Barber v. Kone, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
1. As an employee of Universal Building Maintenance (UBM), a contractor of the United States, Barber is considered an employee of the United States for purposes of Nevada workers’ compensation law, see Nev.Rev.Stat. § 616A.210(1); see also id. § 616A.020(5), unless the United States is in the same “trade, business, profession, or occupation” as UBM, id. § 616B.603(1). The United States is in the janitorial profession if it “normally” provides janitorial services. See Oliver v. Barrick Goldstrike Mines, 111 Nev. 1338, 905 P.2d 168, 175 (1995) (per curiam) (quoting Meers v. Haughton Elevator, 101 Nev. 283, 701 P.2d 1006, 1007 (1985) (per curiam) (“ ‘The test ... is whether [the contracted-out] activity is, in that business, normally carried on through employees rather than independent contractors.’ ” (quoting Bassett Furniture Indus., Inc. v. McReynolds, 216 Va. 897, 224 S.E.2d 323, 326 (1976) (quoting Shell Oil Co. v. Leftwich, 212 Va. 715, 187 S.E.2d 162, 167 (1972) (quoting Arthur Larson, 1A The Law of Workmen’s Compensation § 49.12, at 872-73 (emphasis added)))))).
2. Mrs. Barber’s claim was properly dismissed, as she did not exhaust her administrative remedies. See Johnson v. United States, 704 F.2d 1431, 1442 (9th Cir. 1983). That the merits of her loss of consortium claim are derivative of the merits of Mr. Barber’s claim, see Gen. Elec. Co. v. Bush, 88 Nev. 360, 498 P.2d 366, 370-71 & n. 2 (1972), did not relieve her of the responsibility to assert her own claim.
AFFIRMED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Edward BARBER Gail Barber, Plaintiffs—Appellants v. KONE, INC., and United States of America, Defendant—Appellee
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published