Ruffin Hotel Corp. v. Gasper
17 A.3d 676
| Md. | 2011Background
- Gasper, employed by Ruffin Hotel, was terminated by Ahmed in 2005 after prior harassment complaints; Ruffin rehired Ahmed in 2004.
- Gasper claimed retaliatory discharge and negligent hiring/retention after Ahmed’s rehiring and alleged retaliation.
- Circuit Court excluded 2002 harassment evidence as irrelevant; submitted only retaliatory discharge to jury with a misstatement-issuing instruction.
- Court of Special Appeals ruled Gasper entitled to new trial on retaliatory discharge and negligent hiring/retention; evidence of prior acts excluded.
- This Court grants certiorari to resolve standard of proof for retaliation, preemption issues, and evidence-admissibility rules on remand.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaliation instruction use of determining factor | Gasper argued motivating factor standard | Ruffin argued determining factor standard | Instruction erroneous; new trial required |
| Negligent hiring/retention preemption | Not preempted by Title VII/MHRA/Montgomery Code | Preempted by Title VII/MHRA/Montgomery Code | Not preempted; claim can proceed |
| MWCA preemption of negligent hiring/retention | MWCA does not preempt negligent hiring/retention | MWCA exclusive remedy controls | Not preempted by MWCA |
| Admissibility of prior bad acts under Rule 5-404(b) in civil case | Evidence of supervisor's prior acts for motive/notice should be admissible | 5-404(b) excludes character evidence; prejudicial | 5-404(b) not applicable to civil; remand for appropriate 5-403/5-105 rulings |
Key Cases Cited
- Gasper v. Ruffin, 183 Md.App. 211, 183 Md.App. 211 (2008) (new trial on retaliatory discharge and negligent hiring/retention; improper instruction)
- Magee v. DanSources Tech. Servs., 137 Md.App. 527, 137 Md.App. 527 (2001) (retaliation standard as factor test in Maryland)
- Molesworth v. Brandon, 341 Md. 621, 341 Md. 621 (1996) (discussion of but-for vs. motivating factor in discrimination context)
- Brandon v. Molesworth, 104 Md.App. 167, 104 Md.App. 167 (1995) (instruction adequacy in discrimination wrongful discharge context)
- Watson v. Peoples Ins. Co., 322 Md. 467, 322 Md. 467 (1991) (public policy against retaliatory discharge independent of statute)
- Harris v. State, 324 Md. 490, 324 Md. 490 (1991) (exclusionary approach to 404(b) evidence in Maryland)