Court Opinion

ID: 9581844
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:19:35.819635+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:17.661137
License: Public Domain

HUDSON, Judge,
concurring.
While I agree with the majority in almost every respect, I write separately to clarify one point pertaining to the issue of attorneys fees under N.C.G.S. § 97-88.1 (Issue IV.D). As to this issue, the majority states that the Commission has not abused its discretion in declining to award such fees, because the defendants did not “defend without reasonable grounds.” With this conclusion, I agree. However, I believe that the basis for this conclusion is that the defendant presented sufficient evidence to create a dispute as to whether the plaintiffs greeter job accurately reflected her wage earning capacity. As such, the Commission was justified in declining to award attorneys fees.
The plaintiff presented evidence that the job was highly modified, and that, even so, because of her irregular attendance due to chronic pain, she could not hold the job. The Commission found, and we have affirmed, based on Peoples, 316 N.C. 426, 342 S.E.2d 798, the following:
[the modified greeter position] was scheduled for twenty hours per week, but due to chronic back pain, plaintiff was unable to perform the job for the full twenty hours . . . [but] on average, plaintiff worked only 14.84 hours per week. . . . Plaintiff’s irregular attendance would not be tolerated by most employers. Under the totality of the circumstances, the greeter position performed by plaintiff was not indicative of plaintiff’s ability to compete with others for wages.
I believe that Peoples, 316 N.C. at 428, 342 S.E.2d at 806, and Saums, 346 N.C. 760, 487 S.E.2d 746, bear on whether or not the greeter job reflects plaintiffs wage earning capacity, and do not resolve the issue of attorneys fees. Despite the above finding, there were significant disputes in the evidence. Therefore, the Commission’s conclusion to award no attorneys fees was justified. Having made this clarification, I concur.