Gus Joanou James Beeler v. The Coca-Cola Company Does I Through Xxv, Andy L. Fisher v. The Coca-Cola Company
Opinion
Opinion
Hall, J.
Opinion by Judge HALL.
In this appeal, plaintiffs raise a number of claims arising from their loss of employment and benefits when Coca-Cola sold a portion of its operations. The district court had jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1441 (a) and 1332.- This Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We affirm.
I
On January 31, 1989, The Foods Division of The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola) sold its “coffee business” to Maryland Club Foods, Inc. (MCF). At that time, Gus Joan-ou, James Beeler and Andy L. Fisher (plaintiffs) were Coca-Cola employees who worked in the coffee business. After the sale, Coca-Cola leased plaintiffs’ services to MCF for sixty days. At the end of the sixty days, on March 31, 1989, Coca-Cola terminated their employment. On April 1, plaintiffs commenced employment with MCF in positions substantially similar to those they had held while employed by Coca-Cola.
From May 14,1982, -until its revision on or about January 1, 1989, Coca-Cola’s severance pay policy as stated in its Management Policy Guide (MPG) provided severance benefits for all regular employees not members of a collective bargaining unit except in the following situations: