Opinion ID: 309662
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: checkers

Text: 62 In ruling on the third category of workers, designated checkers or double checkers, the district court found that two female workers were employed in that capacity during the period in question-Edna Newland from January 1, 1968 to June 1, 1970, and Ruth Taylor from November 1, 1970 to December 31, 1970. The court also found that during the same period Behrens employed two males as checkers-Julius Horton from January 1, 1968 to June 22, 1968, and Mark Meadows from March 1, 1970 to October 3, 1970. Male and female checkers performed the same principal duty-they checked the merchandise to be shipped against the customer's order to prevent shipment of unordered items. 63 The female checkers were paid at rates below those paid to the male checkers. 13 yet, they were found to have performed work requiring substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility. [App. 215.] 64 Behrens raises several objections to the district court's holding with respect to checkers. First, it challenges the ruling that Mrs. Newland, while checking in the middle aisle, performed work equal to that of Horton who checked at the end of the aisle. Behrens claims that the end of the aisle checker was responsible for checking narcotics, an obligation not imposed upon the middle of the aisle checker and purportedly requiring sufficient extra responsibility and effort to render the positions unequal under the Act. 65 Although checking narcotics certainly entails increased responsbility, the mechanical aspects of the task merely require preparation of a few extra forms. [App. 301.] The developing law of remunerative equality has increasingly been viewed as a question of fact to be determined on a case by case basis. See Hodgson v. Golden Isles Convalescent Homes, supra, and Hodgson v. Brookhaven General Hospital, supra. Evidence clearly exists to support the district court's finding that Mrs. Newland and Horton performed equal work. In fact, the pay schedule reveals that Mrs. Newland's salary was not immediately increased when she became close-out checker, suggesting that the narcotics handling aspect of that job was not by itself determinative of higher pay. 66 Second, appellant argues that no male worked as a close-out checker between February 2, 1970 and June 19, 1970 when Mrs. Newland performed that task. Horton, Mrs. Newland's predecessor at the close-out point, received $1.65 an hour, the same wage Mrs. Newland received after February 2, 1970. Thus, no equal pay violation occurred as between Horton and Mrs. Newland for that period. 67 The district court found, however, that another male employee, Mark Meadows, performed work equal to that of a checker at a higher pay than Mrs. Newland during the February to June period. Meadows was officially designated a shelver, but job content, not job description is the critical issue. Hodgson v. Brookhaven General Hospital, supra. This contention of unequal work, like Behrens' first argument, is basically a disagreement over the court's factual determination. Ample facts support the district court's finding and that finding is not clearly erroneous. Rule 52, F.R. Civ.P. 68 Ruth Taylor was found to be due $558.94 in back wages for the period from December 21, 1968 to November 16, 1971. She worked as order filler prior to November 1, 1970, and from that date to November 16, 1971 she worked as close-out checker. The parties agree that her compensation as close-out checker was not in violation of the Act's equal pay provisions. Accordingly, the amount of restitution awarded her by the district court should be reduced by the amount which was computed to have accrued from November 1, 1970 to November 16, 1971. (Behrens' Brief, p. 45; the Secretary's Brief, p. 31 n. 14.) The district court's judgment should be modified by so reducing the judgment in favor of Ruth Taylor. In all other aspects the judgment is affirmed. 69 Modified and affirmed.