Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04292/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04292-23/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Employment Discrimination

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GRETA L. ANDERSON,

Plaintiff,

 v.

 AMERICAN AIRLINES,

Defendant. /

No. C 05-04292 SI

ORDER RE: PLAINTIFF’S CLAIM FOR

WRONGFUL TERMINATION IN

VIOLATION OF PUBLIC POLICY

Plaintiff Greta Anderson alleges that defendant American Airlines, Inc. unlawfully terminated

her based on her perceived mental disability, in violation of California’s Fair Employment and Housing

Act (FEHA). This claim will be presented to the jury for determination. 

In addition, she claims that American Airlines wrongfully terminated her in violation of public

policy, in that she was fired because she requested access to her health care information from Dr.

Brown. She contends that HIPAA entitled her to request a copy of Dr. Brown’s report about her, and

that American (wrongfully) terminated her for making repeated requests under 45 C.F.R. 164.524(b)(1).

Plaintiff has acknowledged that § 164.524(a) does not apply here because Dr. Brown, as well as

plaintiff’s own doctor, determined that access to the report would be reasonably likely to endanger

plaintiff’s physical safety. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.524(a)(3)(i). However, plaintiff argues that

§ 164.524(b)(1) provided her with a right to continue to request access to the report even after Dr.

Brown had provided the report to her own doctor; after both Dr. Brown and her own doctor determined

that access was not appropriate in the absence of a therapeutic relationship; and after defendant told her

to stop requesting access to the report. 

Defendant moves to preclude plaintiff from pursuing this latter claim for wrongful termination

Case 3:05-cv-04292-SI Document 180 Filed 07/14/08 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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It is defendant’s position, supported by substantial evidence, that both Dr. Brown and

ultimately American regarded plaintiff’s repeated requests for the report to be harassment which

substantially interfered with Dr. Brown’s office practice and peace of mind. Even if Dr. Brown had

wrongfully refused to provide a copy of the report to plaintiff, through her physician, which this Court

finds he did not, such harassing behavior could independently be sanctioned by an employer. 

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in violation of public policy, and the Court agrees. First, the Court already ruled, in response to a

motion in limine brought by defendant, that plaintiff was precluded “from using any facts related to Dr.

Brown’s decision to release his report only to a qualified medical provider designated by Plaintiff and

not to Plaintiff directly upon request to support Plaintiff’s second cause of action for Wrongful

Termination in Violation of Public Policy.” Defendant’s Motion in Limine No. 7. Plaintiff did not

oppose the motion. 

Second, the Court holds that, as a matter of law, plaintiff cannot argue that her termination

violated the public policy embodied in § 164.524(b)(1) when it is undisputed that a copy of the report

was provided to her doctor; that her access to the report was deemed to be detrimental to her health

under § 164.524(a)(3); and that she requested access to the report multiple times after being denied on

these grounds.1

 Accordingly, plaintiff is precluded from asserting her second cause of action [Docket

No. 170]. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 14, 2008 

SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:05-cv-04292-SI Document 180 Filed 07/14/08 Page 2 of 2