FI L ED
U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T SEP 26, 2011

J OHN L EY
CL ERK [DO NOT PUBLISH]

IN THE UN ITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

No. 1 1- 10 34 9

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D.C. Dock et No. 8 :0 9- cv -0 19 80 -SDM- AEP

RONNI VIOLA,

on be ha lf o f he rs el f an d t ho se si m il arl y si tu at ed

,

Pl ai nt iff -Ap pe ll an t,

ve rs us

COMP REHENSIVE HEAL TH MANAGEMENT, INC.,
a Fl or id a co rp or at io n,

Defen da nt -Ap pe ll ee.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Mi dd le Dis tri ct of F lo rid a

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
(Sep te m be r 26 , 20 11 )

Befo re MAR CUS, WILSON an d C OX, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

PER CURI AM:

Ro nn i Vio la (“ Vio la ”) ap pe al s th e di st ric t co ur t’s gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t

in fav or of C om

pr eh en si ve Heal th Man ag em en t, In c. (“ CHMI” ). The di st ric t co ur tfo un d th at Vio la was ex em pt fro m ov ert im e pa y un de r th e ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n

of th e Fai r Lab or Sta nd ard s Act , 29 U.S.C. § 2 01 et seq

. (“ FLSA”). W e aff

irm. 1

C H MI, a who ll y -o wne d su bs id ia ry of W el lC are Heal th Pl an s, In c

.

(“ W el lC are” ), pr ov id es he al th in su ran ce to Med ic ai d- an d Med i c a r e -el ig ib le

be ne fic ia rie s. Vio la was em pl oyed by C H M I fro m Octo be r 20 07 th ro ug h Mar ch

20 09

, se rv in g fir st as a Co m m un it y Eve nt Co or di na to r earn in g a sa la ry of $4 5,0 00 pe r

y ear an d la te r as a Sen io r Co m m un it y Out reac h Ass oc ia te earn in g a sa la ry of $5 7,0 00

pe r y ear un ti l th e te rm in at io n o f h e r em pl oym en t. The co re du ti es of Vio la ’s job s

were si m il ar an d in vo lv ed th e m ark et in g an d pr om ot in g of W el lC are in t h e l o c a l

co mm u n i t y (Ocal a an d Mar io n Co un ty, Fl or id a) th ro ug h ne two rk in g wit h lo cal

or ga ni zat io ns , or ga ni zi ng co m m un it y ev en ts

, an d de ve lo pi ng a m ark et ing str at eg y fo r

en ro ll m en t ev en ts . Vio la ’s pri m ary ro le at C HMI was to pr om ot e WellC are. Vi ol a

ha d di sc ret io n in ch oo si ng whe re an d t o wh om to m ark et , a nd m ad e su ch de ci si on s

th ro ug h res earc h an d ne two rk in g. Vio la was th e on ly e mplo y ee of CHMI who

pr om ot ed th e Med ic are si de of W el lC are in he r area

. Sh e ha d no se t ho ur s no r an y

ti m e req ui rem en t fo r rep or ti ng to or le av in g wor k fo r th e da y or ke ep in g tra ck of he r

h o u r s

. S h e al so ha d th e li be rty to ta ke br eak s or ru n pe rs on al erra nd s at he r

This action was initially filed as a collective action ag ainst CHMI

, but the parties executed 1

a J oint Stipul ation for Dismissal of Opt-in Plaintiffs Wit hout Prejudice, which was approve d by the district court. Consequently , Viola is the sole appe llant.

2co nv en ie nc e th ro ug ho ut th e da y. V i ol a co ns is te nt ly wor ke d m or e th an fo rty ho ur s

pe r week

.

Vio la su ed CHMI al le gi ng th at sh e wor ke d m or e th an fo rty ho ur s pe r week

, bu t

was no t pa id ov ert im e, in vi ol at io n of th e FLSA. The FLSA ex em pt s an y em

pl oyee

em pl oyed in a bo na fid e ad m in is tra ti ve cap aci ty fro m th e ge ne ral ru le th at em pl oyees

are en ti tl ed to ov ert im e co m pe ns at io n fo r ti m e wor ke d o v e r f o r t y ho ur s in a

wor kwe ek

. 29 U.S.C. §§ 20 7( a ) ( 1 )

, 21 3( a)(1 ). The pa ram et ers of th e FLSA’s

ad m in is tra ti ve ex em

pt io n are art ic ul at ed in th e Uni te d St at es Dep art men t o f Lab or

(“ DOL”) reg ul at io ns

. Se e Gen eral Ru le fo r Adm in is tra ti ve Em pl oyees, 29 C.F.R. §

54 1.2 00 et se q. Und er DOL reg ul at io ns , an em pl oyee qu al ifi es fo r th e ad m in is tra ti ve

ex em pt io n if (1 ) th e em

pl oyee is co m

pe ns at ed on a sa la ry or fee ba si s no t le ss th an

$4 55 pe r week ; (2 ) th e em pl oyee’s “ pr im ary du ty is th e pe rfo rm an ce of of fic e or no nm an ua l wor k di rect ly rel at ed to th e m an ag em en t or ge ne ral bu si ne ss op erat io ns of th e

em pl oyer or th e em

pl oyer’s cu st om ers ”; an d (3 ) th e em pl oyee’s “ pr im ary du ty

in cl ud es th e ex erci se of di sc ret io n an d in de pe nd en t jud gm en t wit h res pe ct to m at te rs

of si gn ifi can ce.” Id

. at 54 1.2 00 (a). The fir st pr on g of th e ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n

t e s t

– t h at Vio la earn ed m or e th an $4 55 pe r week –i s no t di sp ut ed

. Vio la arg ue s,

ho wev er, th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in gr an ti ng su m m ary jud gm en t to CHMI be cau se

3ge nu in e is su es of m at eri al fact ex is t as to th e se co nd an d th ird pr on gs of th e te st

. W e

ad dr es s t he sec on d a nd th ird pro ng s i n t ur n.

Vio la at te m

p ts to crea te an is su e of fact as to th e se co nd pr on g of th e

ad m in is tra ti ve ex em

pt io n te st : whe th er he r wor k was r e l a te d to th e m an ag em en t or

ge ne ral bu si ne ss op erat io ns of CHMI. Her at te m pt s fai l. W or k th at is di rect ly rel at ed

to “ m an ag em en t or gen eral bu si ne ss op erat io ns in cl ud es , bu t is no t lim it ed to

, wor k

in fu nc ti on al area s su ch as

. . . ad ve rti si ng ; m ark et in g;

. . . pu bl ic rel at io ns , . . . le ga l

an d reg ul at or y co m

pl ia nc e; an d si m il ar act iv it ie s.” 29 C.F.R. § 54 1.2 01 (b )

. V io la

st res se s th e fact t h a t s h e d e n ie d “ ev er pe rfo rm in g al l of th e fact or s” in th e DOL

reg ul at io ns

. (Ap pe ll an t Br. at 10 .) Howev er, be cau se th e reg ul at io ns m erel y pr ov id e

a no n- ex cl us iv e li st of job fu nc ti on s th at fal l un de r th e ex em pt io n, it is no t ne ces sa ry

t ha t an em

pl oyee pe rfo rm al l of th e fu nc ti on s li st ed in th e reg ul at io ns to q u a l i f y a s

ex em pt

. Of th e li st ed job fu nc ti on s, Vio la ’s po si ti on arg ua bl y q u a l i fie s un de r fo ur

se pa rat e fu nc ti on s– na m el y , ad ve rti s in g, m ark et in g, pu bl ic rel at io ns , an d le ga l an d

reg ul at or y co m

pl ia nc e. Thi s de te rm in at io n i s c o ns is te nt wit h th e reco rd ev id en ce

be fo re t h e d i s t r ic t co ur t; Vio la te st ifi ed th at sh e “ pr om ot ed ” th e W el lC are br an d,

s o u g h t ou t ne w be ne fic ia ry pr os pe ct s, sc he du le d an d ho st ed pr om ot io na l ev en ts

,

ad ve rti se d th e ev en ts , id en ti fie d a nd m et wit h ph y si ci an s to pr om ot e W el lC are, and

was ch arg e d w i t h en su rin g th at th es e pr om ot io na l ev en ts an d ph y si ci an vi si ts

4co m

pl ie d wit h th e st rin ge nt fed eral reg ul at io ns su rro un di ng Med ic are pl an s. (R.1 -3 1-

1, Vio la Dep o., p. 14 at 54 :1 1- 14 ; p. 14 at 56 :1 1- 25 ; p. 15 at 57 :1 -6 ; p. 17 at 65 :4 -1 1;

p. 1 8 a t 7 0: 5- 25 ; p . 18 at 7 1: 23 -2 4.)

A rev ie w of th e reco rd cl earl y de m on st rat es th at Vio la ’s em pl oym en t di rect ly

rel at ed to CHMI’s ge ne ral bu si ne ss op erat io ns

. Vio la ’s o wn te st im on y an d th e job

de sc rip ti on s fo r he r po si ti on s in di cat e th at sh e was in vo lv ed in de ve lo pi ng , pl an ni ng ,

an d im pl em en ti ng st rat eg ie s de si gn ed to pr om ot e an d ad ve rti se th e W el lC are br an d.

Her act iv it ie s req ui red he r to be act iv e in th e co m m un it y an d to ne two rk wit h va rio us

co m m un it y an d fai th -b as ed or ga ni zat io ns in or de r to rai se aware ne ss of W el lC are.

As a co ns eq ue nc e of he r job

, Vio la was th e “ face ” o f W el lC are i n h er m ark et

. Thi s

fact is co nf

irmed by Vio la ’s te st im on y th at pe op le wou ld as k he r ab ou t W el lC are on

he r da y s o ff b ecau se th ey reco gn iz ed he r fro m

he r wor k. (

Id

. , p. 3 2 a t 1 26 :0 5- 13 .)

Vio la arg ue s, wit ho ut ci ta ti on to th e reco rd

, th at th ere is a co nf li ct in th e

ev id en ce as to whe th er s he pe rfo rm ed th es e fu nc ti on s fo r CHMI

. (Ap pe ll an t Br. at

1 1 .) Bu t, th e reco rd is rep le te wit h ev id en ce th at Vio la pe rfo rm ed m ark et in g ,

ad ve rti s i ng , pu bl ic rel at io ns , an d co m pl ia nc e fu nc ti on s in he r job

. Co ns eq ue nt ly,

th ere is no ge nu in e is su e of m at eri al fact co nc ern in g th e se co nd

, “ pr im ary du ty” pr on g

of th e ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n te st

. Th e e v id en ce sh ows th at Vio la pe rfo rm ed

5qu al ifyin g fu nc ti on s whi le em pl oyed at CHMI, whi ch sa ti sf y th e se co nd pr on g of th e

te st as a m at te r of

law u nd er t he pl ai n l an gu ag e o f th e DOL reg ul at io ns

.

Vio la al so arg ue s t h a t t h e r e is a ge nu in e is su e of m at eri al fact as to th e th ird

pr on g of th e ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n te st : whe th er Vio la ’s pr im ary du ti es in cl ud ed

th e ex erci se of di sc ret io n an d in de pe nd en t jud gm en t wit h res pe ct t o mat te rs of

si gn ifi c an ce. Vio la arg ue s th at th e un di sp ut ed fact s de m on st rat e th at Vio la “ ha d

vi rtu al ly no ab il it y to ex erci se di sc r e t i o n o r in de pe nd en t jud gm en t in m at te rs of

si gn ifi can ce.” (Ap pe ll an t Br. at 15 .) W e d is ag ree. So m e o f th e fac to rs to co ns id er

w h e n de te rm in in g whe th er an em pl oyee ex erci se s di sc ret io n an d in de pe nd e n t

jud gm en t are “ whe th er th e em pl oyee pe rfo rm s wor k th at affe ct s bu si ne ss op erat io ns

to a su bs ta nt ia l de gr ee, ev en if th e em pl oyee’s a ss ig nm en ts are rel at ed to op erat io n

of a pa rti cu la r se gm en t of th e bu si ne ss ” an d “ whe t h e r t h e em pl oyee pr ov id es

co ns ul ta ti on or e x p e r t a d vi ce to m an ag em en t.” 29 CFR § 54 1.2 02 (b ). The reco rd

de m on st rat es th at Vio la wor ke d al on e m or e th an se ve nt y -fi ve pe rcen t of th e ti m e an d

ge ne ral ly wit ho ut su pe rv is io n. (R.1 -3 1- 1, Vio la Dep o., p. 24 at 93 :0 7- 25 .) Vio la was

req ui red to an al y ze he r m ark et

, lo ok in g fo r or ga ni zat io ns an d lo cat io ns whe re

p o t e n t ia l cu st om ers wou ld co ng reg at e, an d to crea te a st rat eg y to pr om ot e t h e

W el lC are bra nd an d im ag e. As a pr im ary fu nc ti on of h er em pl oym en t, Vi ol a ch os e

w h i c h co m

m un it y an d fai th -b as ed or ga ni zat io ns to ta rg et

, th e bo ard s on whi ch to

6se rv e as a rep res en ta ti ve of W el lC are, an d whe re to ho ld m ark et in g an d pr om ot io na l

ev en ts

. Add it io na ll y , Vio la te st ifi ed th at sh e wro te rep or ts an d b u s i n e ss pl an s

de si gn ed to id en ti fy ta rg et s an d ge ne rat e id eas on ho w to gr ow th e bu si ne ss

. ( Id

. , p.

23 at 90 :0 2- 10 .) Vio la ’s job s al so req ui red he r to ne go t i a t e t h e co st of m ark et in g

ev en ts

, ad vi se m an ag em en t where an d ho w m uc h com pa ny m on ey to do na te wit hi n

th e co m m un it y , an d de si gn m ark et in g an d pr om ot io na l ev e n t s

. ( Id

. , p. 22 .)

Add it io na ll y , Vio la te st ifi ed th at sh e was en tru st ed wit h en su rin g th at he r m ark et in g

st rat eg ie s co m

pl ie d wit h th e my ria d of co m pl ex fed eral reg ul at io ns su rro un di ng

Med ic are, an d a vi ol at io n of th es e reg ul at io ns co ul d be de tri m en ta l to he r em pl oyer.

( Id

. , p. 25 at 10 0: 2- 7; p. 35 at 13 8: 3- 23 ; p. 35 at 13 9: 1- 5; R.1 -3 5- 2, Van Valin Aff.,

at ¶ 18 .) Tho ug h th e reco rd de m on st rat es th at Vio la was req ui red to su bm it m os t of

he r p l a n s t o manag em en t be fo re th ey were fin al iz ed

, rev ie w of th is ki nd do es no t

di sq ua li fy an em

pl oyee fro m th e ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n. Se e 29 CFR § 54 1.2 02 (c)

( e x p l a i n i ng th at “ [t]he de ci si on s m ad e as a res ul t of th e ex erci se of di sc ret io n an d

in de pe nd en t jud gm en t m ay co ns is t of reco m m en da ti on s fo r act io n” an d m ay be

“ rev ie wed at a hi gh er le ve l” ). The refo re, we co nc lu de th at Vio la ’s du ti es sh ow th e

us e of di sc ret io n an d in de pe nd en t jud gm en t in m at te rs of si gn ifi can ce, sa ti sf y in g th e

th ird pro ng of t he ad m in is tra ti ve ex em pt io n t es t.

AFFIR MED.

7