Opinion ID: 444675
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Backpay and Frontpay

Text: 23 The Hospital argues that the period for which backpay may be recovered in this case was shortened by its unconditional offer of reinstatement to Ms. O'Donnell. The district court dismissed this argument because he was unconvinced that an offer of reinstatement had been made and because animosity between the parties rendered reinstatement unrealistic. The Hospital also contends that frontpay is not available under the ADEA and that, even if such relief is available, Ms. O'Donnell's failure to request reinstatement precludes its recovery. Logic mandates, of course, that an unreasonably refused offer of reinstatement will preclude recovery of both frontpay and backpay. 24 In determining whether the right to relief extends beyond the date of an offer of reinstatement, the trial court must consider the circumstances under which the offer was made or rejected, including the terms of the offer and the reasons for refusal. Claiborne v. Illinois Central R.R., 583 F.2d 143, 153 (5th Cir.1978), cert. denied, 442 U.S. 934, 99 S.Ct. 2869, 61 L.Ed.2d 303 (1979); see Dickerson v. Deluxe Check Printers, Inc., 703 F.2d 276, 282 (8th Cir.1983) (Claiborne applied to ADEA case). Generally, it is the duty of the trier of fact to weigh the evidence to determine whether a reasonable person would refuse the offer of reinstatement. Fiedler v. Indianhead Truck Line, 670 F.2d 806, 808 (8th Cir.1982), quoted in Dickerson, 703 F.2d at 282. 25 An offer of reinstatement and the plaintiff's acceptance or denial of it are relevant to the plaintiff's mitigation of her damages. See Claiborne, 583 F.2d at 153. Ms. O'Donnell testified that she would not consider returning to work at the Hospital, even in a department other than that from which she resigned. Mr. Sartain nevertheless testified that he would rehire her. By special interrogatory, the jury determined that Ms. O'Donnell made a reasonable effort to find other suitable employment after leaving the defendant Hospital. The district court held that sufficient evidence supported this verdict. 26 We do not dispute these decisions as far as they go. Careful scrutiny of the record, however, shows that the issue of reinstatement was not submitted to the jury. Ms. O'Donnell's counsel requested that the court submit to the jury an interrogatory to determine if reinstatement was feasible under the circumstances. Counsel for the Hospital objected, stating that the issue of reinstatement was properly for the court on the determination of damages. The district court apparently agreed with the Hospital, for he did not add the interrogatory as requested by Ms. O'Donnell. We therefore examine the district court's decision on this issue. 27 The court first noted that he was unconvinced that the Hospital had truly made an offer of reinstatement. To the extent that this statement is a holding that no offer was made, it is clearly erroneous. The unrefuted affidavit of Mr. Sartain, which was before the district court on the determination of damages, states that the Hospital has made repeated offers of reinstatement. The court failed to evaluate the offer and Ms. O'Donnell's refusal according to the factors described in Claiborne. 9 We therefore reverse the district court's awards of backpay and frontpay and remand for reconsideration in the light of Claiborne. This holding also requires that we vacate the award of liquidated damages. See 29 U.S.C.A. Secs. 216(b), 626(b). 28 We also hold that if the district court finds that Ms. O'Donnell has reasonably refused reinstatement, frontpay is an available remedy under the ADEA. Such is the weight of circuit opinion. See Davis v. Combustion Engineering, Inc., 742 F.2d 916, 923 (6th Cir.1984); Whittlesey v. Union Carbide Corp., 742 F.2d 724, 727 (2d Cir.1984); EEOC v. Prudential Federal Savings and Loan Association, 741 F.2d 1225, 1231-33 (10th Cir.1984); Gibson v. Mohawk Rubber Co., 695 F.2d 1093, 1100 (8th Cir.1982); Cancellier v. Federated Department Stores, 672 F.2d 1312, 1319 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 859, 103 S.Ct. 131, 74 L.Ed.2d 113 (1982). But see Kolb v. Goldring, Inc., 694 F.2d 869, 874 n. 4 (1st Cir.1982). The language of the ADEA's remedial provisions is clearly broad enough to encompass such a remedy, see 29 U.S.C.A. Sec. 626(b), and frontpay may sometimes be appropriate to effectuate the purposes of the ADEA. 10 We need not now decide if reinstatement is nevertheless the preferred remedy. See Whittlesey, 742 F.2d at 728; Prudential Federal, 741 F.2d at 1232. The posture of this case mandates that frontpay may be awarded only after reinstatement is dismissed as a realistic alternative.