Opinion ID: 2329148
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether Employment Status is a Question of Law

Text: [¶ 13] Nichols also contends, however, that there cannot be a genuine issue of material fact with respect to Marcoux's employment status because employment status is purely a question of law. We disagree. The issue of Marcoux's employment status is a mixed question of law and fact. See Bourette v. Dresser Indus., Inc., 481 A.2d 170, 173 (Me.1984) (affirming a trial court's findings regarding the employment status of a loaned employee on the basis that the findings were not clearly erroneous and no error of law was demonstrated). When the facts are undisputed, the issue is a question of law; when the facts are disputed, the issue is for the trier of fact. See Timberlake v. Frigon & Frigon, 438 A.2d 1294, 1296 & nn. 3-4 (Me. 1982); Clark's Case, 124 Me. 47, 50, 126 A. 18, 20 (1924). [¶ 14] Treating the issue of employment status as a mixed question of law and fact does not undermine the purpose of the immunity provision. Generally, a denial of a summary judgment motion is considered interlocutory and is not immediately reviewable unless an exception to the final judgment rule applies. See Adoption of Michaela C., 2004 ME 153, ¶ 2, 863 A.2d 270, 272. We have, however, permitted employers to appeal immediately the denial of a summary judgment motion based on a claim of immunity pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act because the statute provides immunity from suit, not just immunity from liability. Hawkes v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., 2001 ME 8, ¶ 6, 764 A.2d 258, 263. Accordingly, employers are provided protection to ensure that the benefits conferred by the immunity provision are not illusory and that cases are not erroneously permitted to go to trial. [¶ 15] In this case, disputed facts exist with regard to the degree of direction and control Nichols exercised over Marcoux. For instance, Nichols and Marcoux disagree as to whether Kelly and Nichols, or just Kelly, determined Marcoux's work schedule; whether Nichols exercised the same amount of control over Marcoux as it did over other Kelly employees at its site; whether Kelly and Nichols, or just Kelly, determined Marcoux's job duties as the on-site coordinator; whether Kelly or Nichols paid Marcoux's salary; and whether Nichols interviewed or otherwise selected Marcoux for the on-site coordinator position. Thus, the question of Marcoux's employment status is for the fact-finder to resolve.