Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01726/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01726-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question: Employment Discrimination

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RONALD L. PRONECHEN, ) 

 )

 Plaintiff, ) 

 )

 v. )

 )

SECRETARY OF U.S. DEPARTMENT )

OF HOMELAND SECURITY, )

 ) 

 Defendant. )

______________________________)

ED-CV 06-1726-LEW

STATEMENT OF

UNCONTROVERTED FACTS

AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

After consideration of the papers in support of and in

opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment, this

Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions

of law:

UNCONTROVERTED FACTS

1. In November of 2002, a position for a Supervisory

Physical Security Specialist Position was open for

applications. [Exh. A at 102:25-103:6]. The Supervisory

Physical Security Specialist Position was a Grade 13

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position. [Exh. A at 102:25-103:6]. The position was

listed under Announcement 0390224. [Exh. A at 102:25-

103:6]. Plaintiff applied for the position. [Exh. A at

102:25-103:6].

2. On March 11, 2003, Plaintiff received notice that

he had not been selected for the position listed under

Announcement Number 0390224. [Exh. A at 106:6-16]. 

3. The position listed under Announcement 0390224 was

given to another candidate. [Exh. A at 106:6-16]. The

candidate who received the position had the initials H.S.

[Decl. Rye ¶ 3]. H.S. was not hired because he failed the

security clearance required for the position. [Decl. Rye ¶

3]. After H.S. failed the security clearance, Announcement

0390224 was cancelled. [Decl. Rye ¶ 3]. 

4. A closed or cancelled announcement is permanently

closed. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. A closed or cancelled

announcement cannot be reopened. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. 

5. In January through February of 2003, a position for

a Physical Security Specialist with the Department of

Homeland Security was open for applications. [Exh. A at

112:16-21]. The Physical Security Specialist position was

for a GS-12 position. [Exh. A at 112:16-21]. The position

was listed under Announcement 0390874. [Exh. A at 112:16-

21]. Plaintiff applied for the position. [Exh. A at

112:16-21]. 

6. On March 12, 2003, Plaintiff was notified that he

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had been referred for consideration for the position listed

under Announcement 0390874. [Exh. A at 113:3-114:6]. 

Plaintiff had been told that he may be contacted for an

interview regarding the position within 90 days. [Exh. A at

113:3-114:6]. Plaintiff was not contacted again regarding

the position. [Exh. A 113:3-114:6].

7. No selection was made for the position listed under

Announcement 0390874. [Decl. Rye ¶ 4-5]. Announcement

0390874 was cancelled. [Decl. Rye ¶ 4-5].

8. A closed or cancelled announcement is permanently

closed. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. A closed or cancelled

announcement cannot be reopened. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. 

9. In June 2003 through July 2003, a position for a

Physical Security Specialist with the Department of Homeland

Security was open for applications. [Exh. A at 124:8-18]. 

The Physical Security Specialist position was for a GS-12

position. [Exh. A at 124:8-18]. The position was listed

under Announcement 0392154. [Exh. A at 124:8-18]. It was

for a vacancy in Santa Clara County. [Exh. A at 124:8-18]. 

Plaintiff applied for the position. [Exh. A 124:8-18]. 

10. On August 28, 2003, Plaintiff was notified that he

had been referred for consideration for the position listed

under Announcement 0392154. [Exh. A at 124:25-125:22]. 

Plaintiff had been told that he may be contacted regarding

the position. [Exh. A at 124:25-125:22]. Plaintiff was not

contacted again regarding the position. [Exh. A at 124:25-

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125:22]. 

11. The position listed under Announcement 0392154 was

given to another candidate. [Decl. Rye ¶ 7]. The

candidate who received the position had the initials C.D.

[Decl. Rye ¶ 7]. C.D was not hired because he failed the

security clearance required for the position. [Decl. Rye ¶

7]. After C.D failed the security clearance, Announcement

0392154 was cancelled. [Decl. Rye ¶ 7]. 

12. A closed or cancelled announcement is permanently

closed. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. A closed or cancelled

announcement cannot be reopened. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. 

13. In late June 2003 to early July 2003, a position

for a Physical Security Specialist with the Department of

Homeland Security was open for applications. [Exh. A at

120:4-10]. The Physical Security Specialist position was

for a GS-12 position. [Exh. A at 120:4-10]. The position

was listed under Announcement 0392174. [Exh. A at 120:4-

10]. It was for a position in Los Angeles. [Exh. A at

120:4-10]. Plaintiff applied for the position. [Exh. A at

120:4-10]. 

14. On January 14, 2004, Plaintiff was notified that

he would not be hired for the position listed under

Announcement 0392174. [Exh. A at 121:7-18]. 

15. No selection was made for the position listed

under Announcement 0392174. [Exh. A at 121:7-18]. 

Announcement 0392174 was cancelled. [Decl. Rye ¶ 8-9]. 

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16. A closed or cancelled announcement is permanently

closed. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6]. A closed or cancelled

announcement cannot be reopened. [Decl. Rye Reply ¶ 6].

17. In August 2003, a position for a Physical Security

Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security was open

for applications. [Exh. A at 134:9-14]. The position was

listed under Announcement 0392644. [Exh. A at 134:9-14]. 

The position was for a Physical Security Specialist. It was

for a vacancy in Fresno. [Exh. A at 134:9-14]. Plaintiff

applied for the position. [Exh. A at 134:9-14]. 

18. On January 14, 2004, Plaintiff was notified that

he would not be hired for the position listed under

Announcement 0392644. [Exh. A at 134:19-135:7].

19. No selection was made for the position listed

under Announcement 0392644. [Decl. Rye ¶ 12]. Announcement

0392174 expired on its own terms. [Decl. Rye ¶ 12]. 

20. A selecting official has 90 days to make a

selection. [Decl. Rye ¶ 12]. If no selection is made

within 90 days of the referral date, the certificate expires

on its own terms. [Decl. Rye ¶ 12]. 

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. The standard set forth in Cotton v. City of Alameda

is the proper standard for an age discrimination claim under

the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Cotton v. City of

Alameda, 812 F.2d 1245, 1248 (9th Cir. 1987).

2. Under Cotton, a prima facie case of age

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discrimination consists of: first, Plaintiff must show that

he is within the protected class of forty to seventy years

old; second, Plaintiff must show that he applied for a

position, for which, he was qualified; third, Plaintiff must

show that a younger person with similar qualifications

received the position. Id. 

3. As to the positions listed under Announcements

0390224, 0390874, 0392154, 0392174, and 0392644, Plaintiff

cannot establish a prima facie case of age discrimination

because he has failed to show that a younger person with

similar qualifications received the positions listed under

those announcements. See id.

4. Judgment shall be entered in Defendant’s favor as

to Announcements 0390224, 0390874, 0392154, 0392174, and

0392644 consistent herewith.

DATED: March 24, 2010

__________________________________

 HONORABLE RONALD S.W. LEW

 Senior, U.S. District Court Judge

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