Opinion ID: 778104
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Layoffs of Burkel and Monton On and After August 17

Text: 34 On August 16, Monton called Pomeroy to tell him that he was ready to return to work; Pomeroy suggested that both Burkel and Monton return the next day. However, when Monton arrived at work on August 17, Pomeroy told him that he could not recommence work. Pomeroy explained that Trucks decided that because they had just appointed a new weatherization director, they wanted the director to have a chance to get on his feet before Monton and Burkel could return. 35 Monton and Burkel ultimately were recalled to work on January 26, 1996, three days before the hearing before the ALJ. Pomeroy explained that while Trucks had hired a new director, James Mason, on August 4, Mason resigned on September 5. Trucks subsequently hired Chad Van Atter to take over as weatherization director on September 28. However, Trucks and Pomeroy did not recall Burkel and Monton until almost four months later. 36 The Board found incredible Pomeroy's testimony that he and Trucks wanted to wait to recall Monton and Burkel in order to allow Mason, and then Van Atter, time to acclimate to the position of director. Rather, the ALJ found the last-minute decision to be a ploy on the part of Trucks to prolong Burkel's and Monton's layoffs. Moreover, while the ALJ acknowledged that Pomeroy testified that he sent recall letters to Burkel and Monton on January 26, 1996, the ALJ also found relevant the fact that these letters were sent three days before the hearing. The ALJ concluded that FiveCAP sent the letters at that time in an attempt to lend some credence to its purported defense that lack of supervision was responsible for the layoff. The NLRB concurred in the ALJ's conclusion that these layoffs were unlawful. 37 FiveCAP challenges the Board's determination as to the post-August 17 layoffs of Burkel and Monton only as to the period of time from August 17 through September 28, the date on which Trucks hired Van Atter. FiveCAP argues that it demonstrated a legitimate reason for failing to recall Burkel and Monton during this time period, namely that Mason needed time to acclimate to his post, and, after he resigned, the department was in need of yet another director. FiveCAP also argues that any back pay order emanating from its failure to recall Monton and Burkel should be tolled as of January 26, the date on which Monton and Burkel were recalled. 38 FiveCAP's arguments lack merit. The Board correctly concluded that there was substantial evidence of anti-union animus on the part of FiveCAP, and that the search for a director was pretextual. As stated previously, this Court is required to give substantial deference to credibility determinations by the ALJ, and thus we must credit the ALJ's conclusion that Pomeroy was disingenuous about FiveCAP's reasons for waiting to recall Burkel and Monton. Notwithstanding this finding, however, the record seems to indicate that other motives were at play. In particular, Burkel and Monton had managed without a director for several months, as Clark resigned on April 28. Moreover, both Burkel and Monton testified that there was plenty of backlogged work that the two of them could have done together without the assistance of a director. These facts contribute to a substantial showing of anti-union animus. 39 As to the tolling of the backpay order, we are likewise bound to the Board's finding that the backpay order was merely an attempt to save face days before the hearing. Thus, we join in the Board's finding that the backpay order was not tolled as of January 26, 1996.