.
Doc. 20-2 at 93-97.
Case No.15-cv-01691
Gwin, J.
Rebecca Ivey joined Thistledown as another Accounting Supervisor.3 Ivey had previously
worked in the accounting department at Horseshoe Casino and was finishing her work for that
casino before joining Thistledown.4
Plaintiff Sessin spent the first months of his employment preparing Thistledown for its
grand opening.5
For the last 25 years, Sessin has had Meniere’s disease. As a result of the hearing loss
associated with Meniere’s disease, Sessin wears visible hearing aids on both ears.6 Sessin never
disclosed to anyone at Thistledown that he had Meniere’s disease, and he never missed a day of
work.7
Finance Director Shoda testified that she did not notice Sessin’s hearing aids until
someone pointed them out to her.8 Plaintiff testified that during a staff meeting in late April or
early May in Shoda’s office, Shoda yelled to him, “I can never tell if you are hearing me.”9 This
comment offended Sessin. During this meeting, Sessin indicated that if he does have trouble
hearing others speak, he can also read lips.10
Around the same time, Plaintiff says Shoda chose Ivey to attend a Las Vegas training
instead of Sessin.11 Finance Director Shoda says the decision of whether to send Plaintiff to the
training was made by someone in Caesar’s Las Vegas corporate headquarters.12 Thistledown
Racino is a Caesar’s casino.13 Sessin says he had planned to attend the Las Vegas training
3
Id. at 187.
Doc. 20-3 at 50.
5
Doc. 20-2 at 152.
6
Doc. 22-1.
7
Id. at 138.
8
Doc. 24-1 at 88.
9
Doc. 25-1 at 49.
10
Doc. 22-1 at 11.
11
Id. at ¶ 15.
12
Doc. 24-3 at 37.
13
Doc. 24-1 at 226.
4
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Gwin, J.
seminar with his team to get more gaming experience to apply to his job.14 Ivey had attended this
training already, and testified that someone at Caesar’s corporate decided that she should go
instead of Sessin.15 Defendants say that the training was for Accounting Clerks, not for
Accounting Supervisors like Plaintiff.16
Plaintiff Sessin says that in late April or early May 2013, Finance Director Shoda
effectively demoted Sessin and Ivey replaced him as the sole Accounting Supervisor.17 Ivey
testified that Shoda told her that Ivey would transition to become the primary supervisor of the
entire accounting team.18 Plaintiff Sessin also points to Shoda’s handwritten notes that state,
“Joe- transitioned out of supervisor role. Focus is now solely invoices.”19
On May 29, 2013, Plaintiff Sessin met with Rick Skinner, Thistledown’s General
Manager and Shoda’s immediate supervisor, to discuss Finance Director Shoda’s comment from
the staff meeting.20 Skinner told Sessin to let him know if anything similar were to happen.21
On May 30, 2013, Sessin received his 90-day Performance Review in Shoda’s office with
Shoda and Human Resources Manager TreVina Johnson present.22 Plaintiff Sessin says Shoda
made discriminatory comments during the Performance Review. During that meeting, Shoda
asked Plaintiff, “if you read lips, why are you not looking at me?”23
Plaintiff did not complain to anyone at Thistledown of the comment that day. On June
4th, 2013, Sessin resigned by handing in a resignation letter.24 In the letter, Plaintiff wrote that
14
Doc. 22-1 at ¶ 13.
Doc. 24-3 at 36-37.
16
Id. at 35-36.
17
Doc. 22-1 at ¶19.
18
Doc. 24-3 at 21-22.
19
Doc. 22-6.
20
Doc. 25-1 at 223.
21
Id. at 227.
22
Id. at 215.
23
Doc. 24-1 at 119-21.
24
Doc. 25-1 Ex. 3.
15
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his “disability has never impacted my ability to perform the essential functions of my job.”25 He
also wrote that Shoda created a “hostile and offensive work environment” and that “although my
feelings never impacted the method and manner in which I performed my job, those feelings
have reached a level in which I do not feel I can continue to perform my duties within the
environment which has been created by Ms. Shoda.”26
Procedural History
Plaintiff sued Defendants, asserting nine causes of action: (1) disability discrimination in
violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act; (2) hostile work
environment based on disability discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities
Act and Amendments Act; (3) constructive discharge based on disability discrimination in
violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act; (4) disability
discrimination in violation of Ohio Revised Code §4112.01; (5) hostile work environment based
on disability discrimination in violation of O. R.C. §4112.01; (6) constructive discharge based on
disability discrimination in violation of O. R.C. §4112.01; (7) retaliation in violation of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act; (8) retaliation in violation of O. R.C.
§4112.01; and (9) intentional infliction of emotional distress.27
Defendants move for summary judgment on all claims.28
II. Legal Standard
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56, “[s]ummary judgment is proper when ‘there is
no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of
law.’”29 The moving party must first demonstrate that there is an absence of a genuine dispute as
25
Id.
Id.
27
Doc. 1.
28
Doc. 20.
29
Killion v. KeHE Distribs., LLC, 761 F.3d 574, 580 (6th Cir. 2014) (quoting Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 56(a)).
26
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Gwin, J.
to a material fact entitling it to judgment.30 Once the moving party has done so, the non-moving
party must set forth specific facts in the record—not its allegations or denials in pleadings—
showing a triable issue.31 The existence of some doubt as to the material facts is insufficient to
defeat a motion for summary judgment.32 But the Court views the facts and all reasonable
inferences from those facts in favor of the non-moving party.33
III. Discussion
A. Disability Discrimination
Plaintiff brings a disability discrimination claim under the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) and Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112. According to the Sixth Circuit, disability
discrimination claims under the ADA and O. R.C. § 4112.02 can both be analyzed solely under
the ADA.34 Thus, the Court will analyze Plaintiff’s disability discrimination claims under both
federal and state law together.
A plaintiff may establish a prima facie case of handicap discrimination under the ADA
by showing that: 1) he is a disabled person within the meaning of the Act; 2) he is otherwise
qualified to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable
accommodation; 3) he suffered an adverse employment decision due to his disability; and 4) the
employer knew or had reason to know of his disability.35
Defendants only challenge the third prong of the analysis, arguing that Plaintiff Sessin
did not suffer an adverse employment action.36
30
See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986).
See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587 (1986).
32
Id. at 586.
33
Killion, 761 F.3d at 580. (internal citation omitted).
34
Brenneman v. MedCentral Health Sys., 366 F.3d 412, 418 (6th Cir. 2004) (collecting citations).
35
Sullivan v. RiverValley Sch. Dist., 197 F.3d 804, 810 (6th Cir. 1999).
36
Defendants note that they are not waiving their argument as to Plaintiff’s disability and are assuming only for
summary judgment purposes that he can establish that is disabled under the ADAAA. Doc. 23 at n 1.
31
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“In order to make a prima facie claim of discrimination, the plaintiff must also show that
[he] suffered an adverse employment action due to [his] disability.”37 Such an action is one that
creates a “materially adverse change in the terms or conditions . . . of employment because of
[the] employer’s conduct.”38 A materially adverse change includes, “termination of employment,
a demotion evidenced by a decrease in wage or salary, a less distinguished title, a material loss of
benefits, significantly diminished material responsibilities, or other indices that might be unique
to a particular situation.”39
Although a close call, this Court finds that there is a genuine issue of material fact as to
whether Plaintiff Sessin suffered an adverse employment action. There is a question of fact as to
whether Sessin experienced significantly diminished responsibilities within the accounting
department.
Defendants say that Plaintiff remained an Accounting Supervisor from the time he was
hired to the time he resigned. Sessin’s title and pay did not change. However, Finance Director
Shoda’s own handwritten notes indicate that Sessin was “transitioned out of supervisor role.”40
Her notes further indicated that Sessin’s “focus is now solely invoices.”41
Moreover, co-worker Ivey testified that Shoda told her that Ivey would be transitioning to
becoming the primary supervisor of the entire team.42 Although Ivey testified that she considered
Sessin to still be on the same level as her after the change, she admitted that Sessin was no longer
supervising people after the change.43 Plaintiff Sessin says that he lost his supervisor position
and had his “job responsibilities significantly diminished,” explaining that “instead of being the
37
Talley v. Family Dollar Stores of Ohio, Inc., 542 F.3d 1099, 1107 (6th Cir. 2008).
Id.
39
Kocsis v. Multi-Care Management, Inc., 97 F.3d 876, 885-86 (6th Cir. 1996).
40
Doc. 22-6.
41
Id.
42
Doc. 24-3 at 22.
43
Id. at 23.
38
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supervisor of my team of employees, including the employees I had hired, I was now working
alongside them, taking direction from Ivey.”44
Defendants say that Broska v. Henderson holds that the “mere shifting of such job
responsibilities is insufficient to rise to the level of an adverse employment action.”45 This Court
disagrees. In Broska, the only evidence the Broska Plaintiff gave of adverse employment action
based on a change in work duties that lowered the amount of overtime he could work was a
“terse statement in his affidavit” that his employer diminished his “work responsibilities in the
sorting of my business mail.”46 The Sixth Circuit found that evidence insufficient to withstand
defendant’s summary judgment motion. Here, in addition to his own affidavit, Plaintiff offers the
written notes of Finance Director Shoda indicating that Plaintiff was transitioned out of the
supervisor role as well as Ivey’s testimony where she acknowledged Sessin was no longer
supervising.
Defendants further cite to the Sixth Circuit’s holding in Momah v. Dominguez that an
“employee’s subjective impressions as to the desirability of one position over another are not
relevant” in determining whether the employee suffered an adverse employment action.47 This
citation is not on point. In this case, Sessin provided evidence of more than just his own
subjective impressions—namely, Shoda’s note and Ivey’s deposition.
Defendants briefly argue that even if Sessin’s demotion were an adverse employment
action, Sessin is unable to establish the “but-for” causation required to link the adverse
employment action to his disability. However, “because the moving party must “show [ ] that
there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact” under Rule 56(a), an employer acting as the
44
Doc. 22-1 at ¶ 21.
Broska v. Henderson, 70 F. App’x 262 (6th Cir. 2003).
46
Id. at 268.
47
Momah v. Dominguez, 239 F. App’x 114, 123 (6th Cir. 2007).
45
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moving party must show that no reasonable juror could find that the employee would have been
retained in the absence of his disability.”48 Here, Defendants offer no arguments or evidence to
show that Ivey, and not Sessin, would be given supervisory responsibilities regardless of his
disability. Defendants focus their arguments solely on Sessin’s demotion not qualifying as an
adverse employment action.
Plaintiff Sessin, on the other hand, argues that his disability was the reason for the
adverse employment action given Shoda’s comments about his hearing. Thus, there exists an
issue of material fact as to the causation behind the adverse employment action suffered by
Sessin.
It is best left for a jury to decide whether Sessin would have been demoted in the absence
of his disability. This Court DENIES Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff’s
disability discrimination claims.
B. Hostile Work Environment
Federal and state claims for hostile work environment are evaluated under the same
standards.49 Thus, this Court will analyze Plaintiff’s federal and state hostile work environment
claims together.
To establish a hostile work environment claim based on disability, a plaintiff must show
that (1) he was disabled; (2) he was subjected to unwanted harassment; (3) the harassment was
based on his disability; (4) the harassment unreasonably interfered with his work performance,
and (5) the defendant either knew or should have known about the harassment and failed to take
corrective measures.50
48
Saley v. Caney Fork, LLC, 886 F. Supp. 2d 837, 853 (M.D. Tenn. 2012).
See Heyden v. Morton Salt, Inc., No. 5:13CV1706, 2015 WL 1383654, at *10 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 25, 2015).
50
Trepka v. Bd. of Educ., 28 F. App’x 455, 461 (6th Cir. 2002).
49
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A hostile work environment claim can survive only where “the workplace is permeated
with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to
alter the conditions of the victim’s employment.”51 This Court must consider all the
circumstances, “including the frequency of the discriminatory conduct; its severity; whether it is
physically threatening or humiliating, or a mere offensive utterance; and whether it unreasonably
interferes with an employee’s work performance.”52 Offhand comments and isolated incidents,
unless extremely serious, will not amount to discriminatory changes in the “terms and conditions
of employment.”53
Here, the parties are stipulating for the purposes of summary judgment that Plaintiff
Sessin is disabled. As for the harassment, Plaintiff alleges three factors to support his hostile
work environment claim: 1) Shoda’s two comments regarding whether Plaintiff could hear her 2)
Plaintiff not attending the Las Vegas training and 3) Ivey assuming supervisory duties and
Plaintiff’s alleged demotion.
This Court believes that a reasonable jury could not find the environment faced by
Plaintiff at Thistledown objectively hostile. First, the two statements made by Shoda do not rise
to the level of “severe and pervasive.” Plaintiff Sessin acknowledged that Shoda’s statements
could serve the non-discriminatory purpose of making sure that he heard Shoda.54 Further,
Plaintiff wrote in his resignation letter that Shoda’s comments “never impacted the method and
manner in which I performed my job.”55 Thus, Plaintiff Sessin admits that Shoda’s comments did
not unreasonably interfere with his work.
51
Harris v. Forklift Sys. 510 U.S. 17, 21 (1993).
Nat’l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101, 116, (2002) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
53
Hafford v. Seidner, 183 F.3d 506, 512–513 (6th Cir. 1999).
54
Doc. 25-1 at 53.
55
Id. at 214-215, Ex. 3.
52
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As far as the Las Vegas training, the record indicates that Shoda did not make the
decision not to send Sessin—someone at Caesar’s Corporate did.56 No evidence shows that the
Caesar Corporate deciders knew about Sessin’s hearing disabilities. Further, the training was
intended for the Clerks.57 Thus, not going to the training did not unreasonably interfere with
Sessin’s work performance and does not constitute evidence of a hostile work environment.
Finally, Sessin points to his alleged change in his job responsibilities as evidence of
hostile work environment. Although this Court finds that the change in job responsibilities
constitutes an adverse employment action, it does not result in a hostile work environment. The
disability discrimination and hostile work environment claims are distinct, and the change in job
responsibilities does not meet the standard for a hostile work environment. The existence of an
adverse employment action does show that the workplace was permeated with “intimidation,
ridicule, and insult.” This Court finds that Plaintiff loses on the hostile work environment claims
and GRANTS summary judgment to Defendants on these claims.
C. Retaliation
Ohio Revised Code § 4112.02(I) and Title VII prohibit retaliatory actions against
employees who oppose, report, or participate in investigations involving conduct that allegedly
violates Ohio Revised Code §4112.01(I) or Title VII.58
The burden for establishing a retaliation claim under Ohio Revised Code § 4112 is
identical to the burden for establishing retaliation under the federal employment laws.59 In order
to establish a prima facie case of retaliation, Plaintiff must establish that: (1) he engaged in
activity protected by Title VII; (2) the exercise of his civil rights was known to the defendant; (3)
56
Doc. 24-3 at 36-37.
Id.
58
See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a).
59
See Bukta v. J.C. Penney Co., Inc., 359 F. Supp.2d at 671, n.15 (citing Moorer v. Copley Twp., 98 F. Supp. 2d
838 (N.D. Ohio 2000) (Chandler v. Empire Chem., Inc., 650 N.E.2d 950 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994).
57
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the Defendants thereafter took an adverse employment action to Plaintiff; and (4) there was a
causal connection between Plaintiff’s protected activity and the adverse employment action by
Defendants.60
Here, Plaintiff Sessin says that he engaged in protected activity when on May 29, 2013,
he told Skinner about Shoda’s comments from the first meeting. Defendants agree that if this
happened, it would be protected activity. But Plaintiff loses this claim because he did not suffer
an adverse employment action after speaking to Skinner. Sessin’s effective demotion occurred in
late April or early May 2013, before he spoke to Skinner.61
Sessin argues that the alleged Shoda comments to him at his 90-day review meeting
constitute an adverse employment action. This is not the case. As our analysis above indicates,
an adverse employment action is a “materially adverse change in the terms and conditions of [the
plaintiff’s] employment.” Isolated and potentially offensive comments do not constitute a
materially adverse change in the terms and conditions of employment and thus do not result in an
adverse employment action here.
Plaintiff Sessin fails to establish a prima facie case of retaliation. This Court GRANTS
summary judgment to Defendants on the retaliation claims.
D. Constructive Discharge
The Supreme Court has held, “under the constructive discharge doctrine, an employee’s
reasonable decision to resign because of unendurable working conditions is assimilated to a
formal discharge for remedial purposes. The inquiry is objective: Did working conditions
60
61
See McElroy v. Philips Med. Sys. N. Am., Inc., 127 F. App’x 161 (6th Cir. 2005).
Doc. 22-1 at 19.
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become so intolerable that a reasonable person in the employee’s position would have felt
compelled to resign?” Ohio courts ask the same question.62
The Sixth Circuit has held, “A constructive discharge claim “depends upon the facts of
each case and requires an inquiry into the intent of the employer and the reasonably foreseeable
impact of the employer’s conduct upon the employee.”63 To establish a constructive discharge,
the plaintiff must prove both that (1) the employer deliberately created intolerable working
conditions, as perceived by a reasonable person, and (2) the employer did so with the intention of
forcing the employee to quit.”64 The Sixth Circuit has recommended factors to consider with
regard to a Title VII constructive discharge claim:
Whether a reasonable person would have felt compelled to resign depends on the
facts of each case, but we consider the following factors relevant, singly or in
combination: (1) demotion; (2) reduction in salary; (3) reduction in job
responsibilities; (4) reassignment to menial or degrading work; (5) reassignment
to work under a younger supervisor; (6) badgering, harassment, or humiliation by
the employer calculated to encourage the employee’s resignation; or (7) offers of
early retirement or continued employment on terms less favorable than the
employee’s former status.65
Here, only two of the factors potentially apply to Plaintiff Sessin’s situation: demotion
and reduction in job responsibilities. As discussed above, Plaintiff Sessin did not suffer a
reduction in salary nor did he put forth sufficient evidence of “badgering, harassment, or
humiliation by the employer calculated to encourage the employee’s resignation” or “offers of
early retirement or continued employment on terms less favorable than the employee’s former
status.”
Plaintiff Sessin also does not offer any direct evidence that he was reassigned to menial
or degrading work although he testifies, “instead of being the supervisor of my team of
62
Mauzy v. Kelly Servs., Inc., 664 N.E.2d 1272, 1280-81 (Ohio 1996).
Smith v. Henderson, 376 F.3d 529, 533 (6th Cir. 2004).
64
Logan v. Denny’s, Inc., 259 F.3d 558, 569 (6th Cir. 2001).
65
Id. (citation omitted).
63
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employees, including the employees I had hired, I was now working alongside of them, taking
direction from Ivey.”66
Shoda testified that she hired both Ivey and Sessin during a time when Thistledown was
preparing to open the racino. Shoda testified that “once the operation was stabilized . . . the
supervisors would be responsible for the same activities completed by their teams.”67
Shoda further says that she told Sessin when he came on there was a “current state and
we were building towards a future state.”68 Shoda explained that when Sessin joined
Thistledown, “the focus was on building the accounting operation, the business processes to
support the audit…” Shoda says she laid out the job responsibility expectations in regular
meeting with Sessin and Ivey.69
Both Shoda and Ivey testified that after Sessin’s alleged role transition, he did not report
to Ivey.70 Shoda maintains that all employees had their role and responsibilities modified as
Thistledown began operating.71
Given this context and the Sixth Circuit factors, a reasonable person would not find
Plaintiff’s alleged changes in job responsibilities and demotion to be intolerable working
conditions. And Plaintiff Sessin has put forth no evidence that Defendants deliberately imposed
the changes in order to force him to quit. If anything, the evidence shows that Defendants
considered Plaintiff Sessin’s position to necessitate changes in responsibilities given the
particular juncture the company was at.
66
Doc. 22-1at ¶ 21.
Doc. 24-1 at 40.
68
Id. at 53.
69
Id. at 41.
70
Doc. 24-1 at 95; Doc. 24-3 at 23.
71
Doc. 24-1 at 96.
67
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Because Plaintiff is unable to meet the objective or subjective prongs of the constructive
discharge inquiry, Plaintiff’s constructive discharge claims lose. This Court GRANTS summary
judgment to Defendants on the constructive claims.
E. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Plaintiff also brings an Ohio state law claim against Defendants for intentional infliction
of emotional distress. To recover on an intentional infliction of emotional distress claim, Plaintiff
must prove four elements:
(1) that the actor either intended to cause emotional distress or knew or should
have known that actions taken would result in serious emotional distress to the
plaintiff, (2) that the actor’s conduct was so extreme and outrageous as to go
“beyond all possible bounds of decency” and was such that it can be
considered as “utterly intolerable in a civilized community,” (3) that the
actor’s actions were the proximate cause of plaintiff’s psychic injury, and (4)
that the mental anguish suffered by plaintiff is serious and of a nature that “no
reasonable man could be expected to endure it.”72
“When claiming an intentional infliction of mental distress, only that conduct which
exceeds ‘all possible bounds of decency’ is actionable.”73 For the conduct to qualify as
sufficiently extreme and outrageous, “[g]enerally, the case is one in which the recitation of the
facts to an average member of the community would arouse his resentment against the actor, and
lead him to exclaim, Outrageous!”74
The facts in this case could not arouse this level of resentment in a rational trier of fact.
Defendants’ alleged discriminatory conduct—two isolated comments and an effective
demotion—does not constitute conduct “so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree, as
72
Pyle v. Pyle, 463 N.E.2d 98, 103 (Ohio App. Ct. 1983) (quoting Restatement (Second) Torts § 46 cmts. d, j
(1965)); see also Miller v. Currie, 50 F.3d 373, 377 (6th Cir. 1995).
73
Davis v. Billow Co. Falls Chapel, 610 N.E.2d 1024, 1026 (Ohio 1991).
74
Yeager v. Local Union 20, Teamsters, 453 N.E.2d 666, 671 (Ohio 1983) (quoting Restatement (Second) Torts §
46, cmt. d (1965)).
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to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious, and utterly
intolerable in a civilized community.”75
The Sixth Circuit has warned that every discrimination claim should not simultaneously
become a cause of action for the intentional infliction of emotional distress.76 Here, Plaintiff
Sessin testifies that he suffered depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and sadness.
Ohio Courts have held, “Summary judgment is appropriate when the plaintiff presents no
testimony from experts or third parties as to the emotional distress suffered and where the
plaintiff does not seek medical or psychological treatment for the alleged injuries.”77 Plaintiff
Sessin has not put forth any such evidence. His intentional infliction of emotional distress claim
fails. This Court GRANTS summary judgment to Defendants as to Plaintiff’s Intentional
Infliction of Emotional Distress claim.
IV. Conclusion
For the reasons above, this Court GRANTS Defendants’ motion for summary judgment
as to the hostile work environment, retaliation, constructive discharge and intentional infliction
of emotional distress claims. This Court DENIES Defendants’ motion for summary judgment as
to the disability discrimination claims.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: May 4, 2016
s/
James S. Gwin
JAMES S. GWIN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
75
Yeager, 453 N.E.2d 666 at 671.
Godfredson v. Hess & Clark, Inc., 173 F.3d 365, 376 (6th Cir. 1999).
77
Crable v. Nestle USA, Inc., No. 86746, 2006 WL 1555405, at *9 (Ohio Ct. App. June 8, 2006).
76
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