FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT JANUARY 9 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 12750 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 4 - 2 1 0 9 4 - CV - PCH A N T O N I O M . A P O D A C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s S E C R E T A R Y O F T H E D E P A R T M E N T O F H O M E L A N D S E C U R I T Y , T h e H o n o r ab le M ic h a e l C h e rto f f , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 9, 2005) B efo re D U B IN A , C A RN E S an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A p p e lla n t A n to n io M . A p o d a c a , a6 3 - y e a ro ld m a n o f M e x ic a n d e s c e n t,2

ap p eal s p ro se the gr a ntof s um m a ryj udgm e ntt o hi s e m pl oy e r , the D e pa rtm e ntof H om e l a nd S e c ur i ty( “ D H S ” ) , i n hi s e m pl oy m e ntdi s c r i m i na t i on, r e t a l i a t i on, a nd h o s tile w o rke n v ir o n m e n t c a s e , b r o u g h t p u r s u a n t to th e A g e D is c r im in a tio n in E m pl oy m e ntA c t( “ A D E A ” ) , 29 U . S . C . § 621 et s e q. , a n d T itle V I I o f th e C iv il R i gh t s A ctof 19 64 , 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e et se q (“ T i t l e V II ”) . O n app ea l , A po daca a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d byc onc l udi ng tha the f a i l e d t o ( 1) s how tha the s uf f e r e d a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on a nd thus di d note s t abl i s h p r i ma fa c ie ca se s of di s c r i m i na t i on a nd r e t a l i a t i on ba s e d on r a c e , na t i ona l or i gi n, a nd a ge ; a nd ( 2) es t abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie c a s e f o rah o s tile w o rke n v ir o n m e n t. E a c h is s u e is di s c us s e d i n turn. S u m m a ry J

u d gm en t S ta n da rd We r e v i e w de no vo the di stri ctcourt ’ s grantof a m ot i on for s um m ary ju d g m e n t, v ie w in g a ll e v id e n c e a n d f a c tu a l in f

e r e n c e s in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to th e n o n m o v in g p a rty . Tu rn e s v . AmSo u th Ba n k , N. A. , 3 6 F .3 d 1 0 5 7 , 1 0 6 0 ( 1 1 th C i r . 1994) . S um m aryj udgm e nti s pr ope ri f the pl e a di ngs , de pos i t i ons , a nd a f f i da vi t s s how tha tthe r e i s no ge nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c ta nd tha tthe m ovi ng p a rtyis e n title d to ju d g m e n t a s am a tte ro f la w . C e lo tex C o r

p . v . Ca tr e tt , 4 7 7 U . S. 3 1 7 , 3 2 2 , 1 0 6 S. Ct . 2 5 4 8 , 2 5 5 2 , 9 1 L. Ed . 2 d 2 6 5 ( 1 9 8 6 ) ( q u o t i n g Fe d . R. Ci v . P. 5 6 ( c ) ) . I n o r d e rto d e f

e a t s u m m a ryju d g m e n t, h o w e v e r , th e n o n - m o v in g p a rty3

“ m us tdo m or e tha n s i m pl ys how tha tthe r e i s s om e m e t aphy s i c a l doubta s t o the m at er i al fa ct s. ” M

at s us hi ta E le c tr i c I

ndus . C o. , L td. v . Ze ni th R adi o C or p. , 475 U . S . 574, 586, 106 S . C t . 1348, 1356, 89 L . E d. 2d 538 ( 1986) . T he non- m ovi ng pa rty m us tm a ke as uf

f i c i e nts how i ng on e a c h e s s e nt i a l e l e m e ntof the c a s e f

or w h ic h h e h a s th e b u r d e n o f p r o o f . C elot ex , 4 7 7 U .S . a t 3 2 3 , 1 0 6 S . C t. a t 2 5 5 2 . Pr im a Fac ieCas es of

D is c r im in ation an d R e taliation A p o d aca arg u es, i n p ert i n en tp art , th ath e su ffered th e fo l l o w i n g ad v erse e m p l o y m e n ta c t i o n s : ( 1 ) a n u n s a t i s f a c t o rya n n u a l p e r f

o rm a n c e e v a l u a t i o n ; ( 2 ) two

“ m ee t s” annu al perf

orm ance eval uat i on s thatcont ai ned com m ent s thatm ade them u n s a tis f a c to ryr a tin g s ; ( 3 ) d ir e c tio n to m a in ta in tw o o f f ic e s e ig h t m ile s ap a rt; (4) the hi ri ng and sel ec t i on proces s; and (5) hi s s up er i ors “ se eki ng di rt . ” A po daca a r g u e s th a t h is u n s a tis f

a c to ryp e r f

o rm a n c e e v a lu a tio n s tig m a tiz e d h im , r e s u lte d in hi s w orki ng ov ert i m e hou rs w i tho utcom pensat i on , and rui ned h i s prom ot i on al op po rtun i t i es . A po dacaal so ar gu es thathi s s up ervi sor’ s, C om m ander (“ C D R ”) K ilm a rtin ’s , s ta te m e n t, a s k in g h im if h e is “to o o ld to le a rn a n y th in g n e w ,” c o n s titu te s d ir e c t e v id e n c e o f d is c r im in a tio n b e c au s e it w a s m a d e in r e la tio n to K i l m art i n aski ng A po dacaabou tthe tra i ni ng course thathe had d i re ct ed A po daca t o att end d ue t o A po daca ’ s unsat i sf ac t ory e val uat i on and p er form ance im p r o v e m e n t p la n ( “P I P ” ) .4

S e c t i on 2000e - 16 of

T i t l e 42 s t a t e s tha t“ [ a ] l l pe r s onne l a c t i ons a f f e c t i ng e m pl oy e e s . . . i n e xe c ut i ve a ge nc i e s a s de f i ne d i n s e c t i on 105 of

T i t l e 5 . . . s ha l l be m ade f re e f rom any di sc ri m i nat i on base d o n rac e, col or, re l i gi on , se x, or nat i on al ori gi n. ” 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-16(a). T he A D E A m akes i tun l aw ful for an em pl oyer “to f a il o rr e f u s e to h ir e o rto d is c h a r g e a n yin d iv id u a l o ro th e rw is e d is c r im in a te a ga i ns ta nyi ndi vi dua l w i th r e s pe c tt o hi s c om pe ns a t i on, t e rm s , c ondi t i ons , or p r i v i l e g e s o f

e mp l o y me n tb e c au s e o f s u c h i n d i v i d u a l ’ s a g e . ” 2 9 U . S. C. § 623( a ) ( 1) . U nde rboth T i t l e V I I a nd the A D E A , apl a i nt i f f m a ypr ove ac l a i m of di s c r i m i na t i on thr ough ( 1) di r e c te vi de nc e , ( 2) c i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e , or ( 3 ) s ta tis tic a l p r o o f

. See E ar le

yv . Cham

pi on I nt ’ l C or p. , 907 F . 2d 1077, 1081 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) ; see a l

so Es kr a v . P r ov i de nt

L i f e & A c c . I

ns . C o. , 125 F . 3d 1406, 1411 ( 11th C i r . 1997) ( hol di ng tha tw he n pr ovi ng di s c r i m i na t orytr e a tm e nt , the s a m e a n a ly s is ap p lie s to A D E A c a s e s a s to T itle V I I c a s e s ) . W e have hel d that , “ di re ctevi dence i s ‘ evi dence, w hi ch i f bel i eved, prov es [the] exi st ence of [a ] fa cti n i ss ue w i tho uti nfer ence or pres um pt i on . ’ ” A kouriv. State of Fla. D e p’ t of T r ans p. , 408 F . 3d 1338, 1347 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( quot i ng B u rr e ll v . B d. o

f T rs . o f G a . Milita r

yC o ll. , 12 5 F . 3d 13 90 , 13 93 (11th C i r. 19 97 )) .

“ A n e xa m pl e of

di r e c te vi de nc e w oul d be am a na ge m e ntm e m or a ndum s a y i ng, F i re [D ef endant ] -- he i s t oo ol d. ” D am on v. Flem i ngSu perm arke t

s of Fla. , Inc. ,5

1 9 6 F . 3 d 1 3 5 4 , 1 3 5 8 -5 9 (1 1 th C i r. 1 9 9 9 ) (h o l d i n g th atd i rectev i d en ce “ m u st i n d i cat e th atth e co m p l ai n ed -o f em p l o ym en td eci si o n w as m ot i vated by the deci si on -m aker ’ s a gei sm ”) (e m ph as i s i n o ri gi nal ). W h e n th e p l a i n t i f

f r e l i e s u p o n c i r c u ms t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e t o e s t ab l i s h h i s c l a i m, the di stri ctcourtexam i nes the cl ai m usi ng the bu rden-s hi ft i ng fr am ew ork e s t abl i s he d i n McD on nel l D ou glas C orp. v. G re en , 411 U . S . 792, 93 S . C t . 1817, 3 6 L . E d . 2 d 6 6 8 ( 1 9 7 3 ) ; see a l so Ke l l i he rv . V

e ne m an , 3 1 3 F .3 d 1 2 7 0 , 1 2 7 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) ( d e c id in g c a s e b r o u g h t u n d e rb o th T itle V I I a n d A D E A ) . W ith in th is fr am ew ork, the pl ai nt i ff m ayes t abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie ca se of di sc ri m i nat i on base d on di spar at e tre atm entun der both the A D E A and T i t l e V II by show i ng thathe w as “( 1 ) am e m b e ro f

th e p r o te c te d c la s s ; ( 2 ) q u a lif ie d f o rth e p o s itio n ; ( 3 ) s u b

je c te d to advers e e m pl oym entac t i on ; and (4) repl ac ed by a pers on ou t si de the prot ec t ed cl as s or s uffe re d from di spar at e tre atm entbecause of m em bers hi p i n the prot ec t ed cl as s. ” Kel l i her , 3 1 3 F .3 d a t 1 2 7 5 . T i t l e V II proh i bi t s r et al i at i on i n the em pl oym entar ena: I t s h a ll b e a n u n la w f

u l e m p lo y m e n t p r a c tic e f o ra n e m p lo y e rto di sc ri m i nat e a gai nstany of hi s e m pl oyee s . . . because he has op po se d a n yp r a c tic e m a d e a n u n la w f u l e m p lo y m e n t p r a c tic e b yth is s ubc hapt e r , orbe c aus e he ha s m a de ac ha r ge , t e s t i f i e d, a s s i s t e d, or pa rt i c i pa t e d i n a nym a nne ri n a n i nve s t i ga t i on, pr oc e e di ng, orhe a r i ng un der thi s s ub chapt er . 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-3(a) . T o est abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie c a s e o f r e ta lia tio n u n d e rT itle6

V I I a n d th e A D E A , ap la in tif f m u s t s h o w th a t “( 1 ) [ ]h e e n g a g e d in s ta tu to r ily pr ot e c t e d e xpr e s s i on; ( 2) [ ] he s uf f e r e d a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on; a nd ( 3) the advers e a ct i on w as causal l y r el at ed t o the prot ec t ed express i on . ” W ee ks v. H arden M f g. C or p. , 2 9 1 F .3 d 1 3 0 7 , 1 3 1 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) ; see a l so G upta v . Flor i da B d. of R eg e n ts , 2 1 2 F .3 d 5 7 1 , 5 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . “T o e s tab lis h ac au s a l c o n n e c tio n , a pl ai nt i ff m ustshow thatthe deci si on -m aker s w er e aw ar e of the prot ec t ed cond uct [ a nd] tha tthe pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi tya nd the a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on w e r e not w ho l l y unrel at ed. ” G u

p ta , 212 F . 3d a t590 ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i on o m itte d ) . W e have hel d that“ no tal l cond uctby an em pl oyernegat i vel y a ff ec t i ng an em pl oyee const i tut es an advers e e m pl oym entac t i on . ” D avis v . T ow n o f L ake P ark, Fla. , 2 4 5 F .3 d 1 2 3 2 , 1 2 3 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . W e h e ld f u rth e rth a t: the e m pl oy e r ’ s a c t i on m us ti m pa c tthe ‘ t e rm s , c ondi t i ons , or p ri v i l eg es’ o f th e p l ai n t i ff’ s j o b i n a real an d d em o n strab l e w ay. A lth o u g h th e s ta tu te d o e s n o t r e q u ir e p r o o f o f d ir e c t e c o n o m ic c ons e que nc e s i n a l l c a s e s , the a s s e rt e d i m pa c tc a nnotbe s pe c ul a t i ve an d m u st at leas t h av e a tan g ib le ad v er se ef fe ct o n th e p lain ti ff’s e m pl oy m e nt . W e the r e f or e hol d tha t , t o pr ove a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nt ac t i on i n a ca se un der T i t l e V II ’ s ant i -di sc ri m i nat i on cl ause , an em pl oyee m ustshow a s e r i ous a n d m a te r ia l ch an g e i n th e t erm s, co n d it io n s, o r p riv il eg es o f e m p lo ym en t. M o re o v er , th e e m p lo ye e’s su b jectiv e v iew o f th e s ig n ifican ce an d ad v er sity o f th e e m p lo ye r’s a c tio n is n o t c o n tr o llin g ; th e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n m u s t b e m a te r ia lly ad v erse as v i ew ed b y a reaso n ab l e p erso n i n th e ci rcu m st an ces. I d. a t1239 ( e m pha s i s i n or i gi na l ) . I n de t e rm i ni ng w he the ra n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nt7

a c t i on oc c urr e d, the c um ul a t i ve e f f e c tof s e ve r a l i ndi vi dua l a c t i ons m a ybe c o n s id e r e d . B as s v . B d. of C ount yC om m ’ rs , O r ange C ount y, Fla. , 256 F . 3d 1095, 1 1 1 8 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ). W h eth er an em p l o yee h as su ffered a m at eri al l y ad v erse e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n d e p e n d s o n th e f a c ts o f e a c h in d iv id u a l c a s e . I d. “ [ A ] n a c t i on w hi ch, i tturns ou t , had n o eff ec ton an em pl oyee i s notan ‘ advers e’ ac t i on . ” See Stav r opoulos v . Fi r e s tone , 3 6 1 F .3 d 6 1 0 , 6 1 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) , ce rt. deni ed , 1 2 5 S. C t. 1 8 5 0 ( 2 0 0 5 ) ( c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . A f t e rr e vi e w i ng the r e c or d, w e c onc l ude tha tA poda c af a i l s t o s how tha the s uf f e r e d a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on be c aus e the undi s put e d e vi de nc e , i nc l udi ng h i s t e s t i mo n y , e s t ab l i s h e d th a tn o n e o f h i s a l l e g a t i o n s ma t e r i a l l ya l t e r e d th e t e rms orc ondi t i ons of

hi s e m pl oy m e nt . A poda c a ’ s di r e c te vi de nc e of di s c r i m i na t i on, K i l m a rt i n’ s s t a t e m e nta s ki ng hi m i f he w a s t oo ol d t o l e a rn a ny thi ng ne w , i s not re lated to an y e m p lo ym en t d ec isio n th at af fe cted th e c o n d it io n s o f A p o d ac a’s e m p lo y m e n t. M o r e o v e r , a n yc ir c u m s ta n tia l e v id e n c e p r e s e n te d b yA p o d a c af a ils t o s how tha te i the rhi s pe r f orm a nc e e va l ua t i ons , the r e que s tt o m a i nt a i n as e c ond of f i c e , orthe ne w hi r i ng pol i c i e s a nd de c i s i on ne ga t i ve l ya f f e c t e d hi s e m pl oy m e nt c o n d itio n s o rp r iv ile g e s in ad e m o n s tr ab le w a y . T h u s , b e c au s e A p o d a c ais u n ab le t o s how tha thi s e m pl oy e r ’ s a c t i ons i m pa c t e d the t e rm s , c ondi t i ons , orpr i vi l e ge s of8

hi s j ob i n a re al and d em on strabl e w ay , he fa i l s t o est abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie c a s e of d is c r im in a tio n a n d r e ta lia tio n u n d e re ith e rT itle V I I o rth e A D E A . Pr im a Fa c ieCa s ef

o ra H o s tileW o rkEnv ir o nm e nt A po dacaar gu es thatw hen con si dere d “ i n t ot o, ” hi s a l l egat i on s e st abl i sh that he w a s ha r a s s e d be c aus e he w a s the onl yH i s pa ni c /M e xi c a n A m e r i c a n di vi s i on c hi e f ove ra ge 60. A poda c aa r gue s tha tthe har a s s m e ntw a s s e ve r e a nd pe rva s i ve because he: (1) w as tre at ed l es s f avorabl y than h i s C auca si an com para t ors; (2) w as vet oed w hen h e m ade hi ri ng se l ec t i on s and hi s autho ri ty t o m ake s el ec t i on s w as el i m i nat ed; (3) w as ac cuse d o f notse rvi ng cust om er s, even tho ug h n o such r e q u ir e m e n t e x is te d ; ( 4 ) h a d to c o n te n d w ith K ilm a rtin “s e e k in g d irt” o n h is di vi si on ; (5) w as ac cuse d o f l yi ng by K i l m art i n; (6) w as deni ed a perf orm ance a w a r d f orone of hi s e m pl oy e e s ; ( 7) w a s a c c us e d of notf ol l ow i ng the hi r i ng pr oc e dur e s ; ( 8) r e c e i ve d t a i nt e d pe r f orm a nc e e va l ua t i ons ; a nd ( 9) w a s a c c us e d of no tbei ng a “ t ea m pl ay er ” and l abel ed a “ di sgrunt l ed em pl oyee . ” T o e s t abl i s h ahos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e ntc l a i m , apl a i nt i f f m us ts how : “ ( 1) th a th e b e l o n g s t o ap r o t e c t e d g r o u p ; ( 2 ) th a th e h a s b e e n s u b j e c tt o u n w e l c o me hara ss m ent ; (3) thatthe haras sm entm usthave been based on a pro t ec t ed char ac t er i st i c of the em pl oyee , such as nat i on al ori gi n; (4) thatthe haras sm entw as s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o a l t e rthe t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nt9

a nd c r e a t e adi s c r i m i na t or i l yabus i ve w orki ng e nvi r onm e nt ; a nd ( 5) tha tthe e m pl oy e ri s r e s pons i bl e f ors uc h e nvi r onm e ntunde re i the rathe oryof vi c a r i ous or of di re ctl i abi l i ty. ” Mi l lerv. Kenw orth o f D otha n, Inc. , 2 7 7 F .3 d 1 2 6 9 , 1 2 7 5 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2002) . “ A hos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e ntc l a i m unde rT i t l e V I I i s e s t abl i s he d upon proo f thatthe w orkp l ac e i s perm ea t ed w i th d i sc ri m i nat ory i nt i m i dat i on , ri di cul e, a nd i ns ul t , tha ti s s uf

f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o a l t e rthe c ondi t i ons of the vi ct i m ’ s e m pl oym entand creat e an abu si ve w orki ng envi ronm ent . ” I d. (i nt ernal q u o t a t i o n s o m i tt e d ) . “ I n e v a l u a t i n g th e o b j e c t i v e s e v e r i tyo f

th e h a r a s s m e n t , we c ons i de r , a m ong othe rf a c t or s : ( 1) the f

r e que nc yof

the c onduc t ; ( 2) the s e ve r i tyof the cond uct ; (3) w hether the cond ucti s physi ca l l y threa t eni ng or hu m i l i at i ng , or a m e r e o f f e n s iv e u tte r a n c e ; a n d ( 4 ) w h e th e rth e c o n d u c t u n r e a s o n ab lyin te r f e r e s w ith the em pl oyee ’ s j ob perf orm ance . ” I

d. a t1276. M or e ove r , “ s i m pl e t e a s i ng, of f ha nd c o m m e n ts , a n dis o la te d in c id e n ts ( u n le s s e x tr e m e lys e r io u s ) w ill n o t a m o u n t to di sc ri m i nat ory c hang es i n the t erm s and cond i t i on s of e m pl oym ent . ” Farag her v . C i t yof B oc a R aton , 524 U . S . 775, 788, 118 S . C t . 2275, 2283, 141 L . E d. 2d 662 ( 1 9 9 8 ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . W e c on cl ud e f

rom the re cord thatA po dacafa i l s t o est abl i sh a p r im a fa c ie ca se for apervas i ve ho st i l e w ork env i ronm entbecause he provi des no evi dence10

th a t a n yo f

h is a lle g a tio n s w e r e b a s e d o n r a c e o rn a tio n a l o r ig in . A ls o , th e o n ly a l l e ga t i ons tha tpos s i bl yr e l a t e t o A poda c abe i ng am e m be rof apr ot e c t e d c l a s s or part i ci pat i ng i n a prot ec t ed ac t i vi ty are (1) K i l m art i n’ s a ski ng A po dacai f A po daca w a s “ t oo ol d t o l e a rn a ny thi ng ne w ; ” a nd ( 2) K i l m a rt i n a s ki ng A poda c at o s t op ly in g ab o u t h im , a s s u c h r e la te d to A p o d a c a ’s f ilin g o f h is E E O C c o m p la in t, o n ly o cc u rr ed o n ce an dth u s w er e n o t sev er e o r p er v as iv e. M o re o v er , A p o d ac a’s s u p e rv is o r s ’ o th e ra c tio n s a r o s e f r o m p o lic ie s th a t ap p lie d o f f ic e - w id e a n d th u s d id n o t c r e a te ad is c r im in a to r ilyab u s iv e w o rke n v ir o n m e n t. B ec ause there i s no g enui ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ctas t o w hether A po daca s uf f e r e d f r om e i the rdi s c r i m i na t i on a nd r e t a l i a t i on ba s e d on r a c e , na t i ona l or i gi n, a nd a ge , orf

r om ahos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e nt , w e a f f i rm the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof s u m m a ryju d g m e n t. AF F I RME D.