Legal Document

515 U.S. 29115 S.Ct. 1927132 L.Ed.2d 27 NORTH STAR STEEL COMPANY, Petitioner,v.Charles A. THOMAS et al. CROWN CORK & SEAL CO., INC., Petitioner, v. UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA, AFL-CIO-CLC. Nos. 94-834, 94-835. Supreme Court of the United States Argued April 25, 1995. Decided May 30, Syllabus * Respondents filed separate claims under federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), which authorizes a civil enforcement action by aggrieved employees or their union against covered employer who fails to give 60 days notice plant closing mass layoff, but provides no limitations period for such an action. In rejecting petitioner employer's contention that statute had run, District in Crown Cork held source WARN suits is state law respondent union's suit was timely any arguably applicable Pennsylvania statutes. North Star, however, another granted summary judgment employer, holding employees' barred borrowed from National Labor Relations Act, court believed "more analogous" than law. The Third Circuit consolidated cases should be state, not federal, law, reversing Star affirming Cork. Held: State proper actions brought enforce WARN. Pp. __. (a) Where provide new cause action, this Court's longstanding settled practice has been borrow most closely analogous statute. A circumscribed narrow exception general rule allows borrowing elsewhere when relevant periods would frustrate interfere with implementation national policies at odds purpose operation substantive See, e.g., DelCostello Teamsters, 462 151, 161, 172, 103 2281, 2289, 2294, 76 476. (b) This case falls squarely inside rule, exception. presumption will missing already passed 1988, justifying assumption Congress intended its silence courts Agency Holding Corp. Malley-Duff Associates, Inc., 483 143, 147, 107 2759, 2762, 97 121. Accordingly, since complaints both these were even shortest potentially-applicable statutes limitations, there need go beyond Appeals's decision choose best four, it enough say here none WARN's operation, intent behind it. DelCostello, supra, 166, 2291, distinguished. Although petitioners are right adoption can result variations encourage forum shopping, just costs itself, nothing about makes them exorbitant. Corp., 149, 153-154, S.Ct., 2765-2766, Because counterpart without frustrating consequences here, simply beside point perfectly good analogue exists. 32 F.3d 53, affirmed. SOUTER, J., delivered opinion Court, REHNQUIST, C.J., STEVENS, O'CONNOR, KENNEDY, THOMAS, GINSBURG, BREYER, JJ., joined. SCALIA, concurring judgment. Steven B. Feirson, Philadelphia, PA, petitioner. Laurence Gold, Washington, DC, respondents. Malcolm L. Stewart, U.S., as amicus curiae special leave Court. Justice SOUTER 1 (WARN Act), 102 Stat. 890, 29 U.S.C. § 2101 seq., obliges employers layoff. These raise issue Act. For Pennsylvania, generally, we hold 2 With some exceptions conditions, forbids 100 more "order layoff until end 60-day after serves written order." 2102(a). supposed notify, among others, "each affected employee" representative employees." 2102(a)(1). An violates provisions liable penalties way may "in district violation alleged have occurred, transacts business." 2104(a)(5). class plaintiffs includes (or unions, representatives), ibid., collect "back pay each day violation," 2104(a)(1)(A), "up maximum days," 2104(a)(1). While terms specific on other matters, does authorized 2104. 3 Cork, Steelworkers America claim Federal charging Seal Co., Inc. laying off 85 Perry, Georgia September 1991, giving required notice. moved judgment, claiming run. denied motion, 833 F.Supp. 467 (ED Pa.1993). nevertheless certified question immediate interlocutory appeal 28 1292. 4 respondents former, non-union Steel Company company (also Pennsylvania) alleging laid 270 workers advance Like like reasons, also But successful, 6-month unfair labor (NLRA) , 49 449, 160(b), anything 838 970, 974 (MD 5 Appeals 53 (1994). did pick several might apply WARN, either before 6 Circuit's deepened split Courts period. See Paperworkers Int'l Union Specialty Paperboard, 999 F.2d 51 (CA2 1993) (applying period); Halkias General Dynamics 31 224 (CA5) NLRA period), reh'g en banc granted, 1994 U.S.App. LEXIS 26998 (CA5, Sept. 22, 1994); Mine Workers Peabody Coal 38 850 (CA6 1994) (same). We certiorari resolve it, 513 ----, 115 715, 130 622 (1995), now affirm. II 7 look docket recent years show how often fail causes they create, leaving period, generally limit claims. Reed Transportation Union, 488 319, 109 621, 665 (1989) (claims 101(a)(2) Labor-Management Reporting Disclosure 1959, 73 522, 411(a)(2), governed personal injury statutes); 121 (1987) (civil Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO), 18 1964, 4-year Clayton 69 283, amended, 15 15b); Wilson Garcia, 471 261, 105 1938, 254 (1985) rights 42 1983 actions); 476 (1983) (hybrid employee breach collective bargaining agreement duty fair representation period). examples well our left doubt lender first resort. Since 1830, "state repeatedly supplied action" legislation made provision, Automobile Hoosier Cardinal 383 696, 703-704, 86 1107, 1111-1113, 16 192 (1966), seeking apply, " 'most analogous' act need, Reed, 323, 625, quoting 158, 2287. penchant only "longstanding," "settled," Wilson, 266, 1942, "it appropriate realistic presume thoroughly familiar [our] precedents . expect[s] enactment[s] interpreted conformity them," Cannon University Chicago, 441 677, 699, 99 1946, 1958, 560 (1979). 2762.** 8 There is, course, secondary lender, recognized "a [and] rule," 324, based common sense wish stymie underlying So, relevance 'frustrate policies,' Occidental Life Ins. Co. EEOC, 432 355, 367, 2447, 2455, 402 (1977), "at law," looked provided harmony objectives Lampf, Pleva, Lipkind, Prupis Petigrow Gilbertson, 501 350, 362, 111 2773, 2781-2782, 321 (1991); 153, 156, 2765, 2767; 171-72, 2294-95. reference exception, decline follow "only 'when clearly closer analogy available statutes, stake practicalities litigation make significantly vehicle interstitial lawmaking.' 2294. B 9 "intend[ed] ibid. identified four claims: 2-year enforcing Pa.Stat. Ann., Tit. 42, 5524(5) (Purdon 1981 Supp.); 3-year Wage Payment Collection Law, Pa.Stat.Ann., 43, 260.9a(g) 1992); implied contract, 5525(4) 1981); six residual 5527 Supp.). F.3d, 61. these, odds" "purpose operation," with' 2289. 10 contrast clear. declined so-called "hybrid" his union, reason candidates "typically provide[d] very short times" (generally 90 days) thus "fail[ed] satisfactory opportunity vindicate rights." Id., 166 n. 15, 2291 15. Here, usable periods, two years, relief At end, longest long interest relatively rapid disposition disputes." Workers, 707, 1114 (borrowing 6-year 301 Management Act). 11 do take disagree seriously, heart argument too short. They submit instead that, if presents undue risks ought uniform all (with NLRA, practices claims, being WARN). taking own terms, choosing over rule. course adopting different states same correct canvass shop around forum. 12 It indeed, true "practicalities litigation" influenced rationale RICO. 2765. obligations triggered "plant closing" "mass layoff" "single site employment," §§ 2101(a)(2)-(3), so, unlike RICO violations, "commonly involve interstate transactions." 2766. share "multistate nature" RICO, id., 154, 2766, so simple scope, see 2763-64 (listing many categories crimes predicate acts violation), "[n]o [comparable] compel us search limitations." 327, 627. Since, then, consequences, 13 Affirmed. 14 I remain view prescribed govern created, or, doing purposes enactment, all. 157-170, 2767-2775, (SCALIA, judgment); 334, 630-631, judgment). announced (1983), selected "closer analogy" "significantly appropriate," find erroneous unworkable. If part taken up applying others; appropriate" meaningless, honesty nationwide always appropriate. joined "implied" contained out judicially created. 364-366, 2782-2784, (1991) created us, Congress. my view, governs. 17 because those concur syllabus constitutes prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Lumber 200 321, 337, 26 282, 287, 50 L.Ed. 499. ** expectation reversed December 1, 1990, effective date 1658 (1988 ed., Supp V), supplies general, subsequently enacted one own.

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