Opinion ID: 1508402
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Suitable Employment: The Service Writer II Position

Text: Nordic Toyota next argues that it avoided liability under § 643b by offering Schnabel the service writer position in late January 1994. Pursuant to § 643b(b), once an employee has recovered [t]he employer... shall reinstate the worker ... in the first available position suitable for the worker.... 21 V.S.A. § 643b(b). The trial court found that, for all practical purposes, the group leader position was the same as the foreperson job that Schnabel previously held. Nordic Toyota's refusal to hire Schnabel for the group leader position provides the basis for liability because it was the first available position suitable for the worker. Id. Furthermore, Nordic Toyota's liability for its failure to comply with § 643b(b) is not averted by its subsequent offer of the service writer position. The record supports the court's finding that the service writer position involved work on Ford vehicles, that Schnabel was a master technician for Toyota vehicles and had no training or experience with Ford products, and, the Ford service writer position would pay substantially less than the group leader position. We agree with the court's determination that the service writer position was not an alternative suitable position.