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

Heading: Whether Nichols's and Kelly's Written Contract Controls the Question of Marcoux's Employment Status

Text: [¶ 16] Nichols also argues that, even if (1) the issue of Marcoux's employment status is a mixed question of law and fact, and (2) the extent of direction and control it exercised over Marcoux is relevant, the contract between it and Kelly dictates that Marcoux worked under its direction and control. Nichols contends that the contract specifically created the on-site coordinator position and that the contract expressly provides that any services provided to it by Kelly employees will be performed under its direction and control. [¶ 17] Contrary to Nichols's position, the contract between Nichols and Kelly is ambiguous with respect to whether the on-site coordinator works under the direction and control of Nichols. Section 3(a) of the contract specifies that [t]he services to be performed by employees provided by Kelly will be performed under the direction, supervision and control of Nichols. The contract states that Kelly will assign its employees to Nichols to perform services described in Exhibit A. Exhibit A provides, under the heading Description of the Work To Be Performed, that Kelly employees assigned to Nichols will perform light industrial and office clerical work. The on-site coordinator's duties are supervisory in nature and included determining Nichols's staffing needs, interviewing job candidates, placing candidates, and then managing the relationships between those employees and Nichols's supervisors. Because the on-site coordinator's duties do not necessarily fall into the description of the light industrial and office clerical work to be performed by Kelly's assigned employees, it is far from clear whether the on-site coordinator's duties are part of the services contemplated in section 3(a) of the contract. [2] The construction of an ambiguous contract is an issue of fact to be determined by the fact-finder. Reliance Nat'l Indem. v. Knowles Indus. Servs., Corp., 2005 ME 29, ¶ 24, 868 A.2d 220, 228. [¶ 18] In summary, because disputed facts exist as to whether Nichols exercised direction and control over Marcoux, the issue of Marcoux's employment status is a disputed question of fact to be resolved by the fact-finder. See Timberlake, 438 A.2d at 1296 n. 4; Clark's Case, 124 Me. at 50, 126 A. at 20. Whether Marcoux worked under the direction and control of Nichols is central to the determination of whether Nichols is immune from her suit. See 39-A M.R.S.A. § 104. Consequently, the factual disputes about her employment status are material. See Reliance Nat'l Indem., 2005 ME 29, ¶ 7, 868 A.2d at 224.