Calson Tower Geriatric CenterDownload PDFNational Labor Relations Board - Board DecisionsSep 10, 1986281 N.L.R.B. 399 (N.L.R.B. 1986) Copy Citation CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER Health Enterprises of America , Inc. d/b/a Calson Tower Geriatric Center and Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc., a successor to Health Enter- prises of America , Inc., d/b/a Calson Tower Geriatric Center and Local 545, United Food and Commercial Workers, AFL-CIO-CLC. Case 14-CA-14645 10 September 1986 SUPPLEMENTAL DECISION AND ORDER BY MEMBERS JOHANSEN , BABSON, AND STEPHENS On 26 August 1983 Administrative Law Judge Elbert D. Gadsden issued the attached supplemen- tal decision,' modified by the attached Errata which issued 9 and 15 September 1983 . The Re- spondent , Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc., filed exceptions and a supporting brief. The National Labor Relations Board has delegat- ed its authority in this proceeding to a three- member panel. The Board has considered the supplemental deci- sion and the record in light of the exceptions and brief and has decided to affirm the judge 's rulings, findings, s and conclusions and to adopt the recom- mended Order, as modified. 3 1 Pursuant to a settlement stipulation entered into by the Respondent, Health Enterprises of America (HEA), the Union and the General Coun- sel, the Board on 12 May 1981 issued a Consent Order, directing HEA to check off union dues, make health and welfare fund contributions , furnish relevant information requested by the Union, bargain in good faith with the Union, report employee discharges to the Union as required by the collective-bargaining agreement, and abide by two arbitration awards re- instating employees Mary Young and Barbara Pannell with backpay. The Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit enforced the Consent Order against HEA on 28 July 1981 and against HEA's successor, Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc. (Geriatric), on 12 August 1982. a In the appendices to his supplemental decision, the judge made cer- tain typographical and mathematical errors in calculating the backpay amounts owed the claimants . App. A is corrected to state that the gross backpay amounts for Mary Young are calculated on the basis of pay peri- ods, not weeks, that the 'gross and net backpay due her in each of the first and second quarters of 1982 is $2009 .22, and that the total backpay due her is $15,752 .42. App. C is corrected to show that in the first 5.5 pay periods of the first quarter of 1982, Barbara Pannell would have earned $364 .01 per pay period . App. D is corrected to delete the backpay claim of Louis McPherson . The record establishes that her actual wages were more than the contractual wages and accordingly that no backpay is due her. App. D is further corrected to state that the contractual gross earnings figures for employees Wirda Bynum and Alonzo Green are $9913 .75 and $8888.08, respectively , that the actual gross earnings of Geraldine Spencer are $3626.25 in 1981 and that the total actual gross earnings of Elzora Hooker are $699 . The judge's calculations of the net backpay due these and the other listed employees are correct, with the exception that Hooker is due 40 cents . We adopt the judge's appendices subject to the above modifications. By telegram of 8 March 1983, HEA notified the General Counsel that it agreed to pay half the backpay owed to Young and Pannell, but it did not otherwise participate in this backpay proceeding . The Order is modified to correct the judge 's inadvertent failure to recommend, as al- leged in the backpay specification, that HEA be held jointly and several- ly liable with Geriatric for backpay and interest owed these employees and for health and welfare fund contributions and interest, if any, owed on behalf of Young. 399 ORDER It is ordered that Respondents Health Enter- prises of America, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, and Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc., St . Louis, Mis- souri, their officers, agents, successors, and assigns, shall jointly and severally: (1) Pay to employee Mary Young, as net back- pay, $15,752.42, with interest computed in the manner set forth in Florida Steel Corp., 231 NLRB 651 (1977), minus tax withholdings required by law. (2) Pay to the Regional Director for Region 14, $8673.66, with interest computed as in Florida Steel Corp., supra, to be held in an escrow account on behalf of employee Barbara Pannell for 1 year, in order to give Barbara Pannell an opportunity to come or to be brought forward by the Charging Party, and be examined by the Respondents. (3) Pay contributions to Local 545, United Food and Commercial Workers, AFL-CIO-CLC, Health and Welfare Fund, on behalf of employee Mary Young, $1172.35, with such interest or other sums as specified by the pertinent fund agreement. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondent Geriat- ric Center of St. Louis, Missouri, its officers, agents, successors , and assigns, shall pay to the 61 employees named in Appendix D the amounts set forth opposite their respective names, with interest computed as in Florida Steel Corp., supra, minus tax withholdings required by law. The judge inadvertently failed to specify in his recommended Order that interest on net backpay owed to Young and Pannell and the employ- ees named in App . D be calculated in the manner set forth in Florida Steel Corp., 231 NLRB 651 (1977). The recommended Order also fails to direct that any interest or penalty owed on arrearages to the health and welfare fund on Young 's behalf be computed in the manner set forth in Merryweather Optical Co., 240 NLRB 1213 (1979). Finally, although we agree with the judge 's recommended 1-year period regarding the escrow account to be created on behalf of claimant Pannell, who had not been located as of the time of the backpay hearing, we apply the standards set forth in Starhte Cuttin& Inc., 280 NLRB 1071 (1986). Robert L. Seigel, Esq., for the General Counsel. Robert W. Stewart, Esq. (McMahon, Berger, Breckinridge,• Hanna, Linihan & Cody), of St. Louis, Missouri, for the Respondent. James I. Singer, Esq. (Schuchat Cook and Werner), of St. Louis, Missouri, for the Charging Party. SUPPLEMENTAL DECISION STATEMENT OF THE CASE ELBERT D. GADSDEN , Administrative Law Judge. This proceeding is initiated pursuant to a Decision and Order of the National Labor Relations Board in Case 14-CA-14645 on May 12, 1981 , directing Health Enter- prises of America, Inc., d/b/a Calson Tower Geriatric Center (Health Enterprises), inter alia, to comply with 281 NLRB No. 52 400 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD and abide by arbitration awards issued pursuant to arbi- tration proceedings under the grievance and arbitration provisions of its collective-bargaining agreement with Local 545, United Food and Commercial Workers, AFL-CIO-CLC (the Union), and to abide by the provi- sions of its collective-bargaining agreement with the Union. The Board's Order having been enforced by the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on July 28, 1981, the Board about December 30, 1981, having filed its petition for adjudication in civil contempt and for other civil relief in the court of appeals, naming Respondent therein, Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc., as successor to Health Enterprises of America, Inc., d/b/a Calson Tower Geriatric Center (Geriatric) and Ruby Nail, the National Labor Relations Board, Geriatric, and Ruby Nail entered into a consent decree approved by the court of appeals on August 12, 1982, directing Geriatric, inter alia, to abide by the arbitration awards concerning discri- minatees Barbara Pannell and Mary Young, by making them whole for any loss of earnings they might have suf- fered by reason of their discharge by Health Enterprises, and to make all employees whole for any loss of wages they may have suffered as a result of Geriatric's noncom- pliance with the collective-bargaining agreement from June 1 , 1981 , the amounts, unless agreed on, to be fixed by the Board subject to further court review. A controversy having arisen over the amount of back- pay due under the terms of the Board 's Order of May 12, 1981 , as enforced by the court of appeals and the consent decree , the Regional Director for Region 14 issued this second amended backpay specification, alleg- ing that the backpay due under the terms of the Board's Order of May 12, 1981, as enforced by the court of ap- peals and the consent decree, is as follows: Health Enterprises and Geriatric are jointly and sever- ally liable for the backpay owing to discriminatees Young and Pannell, and such liability will be satisfied by the payment of sums of money calculated in accordance with the Board 's policies and procedures, as follows: (a) The backpay period for discriminatee Mary Young begins on July 17, 1980, the first working day after the date Health Enterprises discharged her, and ends on August 13, 1982, the date Geriatric made a full and un- conditional offer of reinstatement to Mary Young. (b) The backpay period for discriminatee Barbara Pan- nell begins on September 12, 1980, the date agreed on by the parties hereto in the consent decree and the date the arbitrator issued his award ordering Pannell's reinstate- ment . The backpay period for Pannell ends on August 13, 1982, the date Geriatric made a full and uncondition- al offer of reinstatement to her. (c) The amount of quarterly contributions due the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 545, Health and Welfare Fund on behalf of discriminatee Mary Young, in accordance with the terms of a collec- tive-bargaining agreement between Health Enterprises and/or Geriatric and the Union, is the sum of money per quarter of a backpay period computed by multiplying the average number of hours which would have been worked by discriminatee Young during the quarter, by the rate per hour set forth in the collective-bargaining agreement between Health Enterprises and/or Geriatric and the Union, for contributions to the United Food and Commercial Workers , Local 545 , Health and Welfare Fund, plus interest. Health Enterprises of America, Inc. agreed in a tele- gram directed to the Board that it will pay one -half the ultimate award of the judge in this proceeding, with re- spect to the backpay specification regarding discrimina- tees Young and Pannell. The hearing in the above matter was held before me at St. Louis, Missouri , on March 9 , 1983 . Briefs have been received from the General Counsel and counsel for Re- spondent, respectively , which have been carefully con- sidered. The Record (Transcript) The transcript in this proceeding is perhaps only second to the worse that I have ever seen . It contains numerous errors of omission and commission, and in some portions the speaker appears incoherent. Words were substituted for words which were actually spoken by witnesses and me . Fortunately I was present, or I might not have been able to interpret the record. Only the last two or three pages of the record reported more accurately what I said. On the entire record in this case and from my observa- tion of the witnesses, I make the following FINDINGS OF FACT 1. BACKPAY SPECIFICATION In accordance with the Board's formula for computing backpay, the calendar net interim earnings is the differ- ence between calendar quarter expenses. Calendar quarter net backpay is the difference between calendar quarter gross backpay and calendar quarter net interim earnings . It is acknowledged that discriminatee Barbara Pannell was paid interim earnings in the amounts set forth in Appendix C. Thus, the total net backpay due discriminatees Mary Young and Barbara Pannell is the sum of the calendar quarter net backpay amounts due them, less interim earn- ings to Pannell, as set forth in Appendices A and C, re- spectively; and contributions on behalf of Young to the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 545, health and welfare fund , plus interest, as set forth in Ap- pendix B . [Appendices A, B, C, and D have been re- moved from this portion of case and placed after the judge's recommended Order.] Thus, in accordance with the above periods and Board computation procedures, counsel for the General Coun- sel established that the amount of backpay owed to each discriminatee is as follows: With no interim earnings , the total net backpay for nine quarters due Mary Young is $15,752, with interest. Contributions for nine quarters to the health and welfare fund, on behalf of Mary Young is $1172.35, with interest minus, tax withholdings required by law. CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER Less some interim earnings, the total net backpay due Barbara Pannell is $8,673.66, with interest. II. RESPONDENT'S AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES TO THE SECOND AMENDED BACKPAY SPECIFICATION Respondent admits that the backpay period for Mary Young, as described in paragraph 1(a) of the second amended backpay specification , is correct . Respondent also admits that the backpay period for Barbara Pannell is correct as described in paragraph 2(a) of the specifica- tion. In view of the foregoing evidence , I conclude and find that the sums of money as calculated and described in Appendices A, B, and C were computed in reasonable accordance with Board procedures for computing back- pay and are correct as set forth therein. A. Respondent 's First Affirmative Defense Respondent contends that as its predecessor , Health Enterprises advised it on June 1 , 1981 , that Enterprises and the Charging Party had settled all outstanding claims against each other , including the arbitration awards here in issue, the settlement therefore runs to the benefit of Respondent as alleged successor and thereby bars the al- leged backpay award here in dispute . However, it is par- ticularly noted by me that Health Enterprises telegram (G.C. Exh. 2) sent to the General Counsel on March 8, 1983, contradicts this contention by Respondent. It is clear from the language of Health Enterprises ' telegram that it anticipated additional backpay liability, the un- known amount of which Enterprises agreed to pay one- half, on a determination of the amount thereof by the ad- ministrative law judge . Counsel for Respondent does not elaborate on or pursue this defense with any vigor. Nor has he cited any authority in support of this position in his brief. In any event , I do not find that the evidence of record supports this defense as presented. B. Respondent 's Second Affirmative Defense Respondent contends that Mary Young and Barbara Pannell failed to mitigate backpay due them, by failing to actively and earnestly search for work during the back- pay period ; and that the backpay due discriminatee Young should be reduced by the amount of interim earn- ings paid to her by Custom Maker , Inc. and Victory Manufacturing Company. In this regard, the evidence of record shows that Mary Young was and presently is employed by Geriatric as a nurses aide at night, from 7 p .m. to 7 a.m. She was dis- charged by Health Enterprises on July 16, 1980 . Howev- er, prior and subsequent to her discharge, she worked for Custom Maker, 2, 3, 4 and some times 5 days a week, as a fuse operator from 8 a .m. to 4 :30 p.m., until about April 1981 , when Custom Maker went bankrupt. After being laid off by Custom Maker in April 1981, Young was recalled by the successor to Custom Maker , Victory Manufacturing Company, on February 8, 1982. The record shows that Victory Manufacturing Company was an entity of Custom Maker for a number of years, and was owned and operated by the same individuals who owned and operated Custom Maker . Victory Manufac- turing utilized the same equipment in the same location, 401 and performed the same work with the same manage- ment and most of the same employees as did Custom Maker . Young, nevertheless, continued to work part time for Victory Manufacturing throughout the remainder of the backpay period in 1982. After being laid off from her night job at Health En- terprises on July 16, 1980, Young would look for work on days when she did not work, or when she only worked a few hours on her day job at Custom Maker- Victory Manufacturing. She was not able to look for work at other times because , as she credibly stated, em- ployers are generally not available for interviews and hiring during evening hours. In opposition to Respondent 's second affirmative de- fense, counsel for the General Counsel presented docu- mentary evidence of Mary Young 's work record (G.C. Exh. 6) at Custom Maker and Victory Manufacturing, showing Young worked 40-hour weeks regularly before she was terminated by Health Enterprises on July 16, 1980, but that she worked only 2 to 3 days a week regu- larly after her employment ended with Health Enter- prises . Additionally, counsel for the General Counsel presented the undisputed testimony of Mary Young, re- citing spontaneously and convincingly numerous employ- ers she contacted in applying for work without success during the backpay period . Young related how she kept a list of such employers where she went weekly and sub- mitted them to the Missouri Division of Employment Se- curity, as was required in order to receive unemploy- ment compensation , which she received during the back- pay period. Counsel for Respondent contends that during hours when Young was not working for Custom Maker prior to January 19, 1981 , she stayed home to care for a dis- abled father, which she could not do and look for work at the same time. I find, however, that these contentions are not supported by any evidence in the record and that Young credibly explained her father's condition and how she was able to look for work at times , while someone else was in the home with her father . I find that her search for work was neither limited nor perfunctory as characterized by counsel for Respondent . Although Young may not have filed an application at every em- ployer she contacted seeking employment , this fact does not mean that she did not earnestly seek employment at every employer she visited . There are times when an em- ployer will tell a person seeking employment that there is no need to complete an application because the em- ployer is not hiring . I am therefore satisfied that the record evidence amply supports Young's testimony of her contacts with the Division of Employment Security, as well as with numerous individual employers within the city of St. Louis. Young obviously satisfied the re- quirement of submitting to the Division of Employment Security weekly, the names and addresses of employers whom she contacted, because she was eligible and did in fact receive unemployment compensation after comply- ing with such requirement. On cross-examination by counsel for Respondent, Mary Young was interrogated extensively about her living arrangement and dependent obligations, and her 402 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD answers were prompt and responsive . I was persuaded without reservations, in the absence of any probative evi- dence produced by Respondent to the contrary, that Young was telling the truth and that she did in fact ear- nestly make reasonable efforts to obtain work as she tes- tified. Consequently, I conclude and find that Mary Young did earnestly make a reasonable search for work unsuccessfully throughout her entire backpay period; that she never declined an offer to work; that her second less-than-full-time job at Custom Maker-Victory Manu- facturing nor her home responsibilities rendered her un- available for work during the backpay period, because she had worked both jobs with Health Enterprises and Custom Maker-Victory Manufacturing before she was terminated by Health Enterprises, the predecessor of Re- spondent; and that Respondent has failed to substantiate its second affirmative defense by a preponderance of the evidence that Young failed to mitigate backpay by failing to look for work, or by any other established means. Brown & Root, 132 NLRB 486, 495 (1961); Fibreboard Corp., 180 NLRB 142, 147 (1969); NLRB v. Pilot Freight Carriers, 604 F.2d 375 (5th Cir. 1979). C. Respondent's Third Affirmative Defense In its third affirmative defense, Respondent contends the backpay due Young, as well as the benefits paid on her behalf by Respondent, should be reduced by the earnings she received from Custom Maker and Victory Manufacturing as interim earnings . As pointed out by counsel for the General Counsel, Respondent did not raise this defense in its answers to the amended backpay specification, and having failed to affirmatively plead such defense, counsel for the General Counsel contends Respondent is thereby foreclosed from asserting this de- fense under Section 102.54 of the Board's Rules and Reg- ulations. It is also noted that Respondent acknowledges that it does not support this contention with any cited legal authority. Although Respondent's defense in this regard is properly dismissed pursuant to Section 102.54 of the Board's Rules and Regulations, as the Board's de- cision herein will be reviewed by the court, Respond- ent's defense regarding earnings received from Custom Maker and Victory Manufacturing will be considered. In this regard, counsel for the General Counsel never- theless correctly argues that when an unlawfully dis- charged employee worked two jobs prior to discrimina- tory discharge from one employer, and continued to work the second job after such discharge, the earnings from the second job are not considered interim earnings for purposes of calculating backpay. In support of his po- sition, counsel for the General Counsel cites Isaac & Vinson Security Services, 208 NLRB 47, 50, 51 (1973). There, the Board stated: "Second job earnings normally are not considered as interim earnings to be deducted from gross backpay, particularly where, as here, the claimant had a second job prior to his discharge." Con- tinuing , the Board excluded as interim earnings that por- tion of earnings which reflected what the claimant would have continued to earn from his part-time second job, if he had not been discharged from his "full-time" job. Golay & Seal, Inc., 184 NLRB 241, 244-245 (1970), enfd. 447 F.2d 290 (7th Cir. 1971); Kansas Refined Helium Co., 252 NLRB 1156, 1158 (1980), enfd. 683 F.2d 1296 (10th Cir. 1982). In view of the foregoing legal authority, I conclude and find that Respondent has failed to substantiate by a preponderance of the evidence that backpay due Mary Young should be reduced by the earnings she received from her second job (Custom Maker-Victory Manufac- turing), as interim earnings. In his brief to me, counsel for Respondent also argues that several arbitrators have specified that unemployment compensation received by a grievant must be deducted from an award of backpay, citing Saggs Super Center, 73 L.A. 544, 547 (Cohen, 1979). Although Arbitrator Cohen and others might have held unemployment compensation deductible from an award of backpay for arbitration pur- poses, the question of deducting unemployment compen- sation from backpay as interim earnings for Board pur- poses has long been settled by the Supreme Court in NLRB v. Gullett Gin Co., 340 U.S. 361 (1950). There, the Court held the Board did not abuse its discretion in re- fusing to deduct as interim earnings sums paid to em- ployees as unemployment compensation, when the Board found they were unlawfully discharged. The Court fur- ther stated, "since no consideration has been given or should be given to collateral losses in framing an order to reimburse employees for lost earnings , manifestly no consideration need be given to collateral benefits which employees may have received." Accordingly, I conclude and find that unemployment benefits paid to discriminatee Young, during her backpay period, are not deductible from Young's backpay as cal- culated in the second amended backpay specification herein . NLRB v. Gullets Gin Co., supra. D. Respondent's Fourth Affirmative Defense Barbara Pannell was discharged by Health Enterprises on March 24, 1979. On September 12, 1980, she was or- dered reinstated effective September 12, 1980, by Arbi- trator McKenna. Shortly thereafter, Pannell was hired by Grand Manor, Inc. Nursing Home, where she worked until April 4, 1981. Pannell 's earnings record from Grand Manor shows her earnings, which were deducted to reach her net backpay as set forth in Appendix C herein. The backpay set forth therein was computed in accord- ance with the same Board formula for computing back- pay as was used in computing the backpay for Mary Young. A note dated March 23, 1981 (R. Exh. 4(a)), from the personnel files of Grand Manor, purportedly signed by Pannell, indicates that Pannell gave Grand Manor 2 weeks ' notice of her resignation because she had to leave for Jerome, Idaho, sooner than she thought, and that her last day on the job would be April 4, 1981. All parties to this proceeding made repeated efforts to locate Barbara Pannell without success, and no one has knowledge or evidence whether she earnestly looked for work or had any other interim earnings during the back- pay period. Although Respondent introduced evidence from a representative of the State Employment Security Division that there was no record that Pannell had ever filed for unemployment compensation in St. Louis, or possibly in the State of Missouri, such evidence was not CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER conclusive that Pannell had not filed for unemployment benefits in the State of Missouri or in another State, or that she has in fact worked in Idaho or any other State. The evidence concerning Pannell 's availability for work after her resignation from Grand Manor is, at best, spec- ulative. Counsel for Respondent contends that because Pannell resigned her interim employment at Grand Manor on April 4, 1981 , she has incurred a willful loss of earnings, and backpay for her should be tolled . In support of his position, he cites Knickerbocker Plastic Co., 132 NLRB 1209 (1961). There, the Board held: Once these claimants had obtained jobs , they did not voluntarily relinquish such employment under the circumstances herein involved without incurring what constitutes a willful loss of earnings for the period subsequent to their quitting. In reading the above case , however, there is one sig- nificant observation which is not present in the instant proceeding . In Knickerbocker, just about all the discharg- ees had : (1) quit interim employment for a stated (testi- fied) reason . (2) The reasons given by each of the dis- chargees were not found to be sufficiently reasonable to justify their voluntary termination of interim work and, therefore, their voluntary separation from such work was deemed willfully incurring loss of earnings for the period subsequent thereto . Here, unlike there, the parties herein were unable to locate Pannell and she did not appear and testify in this proceeding. Nor does the note (R. Exh. 4(a)) found in her personnel file at Grand Manor state a reason for her quitting, other than she had to be in Idaho sooner than she thought. It is therefore difficult to know whether Pannell was going to Idaho on a personal emer- gency, whether she ever got to Idaho , whether her stay in Idaho was temporary, whether her going to Idaho was related to her health , whether she was leaving to assume another job on a permanent basis , or whether she in fact obtained another job in Idaho or elsewhere. It would be highly speculative to ascribe any reason for her resignation, not to mention a reason which would or would not justify her resignation. Hence, although there may not have been a justifiable reason for Pannell quit- ting her employment at Grand Manor , it would be pre- mature to conclude that she willfully incurred loss of earnings as a result of her voluntary termination of em- ployment with Grand Manor. I further conclude and find that Knickerbocker Plastic Co., 132 NLRB 1209 (1961), and Midwest Hanger Co., 221 NLRB 911 (1975), are distinguishable from the facts in the instant case be- cause in each of the cases there was at least a stated and/or a found reason for the discharged employees vol- untarily terminating interim employment. Since it is not established in the record why Barbara Pannell voluntarily resigned her employment at Grand Manor and what , if anything she did subsequent to her resignation there , it is currently impossible to ascertain whether she is entitled to all or any part of the backpay as computed in Appendix C herein . Under such circum- stances, the Board has long held that computed backpay for such a dischargee as Pannell , should be paid by Re- 403 spondent to the Regional Director, to be held in an escrow account for 1 year , in order to give the discharg- ee an opportunity to come forward and be examined by Respondent. Robert Haws Co., 161 NLRB 299 (1966), enfd . in part 403 F .2d 979 (6th Cir . 1968). This proce- dure is designed to protect the employer and the dis- chargee . Steve Aloi Ford, 190 NLRB 661 (1971 ); Fibre- board Corp., supra. Since after diligent efforts of counsel for the General Counsel and counsel for Respondent to obtain the avail- ability and appearance of Barbara Pannell were unsuc- cessful, and her whereabouts are unknown , I will recom- mend, in accordance with established Board law, that Respondent pay to the Regional Director for Region 14 the amount of the backpay as computed for Barbara Pan- nell and described in Appendix C of the backpay specifi- cation to be held in an escrow account for 1 year in order to give Pannell an opportunity to come forward, or to be located by Respondent and/or the General Counsel, and be examined by Respondent. Respondent's argument with respect to adjusting the backpay in Appendices A, B, C, and D , in accordance with Section 10584.2 of the Board 's compliance manual, is not considered by me because , presumably, as counsel for the General Counsel stated , such manual provisions are an internal guideline procedure, which is not binding on the General Counsel. To the knowledge of the admin- istrative law judge , such provisions are not a part of the Board's Rules and Regulations and he has no knowledge of the existence or the applicability of them. Moreover, I am satisfied that the sums as computed in the backpay specification set forth in Appendices A, B, C, and D were properly carried out in accordance with the Board's established standard computation procedures. Respondent does not present a persuasive argument sup- ported by legal authority , in support of its fourth affirm- ative defense. Hence, I conclude and find that Respondent has failed to substantiate its fourth affirmative defense by a prepon- derance of the evidence. E. Respondent 's Fifth Affirmative Defense Respondent also argues that because Respondent and the Union agreed on the net amount of sums due the sev- eral discharged employees described in section II, Ap- pendix D of the backpay specification , and in paragraph 1 of the August 12, 1982 consent decree, a deduction (setoff) should be made against the respective backpay figures for union dues during the backpay periods of the discriminatees which were not paid to the Union by Re- spondent . Respondent does not contend that the compu- tation of these figures are otherwise incorrect. On the contrary, counsel for the General Counsel contends Re- spondent is not entitled to such a deduction (setoff) be- cause Respondent agreed in paragraph 12 of the United States district court judgment, which is incorporated by reference in paragraph 4 of the consent decree, that it would not "seek reimbursement from its employees for dues and initiation fees owed during the period June 1981 through June 1982." (G.C. Exh. 3(b).) 404 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD It appears to be clear from the language in the court judgment (G.C. Exh. 3(b)) that an agreement not to seek reimbursement for dues of employee-discriminatees is an agreement not to seek such reimbursement in any form by way of direct payment from the employees, or by a reduction or setoff against backpay owing to them. Be- cause such an agreement was in fact made, We Protec- tion Service, 183 NLRB 682, 683 (1970), cited by Re- spondent, is distinguishable from and not applicable to the facts as found herein. Thus, there being no manifest discrepancy or dispute with respect to the propriety of the computations set forth in section II, Appendix D of the backpay specification, I conclude and find on the foregoing evidence and reasons that Respondent has not demonstrated that it is entitled to any reimbursement, re- duction, or setoff against the sums properly computed in Appendix D. If the court intends such a setoff, it will make such intent known in its final review of the Board's decision herein. F. Respondent's Sixth Affirmative Defense Back Contributions to the Health & Welfare Fund on Behalf of Discriminatee Young Although Respondent denies the allegation that sums of money are due to the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 545, Health & Welfare Fund on behalf of discriminatee Young, it does not contest the calcula- tions set forth in Appendix B of the second amended backpay specification. In this regard, Compliance Officer Roy Hayden testified that he made the health & welfare calculations on behalf of Young because she was reinstat- ed by Respondent Geriatric and therefore had a continu- ing interest in the fund and the contributions thereto, which should have been made during the backpay period. Geriatric Administrator Ellen Ellerbusch testified that, in the consent decree, Geriatric settled the total amount of health and welfare contributions due the Union as a result of Respondent's failure to comply with the collective-bargaining agreement. However, on cross- examination, as pointed out by counsel for the General Counsel, Ellerbusch acknowledged that Mary Young had not been employed by Health Enterprises during the period covered by the consent decree, because she had not yet been reinstated. She further acknowledged that no specific contributions to the health and welfare fund were or could have been made on behalf of Mary Young by Respondent during her backpay period. Counsel for Respondent argues that since the parties (Respondent and the Union) agreed that the total indebt- ed contributions to the health and welfare fund was $58,165.23, which amount has been paid in full, Respond- ent should not be held responsible for any additional contributions. Although this contention sounds fair and reasonable as presented, it apparently ignores the explicit language of paragraph 4 of the consent decree, which orders Respondent to: Comply with any final judgment after all appeal rights have been exhausted that may be entered in Case Nos. 81-0030-C(C) and 81-1162-C(C), pend- ing in the United States District Court for the East- em District of Missouri, to the extent that said final judgment orders Geriatric Center of St. Louis, Inc., or Rudy Nail to pay union dues or health and wel- fare payments for any portion of the period begin- ning July 1, 1981, and ending May 31, 1982. The above language makes it clear that Respondent's ultimate liability may not become final before a final judgment of the court, after all appeal rights (including this backpay proceeding) have been exhausted. It is therefore very unlikely that the parties' agreement, by in- tention or oversight, would have the authority to negoti- ate a settlement which in effect would negate the plain order of the consent decree to make discriminatee Young "whole" for her unlawful discharge. To adopt Respond- ent's argument in this regard would prevent Respond- ent's full compliance with the order of the decree to make Young "whole," by not making the contributions to the health and welfare fund on her behalf, to which she would have been entitled and enjoyed, had Respond- ent not discharged her unlawfully. Respondent's contention that the health and welfare fund does not suffer a loss because contributions were made on behalf of an employee who replaced Young is without merit. Even though contributions may have been made to the fund on behalf of an employee who replaced Young, it would appear that such contributions were made on behalf of that particular employee. I find it dif- ficult to conceive how such contributions can now be substituted on behalf of Young, and Respondent cites no legal authority for this proposition. Counsel for Respondent further argues that both the arbitrator's award and the consent decree merely state that Young was to be "reinstated with backpay," without any reference to remit back contributions to the health and welfare fund. He further contends that the omission to provide for remittance of back contributions to the health and welfare fund in the language of the arbitra- tor's award and the consent decree inferentially excluded it. A review of the arbitrator's awards and the consent decree reveals that in pertinent part Geriatric was or- dered to comply with the collective-bargaining agree- ment between the Union (Local 545) and Health Enter- prises, its predecessor, "and to make whole all employees for any loss of wages they may have suffered by reason of Geriatric's noncompliance with the agreement from June 1, 1981, together with interest." Further, the amounts, unless agreed on, shall be fixed by the Board, subject to further review by the court. However, paragraph 5, in pertinent part, further orders Respondent Geriatric to abide by the arbitration awards, by offering Mary Young and Barbara Pannell immediate and full reinstatement to their former jobs or, if such jobs no longer exist, to substantially equivalent positions, without prejudice to their seniority or other rights or privileges previously enjoyed, and by making them whole for any loss of earnings they may have suffered by reason of their discharge, in Pannell's case, September 12, 1980, plus interest; the amounts, unless agreed on, to be fixed by the Board subject to further review by the court. CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER I do not construe the above language in either the ar- bitrator's awards or in the consent decree , as having an import of inferentially excluding contributions to the health and welfare fund , as counsel for Respondent con- tends . If any inference at all may be drawn from the above language , the more logical inference would be that discriminatee Young is entitled to everything to which she would have been entitled and would have received, had she not been unlawfully discharged by Respondent. Thus, it may be reasonably inferred from the language in the arbitrator's awards as well as the language in the consent decree , which is essentially identical to the standard language in Board remedies , that back contribu- tions to the health and welfare fund of Local 545 on behalf of Young should not be excluded from consider- ation in computing her entitlements to make her "whole." Such contributions are generally required as a part of Board remedy in making a discriminatee whole. F.M.L. Supply, 258 NLRB 604 (1981). I therefore conclude and find, in view of the foregoing evidence and language of the consent decree , that Re- spondent Geriatric should make contributions to the health and welfare fund on behalf Mary Young , as pro- vided in Appendix B of the backpay specification herein. Respondent has availed itself of a hearing before a duly designated admininstrative law judge in the original administrative proceeding . The Board 's Decision and Order, including the backpay provisions in the original proceeding , were enforced on July 12, 1981 , by a con- sent decree of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on July 28, 1981 . Disputing the amount of the backpay due under the terms of the Board's Order in this proceeding, Respondent has failed to substantiate its six affirmative defenses, or to establish any error in the computations of the specification, or any misrepresenta- tion in the premises on which they are based . Conse- quently, Respondent is liable for the amount of backpay, contributions to the health and welfare fund , and back dues as set forth in the second amended backpay specifi- cation herein. [Recommended Order omitted from publication.] APPENDIX A Mary Young 1980-3 Gross Backpay 7/17/80 through 9/30/80 1 week x $271.081 per week ........................................................ 271.08 4 weeks x $283 .042 ....................................... per week ........................................................ 1,132.16 Total Gross Backpay .................................... $1,403.24 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Net Backpay Due .................................. $1 ,403.24 1980-4 Gross Backpay 10/1/80 through 12/31/80 6 weeks x $283 .04 per week $1 ,698.24 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $ 1,698.24 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None APPENDIX A-Continued 405 Net Backpay Due .................................. $1 ,698.24 1981- 1 Gross Backpay 1/1/81 through 3/31/81 6 weeks x $318 .923 per week $1,913.52 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $ 1,913.52 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $1,913.52 1981-2 Gross Backpay 4/1/81 through 6/30/81 6 weeks x $318.92 per week ........................ $ 1,913.52 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $ 1,913.52 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $1 ,913.52 1981-3 Gross Backpay 7/1/81 through 9/30/81 1 week x $318 .92 per week .......................... $1,318.92 5 weeks x $326.894 per week ....................... $ 1,634.45 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $ 1,953.37 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $1 ,953.37 1981-4 Gross Backpay 10/1/81 through 12/31/81 6 weeks x $326.89 per week ........................ $1,961.34 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $ 1,961.34 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $1 ,961.34 1982-1 Gross Backpay 1/1/82 through 3/31/82 6 weeks x $334.875 per week .......:............... $2,009.20 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $2,009.20 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $2,009.20 1982-2 Gross Backpay 4/1/82 through 6/30/82 6 weeks x $334 . 87 per week ........................ $2,009.20 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $2,009.20 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $2,009.20 1982-3 Gross Backpay 7/1/82 through 8/10/82 2.66 weeks x $334.87 per week .................... $890.75 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $890.75 Interim Earnings ........................................... None Total Interim Earnings ......................... None Interim Expenses .......................................... None Net Interim Earnings ............................ None Net Backpay Due .................................. $890.75 Total Backpay Due ............................... $ 15,752.00 1 79.73 average hours x $3.40 per hour. 2 79.73 average hours x $3.55 per hour effective 8/2/80. 5 79.73 average hours x $4 per hour effective 12/31/80. 4 79.73 average hours x $4.10 per hour effective 8/2/81. 406 Hours Worked Times Rate Per Hour of Contribution 79.73 average hours x $4.20 per hour effective 12/31/81. APPENDIX B Health & Welfare (Mary Young) Yr./Qtr. 1980-3 1980-4 1981-1 1981-2 1981-3 1981-4 1982-1 1982-2 1982-3 399 hours x 154 per hour ............................ 478 hours x 15$ per hour ............................ 478 hours x 30$ per hour ............................ 478 hours x 304 per hour ............................ 478 hours x 304 per hour ............................ 478 hours x 304 per hour ............................ 478 hours x 404 per hour ............................ 478 hours x 404 per hour ............................ 212 hours x 404 per hour ............................ Grand Total ......................................... Total Health & Welfare Due .............. Barbara Pannell 1980-3 Gross Backpay 9/12/80 through 9/30/80 1.1 pay periods x $307.68' per pay period ............................................... 1980-4 1981-1 1981-2 1981-3 1981-4 Interim Earnings Total Gross Backpay ............................ Interim Earnings Grand Manor, Inc ......................................... Net Backpay Due .................................. Gross Backpay 10/1/80 through 12/31/80 6 day periods x $307.68 per pay period ............................................... Total Gross Backpay ............................ Interim Earnings ........................................... Grand Manor , Inc ......................................... Net Backpay Due .................................. Gross Backpay 1/1/81 through 3/31/81 5.5 pay periods x $346.682 per pay period ............................................... .5 pay periods x $355.353 per pay period ............................................... Total Gross Backpay ............................ Interim Earnings ........................................... Grand Manor, Inc ......................................... Net Backpay Due .................................. Gross Backpay 4/1/81 through 6/30/81 6 pay periods x $355.35 per pay period...... Total Gross Backpay ............................ DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD APPENDIX C ........................................... Grand Manor , Inc ......................................... Net Backpay Due .................................. Gross Backpay 7/1/81 through 9/30/81 6 pay periods x $355 . 35 per pay period...... Total Gross Backpay ............................ Interim Earnings ........................................... Total Interim Earnings ......................... Interim Expenses .......................................... Net Interim Earnings ............................ Net Backpay Due .................................. Gross Backpay 10/1/81 through 12/31/81 6 pay periods x $355 .35 perpay period ....... Total Contribu- tion $ 59.85 71.70 143.40 143.40 143.40 143.40 191.20 191.20 84.80 $1,172.35 $1,172.35 $338.45 $338.45 $125.19 $213.26 $1,846.08 $1,846.08 $2,104.01 $0.00 $1,906.74 $177.68 $2,084.42 $1,984.24 $100.18 $2,132.10 $2,132.10 $392.00 $1,740.10 $2,132.10 $2,132.10 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown $2,132.10 $2,132.10 APPENDIX C-Continued Total Gross Backpay ............................ $2,132.10 Interim Earnings ........................................... Unknown Net Interim Earnings ............................ Unknown Net Backpay Due .................................. $2, 132.10 1982-1 Gross Backpay 1/1/82 through 3/31/82 5.5 pay periods x $354.014 per pay period ............................................... $2,002.06 .5 pay periods x $381.355 per pay period ............................................... $190.68 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $2,192.74 Interim Earnings ........................................... Unknown Total Interim Earnings ......................... Unknown Interim Expenses .......................................... Unknown Net Interim Earnings ............................ Unknown Net Backpay Due .................................. $2, 192.74 1982-2 Gross Backpay 4/1/82 through 6/30/82 6 pay periods x $381.35 per pay period ............................................... $2.288.10 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $2,288.10 Interim Earnings ........................................... Unknown Total Interim Earnings ......................... Unknown Interim Expenses .......................................... Unknown Net Interim Earnings ............................ Unknown Net Backpay Due .................................. $2,288.10 1982-3 Gross Backpay 7/1/82 through 8/13/82 3 pay periods x $381.35 per pay period ............................................... $ 1,144.05 Total Gross Backpay ............................ $1,144.05 Interim Earnings ........................................... Unknown Total Interim Earnings ......................... Unknown Interim Expenses .......................................... Unknown Net Interim Earnings ............................ Unknown Net Backpay Due .................................. $1,144.05 Total Backpay Due ............................... $11,942.63 ' 86.67 average hours x $3.55 per hour. 2 86.67 average hours x $4 per hour. 8 86.67 average hours x $4.10 per hour. 4 86.67 average hours x $4.20 per hour. 5 86.67 average hours x $4.40 per hour. APPENDIX D Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 Name Actual Contract Gross Gross Earnings Earnings Differ- ence Net Back- pay Due Em- ployee Mary Koss ................................. $3,997.51 5,359.32 89,588.25 $231.42 $9,356.83 Barbara Robinson ..................... $4,393.00 4,544.50 9,181 .53 244.03 $8,937.50 Lola Harris ................................ $4,332.93 5,397.47 9,853.93 123.53 $9,730.40 CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER APPENDIX D-Continued Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 Name Mary Willis ............................... Louise McPherson.................... Janet Stewart ............................ Agatha Warren ......................... Wirda Bynum............................ Celestine Early.......................... Belinda Pike .............................. Mamie Hamilton ....................... Juanita Diel ............................... Penelope Sterling ...................... Gloria Whitfield ....................... Evaline Fisher ........................... Sarah Moseby ........................... Linda Stanford .......................... Actual Contract Gross Grass Earnings Earnings DjOer- ence Net Back- Due Em- ployee $2,094.90 3,594.69 5,690.05 .46 $5,689.59 $3,802.00 3,808 .00 7,472.40 137.60 $7,610.00 $3,797.00 5,277.72 9,179.60 104.88 $9,074.72 $4,083.00 5,453.68 9,934.44 397.76 $9,536.68 $4,572.00 5,095 .00 9,934.44 246.75 $9,667.00 $3,766.00 2,296.40 6,087.95 25.55 $6,062.40 $4,050.72 5,642 .20 9,754. 18 61.26 $9,692.92 $2,472.81 2,763 .00 5,268 .35 32.54 $5,235.81 $4,070.66 5,536.00 9,665.46 58.80 $9,606.66 $3,587.38 4,580.00 8,178 .43 11.05 $8,167.38 $3,432.21 2,833 .01 6,346.85 81.63 $6,265.22 $3,815.79 4,762 .50 8,595 .39 17.10 $8,578.29 $3,992.56 4,914. 38 8,939 .66 32.72 $8,906.94 $3,654.10 4,438 .04 8,113 .51 21.37 $8,092.14 APPENDIX D-Continued 407 Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 Name Actual Contract Grass Grass Earnings Earnings Differ- ence Net Back- pay e Em- ployee Lynette Briscoe ........................ $3,408.21 4,210.96 7,641.72 22.55 Rochelle Travis Bobbie Straughter..................... Lorine Stratton ......................... Dorothy Tucker ....................... Ocie Bolden .............................. Michelle Adams ........................ Henrietta Thomas ..................... Debra Hope .............................. Pamela Maxie ............................ Shiela Foots .............................. John Brown ............................... 4,743.57 8,814.57 21.32 $7,619.17 $4,049.68 $8,793.25 $3,771.39 4,545 . 10 8,367 .62 51.13 $8,316.49 $1,916.23 3,427.88 5,382.12 38.01 $5,344.11 $3,534.14 4,850.77 8,405.13 20.22 $8,384.91 $3,690.70 3,569 .39 7,264.87 4.78 $7,260.09 $3,334.60 4,755.61 8,168 .35 78.14 $8,090.21 $3,600.38 4,060.34 7,717.98 57.26 $7,660.72 $2,956.21 4,137.49 7,148 .84 55.14 $7,093.70 $3,136.65 5,057 .16 8,212.78 18.97 $8,193.81 $2,881.72 4,341.14 7,266.39 43.53 $7,222.86 $3,218.45 4,836.24 8,058.77 4.08 $8,054.69 Kimberly Smith ........................ $2,456.84 4,059.00 6,558 .59 42.75 $6,515.84 Raymond Smith ........................ $2,543.08 4,042 .07 6,631.30 46.15 $6,585.15 408 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD APPENDIX D-Continued Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 Name Actual Gross Earnings Contract Gross Earnings Differ- ence Net Back- pay Due Em- ployee Patricia Williams ....................... Charlotte Nash .......................... Elzora Hooker .......................... Marlene Lee .............................. Beverly Crockett ...................... Leroy Mayes ............................. Stanley Andrews ...................... George Roberts ........................ Bernice Easley .......................... Melvin Echols ........................... Lois Geans ................................ Jimmie Davis ............................ $561.00 197.20 $758.20 $446.25 28.29 $474.54 $669.80 29.20 $699.20 $1,318.68 4,835.37 $6,154.05 $904.36 4,024.60 $4,928.96 $1,035.30 4,805.40 $5,840.70 $5,478.02 6,220.56 $11,698.58 $5,325.35 6,072.38 $11,397.73 $4,614.56 5,947.70 $10,562.26 $3,837.50 5,658.23 $9,495.73 $5,212.50 5,851.47 $11,063.97 $1,663.08 4,805.95 772.70 14.50 476.93 2.39 699.40 .20 6,197.73 43.68 4,966.53 37.57 5,842.35 1.65 11,808.35 109.77 11,614.32 216.59 10,752.37 190.11 9,859 .70 363.97 11,360.30 296.33 6,651.34 182.31 $6,469.03 Beatrica Liddell ........................ $4,590.67 5,505.44 10,341.93 245.82 $10,096.11 Melvin Crawford ...................... $3,637.64 4,173.77 7,862.09 50.68 $7,811.41 Alonzo Green ........................... $4,241.19 4,599 .39 7,862.09 47.50 $8,840.58 APPENDIX D-Continued Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 Name Actual Contract Gross Gross Earnings Earnings Differ- ence Net Back- pay Due Em- ployee Larry Jackson ........................... Henry Williams ......................... $4,104.70 350.40 4,478.54 23.44 $4,455.10 $2,906.54 1,322 .22 4,242 .60 13.84 $4,228.76 $4,001.00 5,355.62 9,423.60 66.98 $9,356.62 $4,160.00 5,485.12 9,688 .80 43.68 $9,645.12 $1,532.22 4,420.03 6,016.98 64.73 Bertha Sandlin .......................... Patricia Ball............................... Karen Harvey ........................... Evelyn Echols .......................... Catherine Neal .......................... Emma Rush ............................... Frances Alexander .................... Geraldine Spencer .................... Antonette Brooks ..................... Twanda Lawrence ................... Alvin Clark ............................... Grace Claybourne .................... $5,952.25 $3,994.69 5,539. 58 9,536 . 16 1.89 $9,534.27 $3,841.00 4,947.67 8,810.45 21.78 $8,788.67 $4,422.46 5,336 .00 9,814.96 56.50 $9,758.46 $3,720.00 5,042.10 9,104.40 342.30 $8,762.10 $3,994.69 5,521.66 9,504.91 357.00 $9,147.91 0 753.10 774.99 21.89 $753.10 0 2,547. 51 2,605 .47 57.96 $2,547.51 0 2,139.02 2,191.54 52.52 $2,139.02 0 778.55 783.15 4.60 $778.55 CALSON TOWER GERIATRIC CENTER 409 APPENDIX D-Continued Covering Periods for 6/1/81 through 12/31/81 and 1/1/82 through 8/15/82 ame ctual Grass Earnings ontract Grass Earnings Differ- ence Net Back- pay Due Em- ployee Annie Thomas ........................... 0 1,747.87 1 ,793.38 45.51 $1,747.87 Derrick Harvey ........................ 0 2,690.46 2,757.70 67.24 $2,690.46 Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation