Eagar v. Magma Copper Co.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
Petitioner Eagar
Although Eagar had worked 75% of the shifts for the year March 12, 1958, to March 12, 1959, and had worked the shifts before and after Memorial Day and Independence Day in 1962, Magma denied him benefits. Eagar was not, Magma claims, in its employ on March 12, 1959, nor had he been on the payroll three straight months prior to Memorial and Independence days in 1962.
The majority hold that Magma has violated § 9 (c) of the Universal Military Training and Service Act, 62 Stat. 615, as amended, 50 U. S. C. App. § 459, which provides, inter alia, that a returning serviceman such as Eagar who is re-employed “shall be considered as having been on furlough or leave of absence during his period of training and service in the armed forces, shall be so restored without loss of seniority, [and] shall be entitled to participate in insurance or other benefits offered by the employer pursuant to established rules and practices relating to employees on furlough or leave of absence in effect with the employer at the time such person was inducted into such forces . . . .”
But this case does not concern “seniority.” No employee of Magma, it appears, regardless of how long he has been with the firm, gets paid vacation if he is not on the payroll on his work-year anniversary date. No employee gets a paid holiday unless he has been with Magma for the three preceding months. The length of vacation and the amoimt of vacation and holiday pay Magma gives do turn on seniority. But petitioners do not contest Magma’s assertion that it does figure the length of vacation for returning servicemen as though they had been constantly on the payroll during their tour of duty in the military. In considering the employee’s eligibility for vacation and holiday pay, since seniority is not involved, the courts must apply the “other benefits” clause of § 9 (c). See Borges v. Art Steel Co., 246 F. 2d 735, 738 (C. A. 2d Cir.). As noted, these benefits are accorded as if the employee were on “furlough or leave of absence” while in service. That is precisely what Magma has done.
Accardi admonishes the courts to give the term “seniority” a broad interpretation. 383 U. S., at 229. But Accardi did not involve the “other benefits” clause, which must be applicable in this clear fringe-benefits case if at all.
There are three other employees of respondent Magma Copper in addition to Eagar on whose behalf the Department of Justice has sought review. The Solicitor General and respondent agree that the facts in Eagar’s case are representative of the other petitioners’ cases, and this Court is asked to resolve the legal dispute on the basis of these facts.
Section 9 (c) also provides:
“It is declared to be the sense of the Congress that any person who is restored to a position in accordance with . . . this section should be so restored in such manner as to give him such status in his employment as he would have enjoyed if he had continued in such employment continuously from the time of his entering the armed forces until the time of his restoration to such employment.”
The “sense of Congress” proviso in § 9 (c) does not indicate a different result. The language was added in 1948 when the “seniority” and “other benefits” provisions were re-enacted upon the expiration of § 8 of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, 54 Stat. 890. The “sense of Congress” is concerned with employee “status,”
Opinion of the Court
The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted and the judgment is reversed. Accardi v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 383 U. S. 225.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- EAGAR Et Al. v. MAGMA COPPER CO.
- Cited By
- 38 cases
- Status
- Published