288 p reply - p msj

Upload: eugene-d-lee

Post on 30-May-2018

218 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    1/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    1617

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    Eugene D. Lee, No. 236812LAW OFFICE OF EUGENE LEE

    555 West Fifth Street, Suite 3100Los Angeles, CA 90013Phone: (213) 992-3299Fax: (213) 596-0487Email: [email protected]

    Attorney for Plaintiff DAVID F. JADWIN, D.O.

    UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

    EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

    FRESNO DIVISION

    DAVID F. JADWIN, D.O.,

    Plaintiff,

    v.

    COUNTY OF KERN, and PETER BRYANand IRWIN HARRIS in their individual andofficial capacities,

    Defendants.

    Case No. 1:07-cv-00026 OWW TAG

    PLAINTIFFS REPLY TO OPPOSITION TOMOTION FOR PARTIAL OR FULLSUMMARY JUDGMENT

    DATE: January 12, 2008TIME: 10:00 a.m.CTRM: U.S. District Court, Ctrm. 3

    2500 Tulare St., Fresno, CA

    TRIAL: March 24, 2008Complaint filed: January 6, 2007

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 1 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    2/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    1617

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    I. ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS

    A.

    Totality of the CircumstancesContrary to what Defendants contend, Plaintiffs Complaint asserts the totality of the

    circumstances approach under Yanowitz v. LOreal 36 Cal.4 th 1028, 1055. Plaintiffs complaint several

    times alleges Defendants creation of a hostile work environment. (e.g., Second Amended Complaint,

    Doc. 241 19, 44, 110, 136, etc.). And the record establishes that, over a number of years, Defendants

    targeted Plaintiff with a smear campaign of disparate treatment, heightened scrutiny, retaliatory peer

    review and baseless accusations. [DMF 69-190].

    Defendants decisions to 1) place letters of reprimand into Plaintiffs credentials file in October

    2005 for a minor time overrun at a monthly Cancer Conference (Credential Threat), 2) force Plaintiff

    from part-time onto full-time medical leave in April 2006 (Forced FT Leave), 3) remove Plaintiff

    from Pathology department chair (Demotion) in July 2006 and reduce his base pay by over $100,000

    in October 2006 (Paycut), 4) place Plaintiff on administrative leave in December 2006 for almost a

    year, denying him professional fee income and restricting him to his home during work hours (Admin

    Leave

    ), and 5) not renew his contract which expired in October 2007 (Nonrenewal), must all be

    considered collectively under Yanowitz as part of a series of subtle and not-so-subtle damaginginjuries to Plaintiff motivated by illegal retaliation and discrimination.

    B. Discrete Adverse Employment Actions

    However, caselaw also establishes that each of the foregoing stands on its own as a discrete

    adverse employment action. The California Supreme Court has held that an adverse employment action

    must materially affect the terms, conditions or privileges of employment. Yanowitz v. LOreal 36 Cal.4 th

    1028, 1036. In so doing, the court rejected the arguably broader federal deterrence standard. Ibid .

    However, the court further emphasized that the phrase terms, conditions, or privileges of employment

    must be interpreted liberally and with a reasonable appreciation of the realities of the workplace in order

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 2 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    3/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    1617

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    conduct that is merely offensive and requiring the conduct to cause a tangible psychological injury . Id .

    at 1053 (emphasis added).1. Credential Threat . Here, the evidence incontrovertibly establishes that the Credential Threat

    did cause Plaintiff a tangible psychological injury, and that it impaired his job performance so greatly

    that he had to request reduced work schedule medical leave in January 2006. [PMF 75]. 1 When Former

    Medical Staff President Scott Ragland (Ragland) was asked Is that a serious thing, for a physician at

    Kern Medical Center, to have a letter of reprimand or dissatisfaction entered into their medical staff

    file? he responded Of course. (Ragland Depo., 8/22/08, 264:25-265:4). Plaintiffs expert, Lawrence

    Weiss, Chair of Pathology at City of Hope National Medical Center, observed of the Credential Threat:

    I have never seen a physicians privileges threatened for such an insignificant and patently unwarranted

    reason. [DMF 106].

    Worse yet, Defendants have admitted they were on notice since 2003 that Plaintiff suffered from

    depression. 2 [DMF 62, 63, 64, 65]. Former Medical Staff President and psychiatrist Eugene Kercher

    (Kercher) testified as PMK representative on behalf of Defendant County that he was familiar with the

    symptoms of depression and had formed the opinion that Dr. Jadwin was depressed over the course of

    years of observing and working with him. [PMF 136]. Yet, Defendants engaged in a course of conductthat was calculated to wreak maximum havoc on Plaintiffs disability.

    First, on October 17, 2005, days after the monthly 1-hour cancer conference held on October 12,

    2005 (October Conference) at which Plaintiff had reported his patient care concerns to medical staff

    officers, doctors and residents regarding a radical hysterectomy that had been conducted based on

    deficient outside pathology reports, as well as the need for systematic, confirmatory review of outside

    pathology reports prior to undertaking surgery [PMF 89] the medical staff officers retaliated by calling

    Plaintiff into a meeting where they humiliated him for making his political statements [DMF 114],

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 3 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    4/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    1617

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    then told him of their decision to place three letters of reprimand solicited from conference attendees

    into Plaintiffs credentials file.3

    A formal joint letter of reprimand they delivered to Plaintiff at themeeting memorialized this decision and further threatened to subject [Plaintiff] to disciplinary action

    by the medical staff 4 if he were to again 1) run over time despite the fact that Plaintiff had spoken at

    most for only 15 minutes of the allotted 1 hour, that conferences at KMC run over all the time [PMF

    106], that the first presentation of that morning had run over by 5 minutes without incident [DMF 106],

    and that the subsequent November cancer conference ran over by 8 minutes [DMF 115] without

    incident, 2) ignore the requests of the leader of the conference, Albert McBride, to be brief despite the

    fact that McBride later testified that No, I was not upset with Dr. Jadwin. I have always had a lot of

    professional respect for Dr. Jadwin. Frankly, I think he is a very good pathologist (McBride Depo.,

    8/15/08, 34:1-3), I was not unhappy with [Plaintiffs] presentation. He had a lot of good material to

    present [DMF 106], and that I did not want to write this letter [of reprimand] but did so at the

    direction really of former Chief Medical Officer Irwin Harris (Harris) (McBride Depo., 8/26/08,

    30:6-7), or 3) use a public forum for making political statements direct evidence of retaliatory

    motive with respect to the content of Plaintiffs October Conference presentation, i.e., a complaint about

    patient care. Defendants further contend Plaintiff ruined the educational mission of the OctoberConference, 5 but the majority of attendee feedback forms collected at the end of the conference gave

    3 There is no question that this was a complaint relating to the care, services, or conditions of [a healthfacility] within the meaning of Health & Safety C. 1278.5(b)(1). Defendants own Opposition admitsthat Plaintiffs presentation criticized outside pathology reports of both the University of SouthernCalifornia and Stanford University. (Opposition, Doc. 276, 4:12-13) and took issue with the clinicians,William Roys, handling over a specific case. (Id., at 4:13-14). When McBride was asked indeposition, Would you say it would almost be medically irresponsible to conduct a hysterectomy on apatient based upon poor histology?, he responded Its a tough question, but the answer is, obviously,yes. I mean, you want to do the right operation for the right pathologyon anything. (McBride Depo.,8/15/08, 52:3-12).4 Defendants argue the Credential Threat does not fall within the scope of Health & Safety C. 1278.5(d), but that section expressly prohibits discriminatory treatment of an employee . . . whichincludes discharge demotion suspension or the threat of any of these actions (emphasis added)

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 4 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    5/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    1617

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    Plaintiff high marks for his presentation and included such praise as V. good speaker and Great.

    [DMF 109].To make matters worse, when Plaintiff then requested to see the letters of reprimand, Defendants

    refused. It was only when Plaintiffs attorney sent a letter to Defendant County that, on January 6, 2006,

    Defendants finally provided Plaintiff with copies of the letters in redacted form. (Second Amended

    Complaint, 69 (Doc. 241)) [DMF 32 (Tort Claims Act Complaint at Section 3.C, second paragraph)].

    Defendants resort to arguing no harm, no foul based on the fact that they ultimately decided

    not to put the letters into Plaintiffs credentials file. Yet, Harris testified they also chose not to tell this

    fact to Plaintiff, intentionally keeping him in the dark despite his many anxious inquiries about the

    letters being entered into his credentials file. (Harris Depo., 8/13/08, 167:3-8). Harris testified: Dr.

    Jadwin was repeatedly obsessed with whether or not the letter was in his fileBut I think he continued

    to believe that [the letters of reprimand] was. (Harris Depo., 8/13/08, 168:14-27).

    There is no question that, not only was the Credential Threat a serious threat to Plaintiffs

    credentials, but that Defendants were acting maliciously in retaliation for his whistleblowing and that

    they succeeded in willfully causing Plaintiff tangible psychological injury by re-igniting his major

    depressive disorder, of which they had been on notice.6

    2. Forced FT Leave . Defendants rely heavily on Swonke v. Sprint, Inc. (N.D. Cal. 2004) 327

    F.Supp.2d 1128 in support of the notion that an employer is permitted to place an employee on a leave

    the employee did not request. (Opposition, Doc. 276, 5:23-24). However, Swonke is distinguishable.

    There, plaintiffs medical providers had told the employer that plaintiff was unable to work at all, even

    with modifications. Swonke v Sprint, Inc. , 327 F.Supp.2d 1128, 1133. The court thus found nothing

    wrong with the fact that Plaintiffs managers told him to stay home and recuperate. Swonke v Sprint,

    Inc. , 327 F.Supp.2d 1128, 1138. Here, Plaintiffs medical leave certification made it abundantly clear

    that Plaintiff could work on a reduced work schedule [DMF 14] Moreover Defendant Bryan did not

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 5 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    6/23

    1

    23

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    medical leave entitlement. [DMF 21]. Bryan also suggested it was because Plaintiffs part-time leave

    was creating issues within the Pathology department. [DMF 21, Lee Opp. Decl., Exh. 2 (Bryan Depoat 249:24-250:19)]. The Forced FT Leave denied Plaintiff any opportunity to earn professional fees,

    which ranged between $6,000 to $8,000 per month in the 7 months leading up to April 28, 2006. [PMF

    25, Rizzardi Decl., Exh. 1, Table 7; Jadwin Decl. para 14].

    Defendants allege Plaintiff violated numerous medical leave protocols when he began his

    reduced work schedule medical leave on December 16, 2005 and that he unilaterally placed himself on

    leave. Those allegations are baseless. 7 Plaintiff was legally required only to give reasonable notice to

    his employer of his need for medical leave. 8 It is undisputed that Plaintiff gave such verbal and written

    notice to Defendant Bryan in early January 2006, and again in March 2006. [PMF 153; DMF 10, 11, 19,

    67]. Although Defendants designated December 16, 2005 as the beginning date of his leave, HR

    personnel testified that they had simply taken the date when Plaintiffs condition began as stated on the

    medical certification of Plaintiffs therapist, and deemed that Plaintiffs medical leave had begun on that

    date. (Nunn Depo., 2/27/08, 84:24-85:25). In fact, a review of Plaintiffs timesheets proves Plaintiff was

    working full-time from December 16, 2005 to January 9, 2006, taking 4 sick days off during the

    Christmas and New Year holidays [DMF 33, Bryan Memo to JCC of 7/10/06 at Bates 1532-1533)],

    upon conclusion of which Plaintiff timely gave Bryan reasonable notice of his need for medical leave.

    3. Demotion . Defendants digress into an analysis of the term demotion as it is technically

    defined by KMCs bylaws. However, the Yanowitz materiality framework, not KMCs bylaws, is

    controlling for purposes of adverse employment action analysis. Defendants attempt to superimpose

    their interpretations of KMC Bylaws onto adverse employment action analysis has no support in

    caselaw. As Defendants well know, Plaintiff use Demotion as shorthand for Plaintiffs removal

    7 Defendants rely heavily on former HR Director Sandra Chesters testimony to establish Plaintiffs

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 6 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    7/23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    8/23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    9/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    establishes his state of mind toward Plaintiffs oppositional activity: So why would you want to

    establish a contractual relationship with somebody whos suing you. [DMF 34-36, Watson Depo,

    8/25/08, 110:17-19].

    Defendants attempt to controvert Watsons testimony with obfuscation and a sham declaration.

    First they contend Watson only remembered a discussion about [Demotion] (Opposition, Doc. 276,

    10:19-20), but that is belied by the foregoing testimony. Watson confirmed the foregoing recollection

    not once, but three times (the third time volunteering it on his own initiative). [DMF 34-36]. Plaintiff

    even asked Watson if he was speculating or guessing as to whether retaliation for Plaintiffs lawsuit was

    a reason for the Nonrenewal decision: [A]re you just speculating now, just guessing, or was that a

    consideration for his nonrenewal? Watson responded, Well, I remember it being discussed. [DMF

    34-36, Watson Depo.,8/25/08, 110:23-111:5).

    Defendants cite to deposition testimony that appears over 200 pages and 2 hours earlier in the

    deposition transcript regarding a separate line of questioning to point out that Watson couldnt recall any

    discussions about termination, resignation or denial of Plaintiffs privileges. But that proves nothing

    about whether discussions about Nonrenewal had occurred. [DMF 34-36].

    Defendants argue that Watson couldnt clearly recall whether the JCC or the Board of

    Supervisors had voted not to renew Plaintiffs contract, and assert: In fact, neither the JCC nor the

    Board of Supervisors decided to let Plaintiffs contract expire. (Opposition, Doc. 276, 25:2-4). 13

    Similarly, Watson submitted a lawyer-drafted declaration stating: As a county supervisor, I am

    accustomed to making decisions and I assumed, if Dr. Jadwins contract was not renewed, there had

    been a decision to not renew it; however , there was no such decision . (Doc. 255, 2:12-14) (emphasisadded).

    These assertions are shams. First, when Watson was asked in deposition, So you dont recall a

    specific vote, but there was a decision not to renew [Plaintiffs] contract then?, he unequivocally

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 9 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    10/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    that The county decided not to renew Dr. Jadwins contract, which expired on October 4,

    2007Admit. (PMF 29 of Defendants Response to Plaintiffs Statement of Undisputed Facts, Doc.

    278, 7:3-4).

    Third, a contemporaneous email establishes that Defendant County had decided not to renew

    Plaintiffs contract as early as May 1, 2007. In an email to Plaintiffs counsel, carbon copied to Kern

    County counsel Mark Nations and Karen Barnes more than 5 months before Plaintiffs contract was due

    to expire, defense counsel wrote: If we cannot buyout [Plaintiffs] contract then the best [the County]

    can do is lift the [home] restrictions on [Plaintiffs] leave and let the contract run out ; The Countys

    initial thought was that it could cash Dr. Jadwin out of his remaining contract in return for a discounted

    lump sum payment. This would offer the mutual benefits of freeing him from administrative leave and

    getting on with his career and freeing the County from his contract . [PMF 63, Lee Supp. Decl., Exh.

    6 (Wasser Email to Lee of 5/1/07 at DFJ01705)]. 15 In response, Plaintiffs counsel sent a fax to defense

    counsel protesting KMCs decision not to renew Dr. Jadwins contract. [PMF 63, Lee Supp. Decl.,

    Exh. 7 (Lee Fax to Wasser of 5/1/07 at DFJ1702, 1703)]. Defendants never responded to the fax.

    Defendant County ended up running Plaintiffs contract out as it had said it would.

    It simply flies in the face of logic for Defendant County and Chairman Watson to now posit that

    there were no discussions or decisions regarding the expiration and nonrenewal of Plaintiffs contract.

    The County was anxious as early as May 1, 2007 to free itself from Plaintiffs contract. Watsons

    repeated admissions against interest establish retaliatory motives for the Nonrenewal. Defendants should

    not now be permitted to create an issue of fact where there is none through sham declarations and lies.

    II. COUNTSRegarding skull flaps, Plaintiffs suspicions of unlicensed tissue storage in violation of Health &

    Safety C. 1635.1 was reasonable. Plaintiffs successor, Philip Dutt testified that he later disposed of

    the up to 15 to 20 skull flaps being stored in an unlicensed freezer because he didnt want to take the

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 10 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    11/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    chance that some might be reimplanted into a patient and run afoul of regulators precisely his

    predecessors concern. (Dutt Depo., 8/20/08, 247:13-249:6). Prior to October 2006, Plaintiff had thought

    the skull flap issue resolved. (Martinez Depo., 4/16/08, 19:11-20:8).

    Regarding FMLA/CFRA, Defendants state that Neisendorf v. Levi Strauss & Co. stands for the

    proposition that Once the 12 weeks of [protected medical] leave have been taken, an employees rights

    under FMLA expire. (Opposition, Doc. 276, 17:11-12), 143 Cal.App.4th 509, 518. Defendants then

    argue in various places throughout their Opposition that all of Plaintiffs rights under FMLA/CFRA

    expired upon the end of his leave. This is wrong. Neisendorf established only that an employees right

    to reinstatement expires upon exhaustion of his 12 weeks of medical leave. 143 Cal.App.4th 509, 517-

    518. 16 Neisendorf did not establish that an employer could, for instance, retaliate with impunity against

    an employee for medical leave once his protected 12 weeks were ended.

    Regarding disability discrimination, 17 it is undisputed that Defendants approved Plaintiffs

    reduced work schedule medical leave from December 16, 2005 to April 28, 2006 whereby he worked

    and was only paid for 1 to 2 workdays per week [PMF 121, 226], yet the Pathology department

    continued to function well during that time. [PMF 123, 227; DMF 160]. Thus, there is no question that

    Plaintiff was otherwise qualified to perform the essential functions of his job with a reduced work

    schedule accommodation and that the accommodation was reasonable. Yet, when Plaintiff timely

    requested an extension of his accommodation [PMF 14], Defendant Bryan refused to engage in the

    interactive process 18 and instead forced Plaintiff onto Forced FT Leave.

    Regarding due process, several KMC doctors testified to their understanding that their positions

    at KMC were permanent barring cause. Shertukde Depo, 202:24-206:13; Naderi Depo., 17:10-18:5.

    16 Defendants also cite to the wrong jury instruction, CACI 2600 (failure to reinstate). Timeliness of notice is not an element under the correct instruction, CACI 2620. The elements to establish medicalleave retaliation under CFRA and FMLA are essentially the same.17 As was made clear in Plaintiffs Opposition FEHA expressly rejects several of the ADAs stricter

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 11 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    12/23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    13/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 13 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    14/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    CAST OF CHARACTERS HIERARCHICAL

    NAME DESCRIPTION

    Kern County Defendant

    Barbara Patrick Chair, Board of Supervisors, 2006

    Supervisor, 1994 2007

    Ray Watson Chair, Board of Supervisors, 2006

    Supervisor, 2002 present

    Bernard Barmann County Counsel for Kern County

    Mark Nations Chief Deputy County Counsel for Kern County

    Karen Barnes Chief Deputy County Counsel for Kern County

    Kern Medical Center (KMC) Acute care teaching hospital located in Bakersfield, CA, that

    is owned and operated by County of Kern.

    Joint Conference Committee (JCC) Highest decision-making body at KMC, comprised of 2

    Supervisors, CEO, President, Immediate Past President,

    President-elect, CMO, Nurse Executive, etc.

    Peter Bryan DefendantChief Executive Officer, 1995 - 9/15/06

    David Culberson Interim Chief Executive Officer, 8/25/06 5/15/07

    Marvin Kolb, M.D. Chief Medical Officer, 1999 8/3/04

    Irwin Harris, M.D. Defendant

    Chief Medical Officer, 2005 9/1/07

    Jennifer Abraham, M.D. Immediate Past President, 7/1/04-7/1/06

    Eugene Kercher, M.D. President-elect, 7/1/02 7/1/04

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 14 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    15/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    NAME DESCRIPTION

    Royce Johnson, M.D. Chair, Medicine

    Maureen Martin, M.D. Chair, Surgery

    Javad Naderi, M.D. Chair, Radiology

    Tai Yoo, M.D. Chair, Psychiatry

    Philip Dutt, M.D. Pathologist, 6/21/05 7/14/06

    Acting Chair, Pathology, 7/14/06 - present

    David F. Jadwin, D.O., F.C.A.P. Plaintiff

    Chair of Pathology, 10/24/00 7/10/06

    Staff Pathologist, 7/10/06 10/4/07

    Albert McBride, M.D. Moderator, Cancer Conference

    Bill Taylor, M.D. Surgeon

    Joseph Mansour, M.D. Gynecologist

    Savita Shertukde, M.D. Pathologist, 11/1/05 present

    Chester Lau, M.D. Former Radiologist

    William Roy, M.D. Former GynecologistGilbert Martinez Former Laboratory Manager

    Sandra Chester HR Director, 12/05 8/06

    Steven OConnor HR Director, 6/06 - present

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 15 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    16/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    CAST OF CHARACTERS ALPHABETICAL

    NAME DESCRIPTION

    Jennifer Abraham, M.D. Immediate Past President, 7/1/04-7/1/06

    Bernard Barmann County Counsel for Kern County

    Karen Barnes Chief Deputy County Counsel for Kern County

    Peter Bryan Defendant

    Chief Executive Officer, 1995 - 9/15/06

    Sandra Chester HR Director, 6/06 - present

    David Culberson Interim Chief Executive Officer, 8/25/06 5/15/07

    Philip Dutt, M.D. Acting Chair, Pathology, 7/14/06 - presentIrwin Harris, M.D. Defendant

    Chief Medical Officer, 2005 9/1/07

    David Jadwin, D.O.,

    F.C.A.P.

    Plaintiff

    Chair of Pathology, 10/24/00 7/10/06

    Staff Pathologist, 7/10/06 10/4/07

    Royce Johnson, M.D. Chair, Medicine

    Joint Conference

    Committee (JCC)

    Highest decision-making body at KMC, comprised of 2

    Supervisors, CEO, President, Immediate Past President,

    President-elect, CMO, Nurse Executive, etc.

    Eugene Kercher, M.D. President-elect, 7/1/02 7/1/04

    Medical Staff President, 7/1/04 7/1/06

    Immediate Past President, 7/1/06 7/1/08

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 16 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    17/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    NAME DESCRIPTION

    Chester Lau, M.D. Former Radiologist

    Joseph Mansour, M.D. Gynecologist

    Maureen Martin, M.D. Chair, Surgery

    Albert McBride, M.D. Moderator, Cancer Conference

    Javad Naderi, M.D. Chair, Radiology

    Mark NationsChief Deputy County Counsel for Kern County

    Steven O'Connor HR Director, 12/05 8/06

    Savita Shertukde, M.D. Pathologist, 11/1/05 present

    Bill Taylor, M.D. Surgeon

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 17 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    18/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 18 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    19/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    CHRONOLOGY

    DATE EVENT10/24/2000 Start of Plaintiff's employment

    ?/?/2003 Plaintiff tells Kolb of depression, putting County on notice of his depression disability

    12/26/2003 Plaintiff's salary increased

    10/12/2005 Whistleblowing (hysterectomy) : At October Cancer Conference, Plaintiff reports

    patient care issue re hysterectomy based on poor histology to Harris, Abraham, etc.

    10/17/2005 CREDENTIAL THREAT

    12/16/2005 Medical leave: HR deemed this to be the date when Plaintiff's reduced work schedule

    medical leave began

    1/9/2006 Medical leave: Plaintiff puts County on notice of the recurrence of his depression

    disability and gives reasonable notice of need for medical leave by notifying Bryan. He

    requests reasonable accommodation in form of reduced work schedule medical leave,

    which Bryan approves

    1/13/2006 Medical leave: Plaintiff submits medical leave certification from his therapist to HR

    2/22/2006 Harris and Kercher apologize to Plaintiff

    3/15/2006 Medical leave: Plaintiff's initial medical leave expires

    3/16/2006 Medical leave: Plaintiff requests further reasonable accommodation when he notifies

    Bryan of his need to extend his reduced work schedule medical leave

    4/17/2006 Whistleblowing (PCC) : Plaintiff reports PCC regulatory noncompliance to Bryan and

    requests meeting with Barmann4/17/2006 Bryan tells Plaintiff that the Pathology department is functioning well, but threatens to

    terminate him

    4/20/2006 Medical leave: HR sends Plaintiff notice by first class mail that his medical leave has

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 19 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    20/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    DATE EVENT4/28/2006 FORCED FT LEAVE

    5/31/2006 Plaintiff asks Bryan if he can get additional time past 6/16/06 deadline to decide whether

    to resign from his position at KMC

    6/14/2006 Bryan preempts Plaintiff and tells him he is initiating demotion procedures "effective

    June 17, 2006"; Bryan also places Plaintiff on 90-day personal leave

    6/16/2006 Deadline for Plaintiff's decision to return full-time (preempted by Bryan's 6/14/06 letter)

    6/29/2006 Plaintiff's counsel sends letter to Barnes re preservation/no spoliation of evidence

    7/10/2006 DEMOTION

    10/3/2006 PAYCUT

    10/4/2006 Plaintiff returns to work as demoted pathologist

    11/23/2006 Whistleblowing: Plaintiff notifies Martinez of intent to blow whistle to outside authorities

    11/27/2006 Whistleblowing (tipoff) : Harris and Dutt learn Plaintiff intends to blow whistle to

    outside authorities

    11/28/2006 Whistleblowing (skull flaps et al.) : Plaintiff blows whistle to DHS, CAP and JCAHO re

    skull flap regulatory noncompliance, PCC regulatory noncompliance, prostatectomy

    patient care issue, etc.

    12/6/2006 Whistleblowing (prostatectomy) : Plaintiff reports patient care issue re radical

    prostatectomy based on equivocal pathology to Culberson, Dutt, Harris and Barnes and

    requests Board of Supervisors be notified.

    12/7/2006 ADMIN LEAVE12/13/2006 Whistleblowing: Plaintiff formally notifies County of his whistleblowing report to DHS,

    CAP and JCAHO

    1/6/2007 Plaintiff files lawsuit

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 20 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    21/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    DATE EVENT10/4/2007 NONRENEWAL

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 21 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    22/23

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    78

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2122

    23

    24

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 22 of 23

  • 8/14/2019 288 P Reply - P MSJ

    23/23

    WORK LEAVE CHRONOLOGY

    12/15/05

    Nonrenewal10/4/07

    Demotion7/10/06

    4/28/06 6/17/06 10/4/06 12/7/06

    Admin Leave

    Return to Work

    (Demoted)

    ForcedPersonal

    Leave

    Forced FT Leave

    Reduced Work Schedule

    Medical Leave

    Duration 4 mos 2 mos 3.5 mos 2 mos 10 mos

    Workdays 2 days 0 days 0 days 5 days 0 daysper week

    Voluntary Leave

    n/a

    Case 1:07-cv-00026-OWW-TAG Document 288 Filed 12/08/2008 Page 23 of 23