1 NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT

___________ N o. 10- 1455

___________ LE O Z. TARR, A ppel l ant vs. F E DE X GR OUND

____________________________________ O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e W e ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D . C . C i vi l A ct i on N o. 08- cv- 01454) D i s tr i ctJ udge: H onor abl e G aryL . L anca s t er

____________________________________ Subm i tt ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

O ct ober14, 2010 B efor e: SL O V I T E R , C H A G A R E S and W E I S, C i r cui tJ udges O pi ni on fi l ed: O ct ober27, 2010

___________ OP I NI ON

___________ P E R C U R I A M.

L eo Tar r , pr ocee di ng pro se , ap p ea ls from the D istri ct C o u rt = s or der gr ant i ng FedE x G r ound = s ( A Fe d Ex @ ) m ot i on fors um m aryj udgm ent . Forthe r eas ons that f o llo w , w e w ill a f

f irm th e ju d g m e n t o f

th e D istric t C o u rt.2 I A ppel l antL eo Tar ri s a bl ack man fr om L i ber i a. I n Sept ember2004, he w as hi r ed byPr emi erT echnol ogi es as a comput ercons ul t ant . H e w as as s i gned t o w or k at F e d E x G ro u n d f

o r o n e y e a r. I n A p ri l 2 0 0 5 , F e d E x h ir e d T a rr a s a D e v e lo p e r A n a lyst. S ee D . C t. D o c. N o . 4 0 -1, 3. T arr = s s upervi s orw as J eff eryM at z, and Tar rw or ked i n a gr oup w i th otherdevel operanal y s t s . See i d. A. T arral l eged that s ho rt l yaft er he w as hi red byF edE x, tw o co -w orkers B T e n n a n t an d N ied f

e ld t B b e g a n p ri n tin g o u t h is c o m p u te r c o d e a n d ri d ic u lin g h is w o rk . S e e i d . a t7 - 1 0 . T a rra l s o a l l e g e d th a tT e n n a n tt o l d l i e s a b o u th i s j o b p e r f o r ma n c e . S e e D. Ct . Doc . No. 3 , 3 . Ta rrc o mpl a i n e d t o M a t z , b u td e c l i n e d t o r e p o r tth e p r o b l e ms t o Fe d Ex H um an R es our ces . See D . C t . D oc. N o. 40- 1, 10.

T a rr f u rth e r a lleg e d th a t, i n Ju ly2 0 0 6 , h e g o t in to a n a rg u m e n t w ith N i edfe l dtaft ers he t aunt ed hi m and s t at ed thathe w as l uckyFedE x had af fi r m at i ve act i on. See i d. at12. T arre- m ai l ed M at z t o compl ai n, and M at z r es ponded t o the compl ai nt . See i d. M at z al s o forw ar ded the e- m ai l excha nge t o hi s s upervi s orand the H um an R es our ces D epart m ent . See D . C t . D oc. N o. 40- 3, 2.

T h e re a f ter , F e d E x H u m a n R e so u rc e s e m p lo y e e s R o b e rtso n a n d M c A rd le m etw i th T arrt o di s cus s hi s compl ai nt s . See i d. T arrcompl ai ned thatT ennantand N i edfe l dtw er e s abot agi ng hi s w or k, thathe had qua rr el ed w i th them, and thatN i edfe l dt3

h ad m ad e a n inap p rop ri ate rem ark ab o u t T arr = s benef i t t i ng fr om aff

i r m at i ve ac t i on. See i d. at2- 3. R obert s on and M cA r dl e then meti ndi vi dual l yw i th the empl oy ees i nvol ved, FedE x m anage r s , and empl oy ees T arral l eged ha d overhear d the al t er cat i ons . See i d. at3.

T en n an t and N iedf

eldt d en ied ridicu li n g T arr = s w or k per form ance orcodi ng s k ills , a n d N ie d f

e ld t d e n ie d m a k in g a n yc o m m e n t r e g a rd in g a f f ir m a tiv e a c tio n . S e e id . O ther e m p loy ee s ex p lai n ed that, d u ri n g T arr = s a rg u m e n ts w ith T e n n a n t an d N ied f e ld t, theynev er heard anycom m ent r egardi ng affirm at i ve acti on , or any thing el se t o sug gest thatT ennantand N i edfe l dtharbor ed anyi l l w i l l t ow ar d T arrbas ed on hi s r ace or n a tio n a lity. S e e id .

Fol l ow i ng the i nves t i gat i on, R obert s on and M cA r dl e metw i th T arrand advi s ed hi m thattheyhad di s cover ed no evi dence t o s uppor thi s har as s m entcl ai m s . See i d. T heyconcl uded that , al though he had w or k- r el at ed conf l i ct s w i th T ennantand N i edfe l dt , ther e w as no bas i s t o concl ude thatanyr ace - ornat i onal i ty - bas ed har as s m ent ordi s cr i m i nat i on had occ urr ed. See i d. T arri ndi cat ed thathe di d notexper i ence any o th e r v e rb a l h a ra ss m e n t af ter th e in v e stig a tio n , b u t th a t u n k n o w n p e rso n s c o n tin u e d to sa b o tag e h is p ro g ra m s. S e e D . C t. D o c . N o . 4 0 -1 , 1 6 . T a rr m a d e n o f u rth e r c o m p lain ts to th e H u m a n R e s o u rc e s D e p a rt m e n t. B.

I n O ct ober2006, a co- w or kerconduct ed an i nt ernets ear ch and l earned that T a rr h a d f

iled a d isc rim in a tio n c h a rg e w ith th e Illino is D e p a rtm e n t o f H u m a n R ig h ts4

( A I DHR @ ) agai ns thi s pr i orempl oy er , the A m er i can D i et et i c A s s oci at i on ( A ADA @ ) . S e e D. C t. D o c. N o . 4 0 -3, 4. T h e ID H R d ism issed T arr = s c h a r g e a f t e rc o n c l u d i n g th a tth e ADA h ad term inated h im fo r m ak ing u n au tho ri ze d p erso n al ph o n e c all s. S ee id. H o w ev er, T arri ndi cat ed on hi s appl i cat i on forempl oym entw i th FedE x thatthe A D A l ai d hi m off as a r es ul tof t echnol ogi cal change . See i d. R obert s on i nves t i gat ed the i ncons i s t ency p u r s u a n tt o Fe d Ex = s Secur i tyPol i cy . See i d. R obert s on and M cA r dl e br oughtthe mat t er to T arr = s a t t e n t i o n . S e e i d . a t5 . T h e n e x td a y , T a rrs u b mi t t e d a l e t t e rf r o m th e ADA capt i oned A c o n f

irm a tio n o f

e m p lo ym e n t, @ w h ich c o n f irm e d h is d a tes o f

e m p lo ym e n t w ith the A D A and s t at ed thathe A p erf o rm ed h is j o b resp o n sibil it ies i n a sa ti sfa ctorym an n er. @ S ee id. A fter rec eivin g the lett er, th e inv esti g ati o n reg ard ing T arr = s j ob appl i cat i on w as c lo s e d w ith n o f

u rt h e r a c tio n . S e e id . C. In A p ri l 20 0 6 , M atz c o n d u cted T arr = s annual r evi ew . See D . C t . D oc. N o. 4 0 - 2 , 2 - 3 . M a t z i n d i c a t e d th a tTa rrwas p e r f o r mi n g wi th i n Fe d Ex = s A m eet s expec t at i ons @ e v a lu a tio n c a te g o ry, b u t n o te d s o m e c o n c e rn s a b o u t h is p ro g ra m m in g s k ills . S e e id . a t 2 . M a tz p lac e d T a rr o n a n in f o rm a l p e rf

o rm a n c e im p ro v e m e n t p lan , w h ich re q u ire d T a rr to c o m p lete tra in in g c o u rse s a n d th e n d e v e lo p a p ro g ra m th a t co m p lied w ith c e rta in sp e c if ica tio n s. S e e id . at 3 . T a rr c o m p lete d th e tra in in g c o u rse s, b u t f a iled to c o m p lete th e re q u ir e d f

o llo w -u p w o rk w ith in th e p re s c ri b e d tim e f ra m e . S e e id .5 I n February2007, M at z pl ace d T arron a form al per form ance i m pr ovement p la n b e c a u s e h is w o rk p e rf o rm a n c e h a d n o t im p ro v e d u n d e r t h e in f o rm a l p la n . S e e id . T arrw as i ns truct ed t o w r i t e tw o comput erpr ogr ams w i thi n a s peci fi ed t i m e fr ame. See id. A lth o u g h h e su b m itted th e p rog ram s w ith in the all o tt ed ti m e, th eyco n tai n ed erro rs an d fa il ed to co m p lyw ith F ed E x stan d ard s. S ee id. A s a re su lt , M atz c o n clud ed that T arr f a iled to a c h iev e th e g o a ls s e t o u t in th e f o rm a l im p ro v e m e n t p lan . S e e id . C iti n g h is cons i s t ent l yi nadequa t e per form ance , FedE x t erm i nat ed Tar ri n A pr i l 2007. See i d. at4. D. I n J une 2007, T arrfi l ed a di s cr i m i nat i on compl ai ntagai ns tFedE x w i th the Penns y l vani a H um an R i ght s C om m i s s i on ( A P HRC @ ) and the Equal E m pl oym ent O ppor tuni tyC om m i s s i on ( A E E OC @ ). T h e E E O C iss u e d T a rr a rig h t-to -su e lette r in O ct ober2008, and he f

i l ed a thr ee- countcompl ai nti n the D i s tr i ctC our t . T arral l eged th a t: (1 ) h e w a s h a ra ss e d b yh is c o -w o rk e rs b e c a u se o f h is ra c e a n d n a tio n a l o rig in , in vi ol at i on of Ti t l e V I I of the C i vi l R i ght s A ctof 1964 and the Penns y l vani a H um an R e latio n s A c t ( A P HRA @ ) ; ( 2) FedE x di s char ged hi m on the bas i s of hi s r ace and nat i onal or i gi n, i n vi ol at i on of Ti t l e V I I and the PH R A ; and ( 3) FedE x unl aw ful l yr et al i at ed a g a i n s th i m f

o re n g a g i n g i n a c t i v i typ r o t e c t e d b yT i t l e VI I a n d th e P HR A. FedE x m oved fors um m aryj udgm ent , and the D i s tr i ctC our tgr ant ed the m o ti o n . T arr n o w ap p ea ls th at ord er.Forconveni ence , and bec aus e the cr i t er i a foreval uat i ng cl ai m s underT i t l e V I I and 1 the P H R A are iden ti ca l, see W esto n v . P en n sy lvan ia, 2 5 1 F . 3 d 4 2 0 , 4 2 5 n . 3 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ), w e w il l r ef

er o n lyto T it le V II i n an aly zing T arr = s cl ai m s. 6 II W e h a v e ju ri s d ic tio n p u rs u a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . ' 1291. W e mayaff i r m on any g rou n d su p p o rt ed b ythe re co rd. S ee H u g h es v . L o n g , 2 4 2 F . 3 d 1 2 1 , 1 2 2 n . 1 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ). W h en rev iew ing a d istri ct co u rt = s grantof sum m aryj ud gm ent, w e exerci se p le n a ry re v ie w , v ie w in g th e f a c ts in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o ra b le to th e n o n -m o v in g p a rt y . S e e De e v . Bo r o u g h o f

Du n mo r e , 5 4 9 F . 3 d 2 2 5 , 2 2 9 ( 3 d Ci r . 2 0 0 8 ) . W e a p p l yth e s a me s t andar d thatgoverns i n di s tr i ctcourtpr ocee di ngs , underw hi ch A a p a rtyis e n tit led to s u m m a ry j u d g m e n to n l y > i f the pl eadi ngs , depos i t i ons , ans w er s t o i nt err ogat or i es , and admi s s i ons on fi l e, t ogetherw i th the af fi davi t s , i f any , s how thatther e i s no genui ne i s s ue as t o anym at er i al fac tand thatthe movi ng partyi s ent i t l ed t o j udgm entas a mat t erof l a w. =@ Id. (qu o ti n g F ed . R . C iv. P. 56 (c)). 1

T arrfi r s tar gues thatthe D i s tr i ctC our terr ed i n gr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm ent on hi s har as s m entcl ai m . T i t l e V I I pr ohi bi t s an empl oy erfr om di s cr i m i nat i ng A against anyi ndi vi dual w i th r es pectt o hi s compensa t i on, t erm s , condi t i ons , orpr i vi l eges of empl oym ent , beca us e of s uch i ndi vi dual = s r ace . . . ornat i onal or i gi n. @ 4 2 U. S . C. ' 2 0 0 0 e - 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) . A A di s cr i m i nat or i l yhos t i l e orabus i ve @ w o rk e n v iro n m e n t v io late s T itl e V II. S ee H arris v. Fo rkli ft S y s. , Inc . , 5 1 0 U . S . 1 7 , 2 1 (19 9 3 ). T o estab li sh a h o sti le w o rk envi r onm entcl ai m , the pl ai nt i ff be ar s the bur den of pr ovi ng that : ( 1) he s uffe r ed7

i nt ent i onal di s cr i m i nat i on bas ed on hi s m ember s hi p i n a pr ot ect ed cl as s ; ( 2) the di s cr i m i nat i on w as pervas i ve and r egul ar ; ( 3) the di s cr i m i nat i on detr i m ent al l yaff ect ed hi m ; ( 4) a r eas onabl e per s on i n the s ame posi t i on and pr ot ect ed cl as s w oul d have be en d etri m en tal lyaf

fe cted ; and (5) r es

pondeat s uper i orl i abi l i tyexi s t s . See W es tv. P h il ad elph ia E lec. C o . , 4 5 F . 3 d 7 4 4 , 7 5 3 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 5 ). H ere , the D istri ct C o u rt reas on ed that , even i f T arrcou l d sat i sfythe fir stfou r cr i t eri a, he co uld not es t abli sh r es pondeat s uper i orl i abi l i tyon the partof FedEx. W e agr ee. W hen a hos t i l e w or k envi r onm enti s cr eat ed byan i ndi vi dual = s co-w orkers , r atherthan hi s s upervi s or s , the empl oy eri s notaut om at i cal l yl i abl e. See H us t on v. P ro c te r & G a m b le P a p e r P ro d s . C o rp ., 5 6 8 F .3 d 1 0 0 , 1 0 4 (3 d C ir . 2 0 0 9 ). A R athe r, empl oy erl i abi l i tyforco- w or kerhar as s m entexi s t s onl yi f the empl oy erfai l ed t o pr ovi de a r eas onabl e ave nue forcompl ai ntor , al t ernat i vel y , i f the empl oy erknew ors houl d have know n of the har as s m entand fa i l ed t o t ake pr om ptand appr opr i at e r emedi al act i on. @ Id .

A A r e me d i a l a c t i o n th a ts t o p s th e h a r a s s me n ti s a d e q u a t e a s a ma t t e ro f l a w. @ A ndr eol i v. G ates, 48 2 F . 3 d 6 4 1 , 6 4 4 n . 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 7 ). T arr co n ce d ed in h is de p o sit ion that there w as n o h ara ssm en t after F ed E x inv esti g ated the h ara ssm en t cl aim . T h u s, the re co rd s u p p o r t s th e d e t e r mi n a t i o n th a tFe d Ex = s a c t i o n wa s a d e q u a t e a s a ma t t e ro f l a w. T arrcount er s that , al though he di d nots uffe ranyaddi t i onal verbal h a ra ss m e n t, his p ro g ra m s c o n tin u e d to b e sa b o tag e d . H o w e v e r, th e re is n o e v id e n c e in the re co rd to su p p o rtthis clai m b ey o n d T arr = s b are asse rt ion s tha t anysu ch ac ti o n s w ereIn h is c o m p lain t, T a rr a lso c o m p lain e d th a t F e d E x c o n tin u e s to h a ra ss a n d re talia te 2 a g a i n s th i m b yc o n t a c t i n g h i s s u b s e q u e n te mp l o y e r s a n d c o n v i n c i n g th e m t o f i r e h i m. He al s o s ai d thatFedE x pai d hi m l es s than s i m i l ar l yqual i fi ed empl oy ees bas ed on hi s r ace and/ ornat i onal or i gi n. A l though he addr es s es thes e as s ert i ons i n hi s br i ef, i tappea r s that theyar e off

er ed i n s uppor tof hi s othercl ai m s r atherthan as s epar at e cl ai m s . H e di d not p u r s u e th e m i n th e Di s tr i c tCou r ti n r e s p o n s e t o Fe d Ex = s s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t m o tio n . M o r e o v e r , th e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e i n th e r e c o r d t o s u p p o r tth e s e a l l e g a t i o n s . A c c o r d i n g l y, theyd o n o t un d erm ine th e D istri ct C o u rt = s o r d e rg r a n t i n g Fe d Ex = s m ot i on. 8 comm i t t ed on the bas i s of hi s r ace ornat i onal or i gi n. A ccor di ngl y , s um m aryj udgm ent w as appr opr i at e. 2

S ec o n d , T arr arg u es th at th e D istri ct C o u rterred in g ran ti n g su m m ary j udgm entw i th r egar d t o hi s di s cr i m i nat orydi s char ge cl ai m . T he D i s tr i ctC our ti dent i fi ed tw o f ra m e w o rk s u n d e r w h ic h a p la in tif f c a n p re v a il o n a d is c ri m in a to ry d is c h a rg e c la im . U nderM cD onnel l D ougl as C orp. v. G r een, 411 U . S. 792 ( 1973) , the pl ai nt i ff be ar s the i ni t i al bur den of de m ons tr at i ng a p rim a fa c ie cas e of di s cr i m i nat i on. See i d. at802. T he bur den then s hi ft s t o the def endant s t o art i cul at e a l egi t i m at e, non- di s cr i m i nat oryr eas on for the d i scharge. S ee i d. If the d efen dan t s sat i sfythat burden, theyw i l l prevai l un l ess the pl ai nt i ff de m ons tr at es thatthe art i cul at ed r eas on w as m er el ya pr et extfor d is c ri m in a to ry a c tio n , a n d n o t th e re a l m o tiv a tio n f o r t h e d is c h a rg e . S e e id . a t 8 0 4 . A pl ai nt i ff maypr evai l on a mi xed- m ot i ve theorybys how i ng thatan adve r s e empl oym ent deci s i on w as bas ed on both l egi t i m at e and i l l egi t i m at e r eas ons . See Pr i ce W at erhous e v. H opki ns , 490 U . S. 228, 240- 42 ( 1989) . A defe ndanti n a mi xed- m ot i ve ca s e has a l i m i t ed aff i r m at i ve def

ens e i f i tcan A demonstr at e thati tw oul d have t aken the s ame act i on i n theR el at edl y , T arrar gued thathi s j ob per form ance w as poorbeca us e FedEx B act i ng 3 w i th d i scr i m i natoryanim us B ref u sed to p rov ide h im a lap top w ith w h ich h e c o u ld w o rk overt i m e fr om hom e and pr act i ce hi s codi ng s ki l l s . H ow ever , ther e i s no evi dence i n the r ecor d thatFedE x r efus ed hi m a l apt op, l etal one di d s o w i th an i m pr operm ot i ve. I ndeed, 9 ab sen ce o f th e im p erm issi b le m o ti v ati n g fa ctor. @ M akkyv. C hert off, 541 F. 3d 205, 213 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) (i n terna l ci tat ion s an d q u o tat ion m ark s o m itted).

Ta rra r g u e d th a tFe d Ex = s r el i ance on hi s al l egedl ypoorw or k per form ance a s a leg iti m a te b a sis f

o r te rm in a tin g h im w a s p re tex tu a l; h e n o ted th a t h e w a s o rig in a lly as s i gned as a cons ul t antand, beca us e of hi s qual i fi cat i ons , w as hi r ed on a pe r m anent b a sis o n lyse v e n m o n th s in to h is o n e -y e a r c o n tra c t. W e a g re e w ith th e D istric t C o u rt th a t, u n d e rM c Don n e l l Dou g l a s , th e e v i d e n c e Ta rrc i t e d f a i l e d t o r e b u tFe d Ex = s l egi t i m at e, n o n -discrim inato ryrea so n fo r firi n g h im : his po o r w o rk p erf o rm an ce . V iew ing T arr = s e v i d e n c e i n th e l i g h tmos tf a v o r a b l e t o h i m, th a te v i d e n c e i s c o n s i s t e n twi th Fe d Ex = s d ef en se. T h at i s, T arr = s qual i fi cat i ons w er e i ni t i al l yadequa t e t o w arr anthi r i ng hi m . O ne y ea r i n to w o rkin g at F ed E x , h o w ev er, T arr = s a b ili tyto p e rf o rm h is jo b w a s c a lled in to ques t i on and, aft erhe fa i l ed t o s at i s fythe r equi r ement s of i nform al and form al per form ance i m pr ovementpl ans , he w as t erm i nat ed. T hus , T arrfai l ed t o demonstr at e a g e n u i n e d i s p u t e a s t o Fe d Ex = s b a s i s f o rf i r i n g h i m. T a rr a lso a p p e a re d to a rg u e th a t h is jo b p e rf o rm a n c e w a s p o o r b e c a u se h is co- w or kerm ent or s r efus ed t o hel p hi m beca us e of a ni m us bas ed on hi s r ace and/ or n a tio n a l o rig in . A s th e D istric t C o u rt c o n c lu d e d , h o w e v e r, T a rr f a iled to m a k e o u t a p rim a fa c ie c a se b e c a u se h e d id n o t in tro d u c e a n ye v id e n c e o f h a ra ss m e n t. 3the record refl ect s that M at z authori zed T arrt o o rdera l aptop, bu tthat Tarr fai l ed to do so

corr ect l yunt i l hi s thi r d att empt , s hor t l ybefor e he w as pl ace d on the form al i m pr ovement pl an. See D . C t . D oc. N os . 40- 1, 38; 40- 2, 36. T arrhas pr ovi ded no r eas on t o concl ude thathe w as deni ed a l apt op foranyotherr eas on. 10 T o th e e x t e n tth a tT a rrs o u g h tt o p r o c e e d u n d e ra mi x e d - mo t i v e th e o ry , we a g re e w ith th e D istric t C o u rt th a t su m m a ryju d g m e n t w a s a p p ro p ria te. T a rr f a iled to i ntr oduce a nyevi dence i ndi cat i ng thathe w as t erm i nat ed bas ed on hi s r ace ornat i onal or i gi n. A s expl ai ned above , the r ecor d evi dence i ndi cat es thathe w as di s char ged bas ed o n h is p o o r w o rk p e rf

o rm a n c e a lo n e . N e x t, T a rr c h a llen g e s th e d e c isio n g ra n tin g su m m a ryju d g m e n t o n h is re ta lia tio n c la im . A T o es t abl i s h a p rim a fa c ie c a s e o f re ta lia tio n u n d e r T itle V II , a p lain tiff m u st te n d e r e v id e n c e th a t: > ( 1) [he] engage d i n act i vi typr ot ect ed byT i t l e V I I ; ( 2) the em ploy er t oo k an adv ers e em ploym ent act i on against[him ]; and (3) there w as a caus al connec t i on betw een . . . the pr ot ect ed ac t i vi tyand the adve r s e empl oym ent act i on. =@ M oor e v. C i tyof Phi l adel phi a, 461 F. 3d 331, 340- 41 ( 3d C i r . 2006) ( quot i ng N el s on v. U ps al a C ol l . , 51 F. 3d 383, 386 ( 3d C i r . 1995) ) . T arrr ai s ed tw o r et al i at i on a rg u m e n ts . Fi r s t , T arrar gued thatFedE x i nves t i gat ed the i ncons i s t encyi n hi s j ob appl i cat i on i n r et al i at i on forhi s compl ai ntt o H um an R es our ces aboutthe al l eged har as s m ent . T he D i s tr i ctC our tr eas oned thatther e w as no evi dence thatT arrs uffe r ed an adver s e ac t i on orthatthe i nves t i gat i on w as caus al l yconnec t ed t o hi s compl ai nt . W e nee d11

n o tr e a c h th e c a u s a t i o n q u e s t i o n b e c a u s e we a g r e e th a tFe d Ex = s i nves t i gat i on w as notan adver s e ac t i on.

T o b e a c tio n a b le u n d e r T itl e V II, a n e m p lo ym e n t ac tio n m u st b e m a ter ially a d v e rse , w h ich m e a n s th a t A i tw el l m i ghthave di s s uaded a r eas onabl e w or kerfr om m aki ng ors uppor t i ng a cha r ge of di s cr i m i nat i on. @ B ur l i ngt on N . and Sant a Fe R y . C o. v. W hi t e, 548 U . S. 53, 68 ( 2006) ( i nt ernal ci t at i ons and quot at i on m arks om i t t ed) . A s the Di s tr i c tCou r tr e a s o n e d , Fe d Ex = s in v e stig a tio n w a s n o t ad v e rse , let a lo n e m a ter ially ad v erse . F ed E x b ec am e a w are o f a n inco n sist en cyin T arr = s j ob appl i cat i on, w hi ch w as s ubj ectt o r evi ew even a ft erhi s empl oym ent . O nce the di s cr epanc yw as r es ol ved, the inv esti g ati o n w as c lose d an d n o fu rth er a cti o n related to T arr = s a p p lic a tio n w a s ta k e n . T h e re is n o e v id e n c e in th e re c o rd s u g g e s tin g th a t th e in v e s tig a tio n c a u s e d T a rr a n yh a rm .

Second, T arrar gued thathe w as di s char ged i n r et al i at i on forcompl ai ni ng abouthar as s m ent . W e agr ee w i th the D i s tr i ctC our tthatT arrfai l ed t o es t abl i s h a ca us al co n n ec ti o n b etw ee n h is pro tected ac ti v ityan d h is t erm ination . In d eterm ining w h ethe r a su ff ici en t cau sal l ink ex ist s to su rviv e a m o ti o n fo r sum m aryjud g m en t, co u rt s co n side r A a br oad arr ayof evi dence . @ L eB oo n v . L ancast er J ew i sh C m ty . C tr. A ss = n, 503 F. 3d 217, 2 3 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) (qu o ti n g F arrell v . P lanters L ifesa v ers C o . , 2 0 6 F . 3 d 2 7 1 , 2 8 4 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 0 )) . A W here the tem po ral proxim i tybetw een the prot ect ed acti vityand the ad verse act i on i s > unus ual l ys ugges t i ve, = i ti s s uffi ci ents t andi ng al one t o cr eat e an i nfer ence of c a u sa litya n d d e f

e a t su m m a ryju d g m e n t. @ Id . If n o t, A w e a sk w h ethe r > the pr offe r ed12

evi dence , l ooked atas a w hol e, m ays uffi ce t o r ai s e the i nfer ence . =@ Id . (q u o tin g F a rre ll, 2 0 6 F . 3 d at 28 0 ). H ere , the D istri ct C o u rtrea so n ed that T arr = s har as s m entcompl ai ntand t e r mi n a t i o n , wh i c h o c c u rr e d a p p r o x i ma t e l yn i n e mo n th s a p a r t , we r e n o ts o c l o s e i n t i me as t o be unus ual l ys ugges t i ve. W e agr ee. W e al s o agr ee w i th the D i s tr i ctC our tthat su m m a ryju d g m e n t w a s a p p ro p ria te b e c a u se T a rr f a iled to id e n tifya n yo th e r e v id e n c e to su p p o rt a n in f

e re n c e th a t h e w a s te rm in a ted in re talia tio n f o r h is c o m p lain t. F inally , T arr arg u es th at th e D istri ct C o u rterred in g ran ti n g su m m ary j udgm entbefor e he c oul d obt ai n num er ous e- m ai l m es s ages he s oughtfr om FedE x. T he D istri ct C o u rtco n stru ed h is argu m en t as a m o ti o n u n d er F ed era l R u le of C ivil P roc ed u re 56( f) . R ul e 56( f) perm i t s a di s tr i ctcourtt o or deraddi t i onal di s coveryort ake other a p p ro p ria te a c tio n if

a p a rtya v e rs th a t h e c a n n o t o th e rw ise p re se n t sp e c if ic f a c ts to o p p o se a su m m aryjud g m en t m o ti o n . W e re v iew the D istri ct C o u rt = s deci s i on t o cons i der th e s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t m o tio n w ith o u t o rd e ri n g f u rt h e r d is c o v e ry f

o r a b u s e o f

d is c re tio n . S e e P a s to re v . B e ll T e l. C o . o f P e n n s y lv a n ia , 2 4 F .3 d 5 0 8 , 5 1 0 (3 d C ir . 1 9 9 4 ). In o rd e r to ju stif

yre lief u n d e r R u le 5 6 (f

), a p a rtym u st, b ya f

f id a v it,

A s p e c i f y > w hatpart i cul ari nform at i on i s s ought ; how , i f uncove r ed, i tw oul d pr ecl ude s um m aryj udgm ent ; and w hyi thas notpr evi ous l ybeen obt ai ned. =@ I d. at511 ( quot i ng D ow l i ng v. C i tyof Phi l adelphi a, 855 F. 2d 136, 140 ( 3d C i r . 1988) ) . T arrdi d notfi l e an aff i davi ts peci fy i ng w hatevi dence he bel i eved he w oul d obt ai n, orhow i tw oul d aff ect h is c a se . R a th e r, h e so u g h t p ro d u c tio n o f so m e 1 7 ,0 0 0 e -m a ils f

ro m F e d E x , ap p a re n tly13

ex p ec ti n g that so m e o f h is co -w o rke rs = m e ss a g e s w o u ld re v e a l th a t th e yh a d tre a ted h im im p ro p e rlyb a se d o n h is ra c e o r n a tio n a l o rig in . W h e n th e D istric t C o u rt o rd e re d h im to c o o p e ra te w ith F e d E x in n a rro w in g th a t se a rc h , h e in iti a llyc o m p lied , b u t u lti m a tely r e j e c t e d Fe d Ex = s p r o p o s e d s o l u t i o n a n d a c c u s e d o p p o s i n g c o u n s e l o f b e i n g d i l a t o ry . He al s o thr eat ened t o fi l e a mot i on t o compel , butul t i m at el ydi d notdo s o, thus under cutt i ng h is argu m en t th at fu rth er d isco v eryw as n ee d ed . G iven T arr = s fai l ur e t o compl yw i th the D istri ct C o u rt = s or derand the Feder al R ul es of C i vi l Pr ocedur e, w e per cei ve no abus e of d isc re tio n in th e d e c isio n to p ro c e e d to su m m a ryju d g m e n t.

W e h av e c o n side red T arr = s otherar gum ent s on appea l . W e conc l ude that th e yla c k m e ri t a n d w a rr a n t n o f u rt h e r d is c u s s io n . A c c o rd in g ly , w e w ill a f f irm th e ju d g m e n t o f

th e D istric t C o u rt.