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v. J OHN E. P OTT ER, P OS T M AS T E R G E NE RA L O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt fort he D i s t r i ctC our tof N ew J er s ey D i s t r i ctC our tN o. 2- 04- cv- 03752 D i s t r i c tJ u d g e : T h e H o n o r a b l e J o s e p h A . G r e e n a w a y Subm i t t ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL . A . R . 34. 1( a)

J une 23, 2009 B e f o re : B A R R Y , S M IT H , C i r cui tJudges a n d R E S T A N I, Judge. * ( Fi l ed: J une 24, 2009) OP I NI ON S M IT H , C i r cui tJudge.D efe ndant , J ohn E . Pot t er , i s t he Pos t m as t erG ener al ; w e r efe rt o defe ndantas t he 1 “ P o s ta l S e rv ic e .” 2 T hi s appea l i nvol ves a cl ai m of di s abi l i t y - bas ed di s cr i m i nat i on br oughtundert he R ehabi l i t at i on A ctof 1973. D ei dr e Si m on s ued herfor m erempl oy er , t he U ni t ed St at es P o sta l S e rv ice , a lleg in g th a t sh e w a s w ro n g f u llyter m in a ted f

ro m h e r e m p lo ym e n t in 1 M ar ch 2001 bec aus e s he w as di s abl ed. T he U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tfort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s eygr ant ed the Pos t al Ser vi ce’ s m ot i on fors um m aryj udgm entaft erdet erm i ni ng th a t S im o n w a s n o t a d isa b led in d iv id u a l u n d e r th e R e h a b ili tatio n A c t an d th a t, ev e n if S im o n co u ld q u ali fyas d isab led, th e P o stal S erv ice h ad term inated h er e m p loy m en t fo r a l egi t i m at e and non- di s cr i m i nat or yr eas on: Si m on w as fr equent l yabs entw i t houtl eave , so m eti m es f

o r m o n ths a t a t im e. B ec au se th e P o stal S erv ice term inated S im o n ’s empl oym entfora l egi t i m at e and non- di s cr i m i nat or yr eas on, and the r ecor d cont ai ns no e v i d e n c e t o c r e a t e a g e n u i n e i s s u e o f ma t e r i a l f

a c to n t h i s p o i n t , we wi l l a f f i r m. I. T he r ootof Si m on’ s cl ai m r eac hes back ne ar l y20 y ear s t o D ece m ber1990. A tt hat tim e , sh e h a d b e e n e m p lo y e d b yth e P o sta l S e rv ice f o r se v e ra l y e a rs. S im o n a lleg e s th a t, on D ece m ber21, 1990, a mai l hamperr ol l ed i nt o herand knocke d herbackw ar ds . She
re p o rte d th e in c id e n t f

iv e d a y s la ter , alle g in g th a t sh e h a d stra in e d h e r b a c k w h e n sh e f e ll and thats he had s uffe r ed contus i ons . Si m on r ece i ved l os tpayand medi cal benef i t s , and di d notr etur n t o w or k form or e than a y ear . W hen s he fi nal l yr etur ned t o w or k i n 1992,
s he w as as s i gned l i ghtdut ys or t i ng l et t er s . She r emai ned on l i ghtdut yfort he r emai nder3

of hercar eerw i t h t he Pos t al Ser vi ce. O n A pr i l 27, 2000, t he Pos t al Ser vi ce i s s ued Si m on a not i ce of r emoval forfai l i ng t o r epor tt o w or k w i t houtj us t i fi cat i on. Si m on’ s uni on r es ponded w i t h a gr i evanc e. T he P o sta l S e rv ice se ttl e d th e g rie v a n c e b ya g re e in g to e x p u n g e S im o n ’s n o tice o f re m o v a l in excha nge forSi m on’ s agr eementt o s ubm i tm edi cal document at i on expl ai ni ng her abs ence s and s uppor t i ng hercont ent i on t hats he coul d onl yw or k l i ghtdut yon a r educe d
s c h e d u l e . S i mo n r e tu r n e d t o wo r k o n J u n e 1 6 , 2 0 0 0 wi t h a n o t e f r o m D r . Da i s yDe G uzman. D r . D e G uzman’ s not e s t at ed thatSi m on w as phy s i cal l yand ment al l yfi tbutt hat sh e sh o u ld b e a ssign ed li g h t du tytask s an d that sh e sh o u ld n o t w o rk m o re tha n fo u r ho u rs a day . T he P ost al S ervi ce acco m m od at ed these const rai nts . N evert hel es s , Si m on r epor t ed t o w or k s por adi cal l yovert he nextfew day s and then
neverr epor t ed t o w or k agai n aft erJ une 26, 2000. Si m on’ s s upervi s or , R i ckyL am, s ent lette rs to S im o n o n Ju ly1 3 a n d 1 4 , 2 0 0 0 . T h e se lette rs r e q u e ste d m e d ica l d o c u m e n ts to j us t i fySi m on’ s pr ol onged abs ence . L am fol l ow ed up thes e l et t er s w i t h a thi r d l et t eron A ugus t1, 2000, i nvi t i ng Si m on t o m eetand di s cus s hers i tuat i on. O n A ugus t16, 2000, L am m etw i t h Si m on and a r epr es ent at i ve fr om heruni on. S i m o n e x p l a i n e d t h a ts h e w a s u n a b l e t o w o r k a s a r e s u l to f t h e 1 9 9 0 m a i l h a m p e ri n j u r y. B utSi m on di d notpr oduce a nym edi cal document at i on t o j us t i fyherabs ence . She
s ubs equent l yobt ai ned anothernot e fr om D r . D e G uzman, dat ed A ugus t21, 2000, expl ai ni ng t hatD e G uzman w as t r eat i ng herforhyper t ens i on and depr es s i on and that Si m on w as notabl e t o l i ftm or e than t en pounds . D e G uzman’ s not e di d nots t at e that4

S im o n w as n o t fi t t o w o rk, ho w ev er. L am i s s ued Si m on a not i ce of r emoval on Sept ember8, 2000. L am’s r eas on for ter m in a tin g S im o n ’s e m p lo ym e n t w a s th a t sh e h a d f a iled to re p o rt to w o rk f ro m Ju ly1 to Sept ember2, 2000 and thats he had f ai l ed t o pr ovi de ade quat e j us t i fi cat i on forher abs ence . I n O ct ober2000, Si m on’ s uni on fi l ed anothergr i evanc e on herbehal f t o chal l enge Si m on’ s l at es tnot i ce of r emoval . T he uni on’ s gr i evanc e w entt o arbi t r at i on. O n M ar ch 8, 2001, t he arbi t r at oruphel d t he t erm i nat i on of Si m on’ s empl oym enti n vi ew of her unj us t i fi ed abs ence s . T he Pos t al Ser vi ce t erm i nat ed Si m on’ s empl oym enton M ar ch 8, 2001. N i net een mont hs l at er , on O ct ober15, 2002, Si m on fi l ed a c om pl ai nti n t he U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tfort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s eyagai ns tt he Pos t al Ser vi ce. T he D i s t r i ctC our tdi s m i s s ed the compl ai nton Sept ember16, 2003, buts ugges t ed thatSi m on m i ghtamend hercompl ai ntt o as s er ta di s abi l i t ydi s cr i m i nat i on cl ai m undert he R ehab i l i t at i on A ct . In i t s opini on , t he D i stri ctC ou rtno t ed thatS i m on m ustexh aust admi ni s t r at i ve r emedi es , w hi ch us ual l yr equi r ed cont act i ng an Equal E m pl oym ent O ppor tuni t y( E E O ) couns el orw i t hi n 45 day s of the al l eged di s cr i m i nat i on. O n N ovember 6, 2003, Si m on fi l ed an a m ended c om pl ai ntas s er t i ng a cl ai m undert he R ehabi l i t at i on A ct
w i t houthavi ng pur s ued anyadmi ni s t r at i ve r emedi es . T he D i s t r i ctC our tdi s m i s s ed Si m on’ s compl ai nton M ay5, 2004. S im o n then fil ed the in stan t acti o n o n A u g u st 10 , 2 0 0 4 af ter th e P o stal S erv ice’sB eca us e w e w i l l aff i r m t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s j udgm enti n favorof the Pos t al 2 Ser vi ce on the gr ound t hatt he t erm i nat i on of Si m on’ s empl oym entw as l egi t i m at e and n o n -d isc rim in a to ry , w e n e e d n o t ad d re ss th e m e rits o f th e P o sta l S e rv ice ’s c ro ss -a p p e a l. 5 E E O offi ce r ej ect ed hercompl ai ntas t i m e- barr ed. A ft erdi s covery , t he Pos t al Ser vi ce m oved fors um m aryj udgm enton t hr ee gr ounds : 1) Si m on fai l ed t o t i m el yexhaus ther adm i nis t rat i ve rem edies ; 2) the ev i den ce did no tperm i tan inference t hat Si m on w as a per s on w i t h a di s abi l i t y ; and 3) t he Pos t al Ser vi ce t erm i nat ed Si m on’ s empl oym ent beca us e of he rpr ol onged and unj us t i fi ed abs ence s and notforan unl aw ful r eas on. T he D i s t r i ctC our tr ej ect ed the t i m e- barar gum entbutgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm entbas ed on the
s econd a nd t hi r d gr ounds . Si m on now appea l s fr om t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s j udgm ent
r egar di ng hers t atus as a per s on w i t h a di s abi l i t yand the Pos t al Ser vi ce’ s m ot i ve for term inating h er e m p loy m en t. T h e P o stal S erv ice c ross -ap p ea ls from the D istri ct C o u rt ’s j ud gm ent on S i m on ’s fai l ure t o ti m el yexh austadm i nis t rat i ve rem edies . 2 II. W e exe r ci s e j ur i s di ct i on under28 U . S. C . § 1291. O urr evi ew of the D i s t r i ct Co u r t ’ s g r a n to f

s u mma r yj u d g me n ti s p l e n a r y , a n d we a s s e s s t h e r e c o r d u s i n g t h e s a me s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t s ta n d a rd a s th e D is tr ic t C o u rt . G ardn er v. Stat e Farm F i re & C as. C o. , 5 4 4 F .3 d 5 5 3 , 5 5 7 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 8 ) (c itatio n s o m itt e d ). S u m m a ryju d g m e n t is appr opr i at e w hen the “pl eadi ngs , t he di s coveryand di s cl os ur e mat er i al s on fi l e, and any aff i davi t s s how t hatt her e i s no genui ne i s s ue as t o anym at er i al fac tand thatt he movant is en ti tl ed to jud g m en t as a m att er o f law . ” F ed . R . C iv. P. 56 (c). III .I n m aki ng t hi s as s um pt i on, w e expr es s no vi ew as t o w hetherSi m on coul d m ake 3 ou ta pri m a facie cas e, and , i n p art i cular , w hethershe cou l d est abli sh t hat s he h as a d is a b ility. S e e W

ish k in , 4 7 6 F .3 d a t 1 8 4

– 8 5 . 6 T he w el l
- know n McD onnel lD ougl as b u r d e n - s h i f t i n g f r a me wo r k a p p l i e s t o c l a i ms b r o u g h tp u r s u a n tt o S e c t i o n 5 0 1 o f t h e Re h a b i l i t a t i o n Ac to f 1 9 7 3 , a s a me n d e d , 2 9 U. S . C. § 7 9 1 . W is hki n v. P ot t er , 476 F. 3d 180, 185 ( 3d C i r . 2007) . U ndert hi s fr amew or k, Si m on has t he i ni t i al bur den t o m ake a pr i m a fa ci e ca s e of di s cr i m i nat i on. T he Pos t al Ser vi ce m us tt hen r ebutherpr i m a fa ci e ca s e byar t i cul at i ng a l egi t i m at e, nondi s cr i m i nat or yr eas on f o r t e rm in a tin g S im o n ’s e m p lo ym e n t. I d. If th e P o sta l S e rv ice su c c e e d s, th e b u rd e n sh if ts b a c k to S im o n to sh o w th a t th e P o sta l S e rv ice ’s p ro f f e re d re a so n w a s a c tu a llyo n ly p re te x t. I d. A p lai n ti ff

w h o h as m ad e o u t a prim a f ac ie ca se m ayd ef

ea t a m o ti o n fo r sum m ary j udgm entbyei t her“( i ) di s cr edi t i ng t he empl oy er ’ s pr offe r ed r eas ons , ei t her ci r cumst ant i al l yordi r ect l y , or( i i ) adduci ng evi dence , w hetherci r cumst ant i al or di r ect , t hatdi s cr i m i nat i on w as m or e l i kel yt han nota mot i vat i ng ordet erm i nat i ve c a u s e o f th e a d v e rs e e m p lo ym e n t a c tio n .” I d. ( quot i ng Fu e n tes v . P e rs k ie , 3 2 F . 3 d 7 5 9 , 7 6 4 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 4 )). A s s um i ng t hatSi m on coul d m ake outa pr i m a fa ci e ca s e, s he neve r t hel es s cannot 3 sh o w th a t th e P o sta l S e rv ice ’s p ro f f e re d re a so n f

o r te rm in a tin g h e r e m p lo ym e n t w a s o n ly pr et ext . T he Pos t al Ser vi ce e xpl ai ned thati tt erm i nat ed Si m on’ s empl oym entbeca us e s he fr equent l ydi d nots how up t o w or k and s he di d notpr es entadequa t e medi cal d o cu m en tat ion justi fy ing h er a b sen ce s. In p arti cu lar, S im o n d id n o t r ep o rtto w o rk betw een J ul y1 and Sept ember2, 2000 even though s he had be en dec l ar ed phy s i cal l yand
m en tal lyfitb yh er o w n p h y sici an as re ce n tl yas Ju n e 1 6 , 2 0 0 0 . M o reo v er, Sim o n ’sS i m on al so argues t hat D e G uzm an’s A ug ust21 , 20 00 no t e w as tim e ly n o tice to 4 th e P o sta l S e rv ice re g a rd in g S im o n ’s p ro lo n g e d a b se n c e . S im o n m a k e s th is a rg u m e n t to su g g est t h at L am w as in co n sist en t i n ex p lai n ing the re aso n fo r t erm inating S im o n ’s empl oym ent . A tdepos i t i on, L am expl ai ned thatD e G uzman’ s A ugus t21 not e w as i nadequa t e t o j us t i fySi m on’ s pr ol onged abs ence . H e r efe r r ed t o t he t i m e l aps e betw een Ju n e 2 7 , 2 0 0 0 , w h en S im o n all eg ed lyw as f ir st i n ca p ab le of

g o ing to w o rk th at su m m er, and A ugus t21, 2000, w hen Si m on fi nal l yw entt o a doct ort o geta not e. L am quer i ed w h ethe r som eo n e w h o w as re all yinca p ac it ated w o u ld w aitn ea rl ytw o m o n ths b ef o re vi s i t i ng a doct or . T hus , he di d notr ej ectt he A ugus t21 not e as unt i m el ynot i ce t o t he Post al Ser vi ce. R ather , he obs erved thatt he t i m e l aps e t ended t o di m i ni s h t he ur gencyof Si m on’ s i ncapa ci t y . R egar dl es s of the t i m el i nes s of Si m on’ s not i ce, how ever , nei t hert he A ugus t21 not e, nort he t es t i m onyof Post al Ser vi ce s upervi s or s , cr eat es a genui ne i s s ue o f m a te ri a l f

a c t a s to th e P o s ta l S e rv ic e ’s m o tiv e in te rm in a tin g S im o n ’s e m p lo ym e n t. 7 unj us t i fi ed abs ence dur i ng t he s um m erof 2000 w as notnew butr atherpar tof a pa t t ern of
a b s e n t e e i s m. Si m on ar gues t hatt he i s s ue of he rabs ent eei s m w as onl ya pr et extand thatt he P o stal S erv ice a ctua ll yterm inated h er e m p loy m en t bec au se sh e w as d isab led. T o su p p o rt herar gum ent , s he r efe r s t o D r . D e G uzman’ s m edi cal not es fr om J une and A ugus t2000, and an i nci dent al comm enthers upervi s orm ade w hen he w as depos ed forl i t i gat i on. 4 T h e m e d ica l n o tes d o n o t h e lp S im o n . D r. D e G u z m a n ’s J u n e 1 6 , 2 0 0 0 n o te actual l yunderm i nes Si m on’ s ar gum ent . T hatnot e s t at es t hatSi m on w as phy s i cal l yand
me n t a l l yf

i ta n d i n d i c a t e s t h a tS i mo n ma yb e a s s i g n e d l i g h td u t y . S i mi l a r l y , Dr . De G uzman’ s A ugus t21, 2000 not e i s of no ava i l t o Si m on as i tdoes nots t at e thatSi m on w as notfi tforw or k. R ather , i ti ndi cat es t hatSi m on w as underhercar e fordepr es s i on and hypert ensi on and t hat Si m on w as unab l e t o li ftm ore than t en p ou nd s. N ordoes a comm entm ade bySi m on’ s s upervi s ordur i ng a depos i t i on di s cr edi tt he Post al Ser vi ce’ s r eas on fort erm i nat i on ors ugges tt hat , m or e l i kel yt han not , i tw asIn v iew o f o u r de term ination that S im o n ’s em p loy m en t w as term inated fo r a 5 l egi t i m at e and non- di s cr i m i nat or yr eas on, w e nee d notaddr es s t he ques t i on of w hether sh e q u a lifie s a s d isa b led f o r p u rp o se s o f

th e R e h a b ili tatio n A c t. 8 m ot i vat ed bya di s cr i m i nat or yi nt ent . I n r es pons e t o a ques t i on aboutw hatt as ks t he Pos t al Ser vi ce a s s i gned t o a per s on w i t h veryl i m i t ed mobi l i t y , L am re ferr ed t o t he di s abl ed as “cri pp l es. ” S i m on argues t hat Lam ’s use of t his t erm reveal s di scr i m i natoryanim us. Si m on poi nt s t o no ot heri nci dentors peec h t hatcoul d s ugges tt hathers upervi s or , or an y o n e e lse at th e P o stal S erv ice, w as m o ti v ated b ya d iscri m inato ryinten t. L am ’s
r es pons e atdepos i t i on w as t o expl ai n how t he Pos t al Ser vi ce a ccomm odat es empl oy ees w h o co u ld n o t l ift , b en d , tw ist , stan d , o r pu ll . A lth o u g h w e a ck n o w ledg e tha t L am ’s
co m m en t i s clu m syat be st an d p erh ap s inse n sit ive, i t do es n o t sho w that L am w as m o re lik e lyth a n n o t m o tiv a ted b ya d isc rim in a to ryin ten t. I n r evi ew i ng t he r ecor d befor e us , w e conc l ude thatSi m on fai l s t o di s cr edi tt he Post al Ser vi ce’ s r eas on fort erm i nat i ng herempl oym ent . She al s o fai l s t o adduce evi dence t hatdi s cr i m i nat i on w as m or e l i kel yt han nota mot i vat i ng ordet erm i nat i ve ca us e of he r t erm i nat i on. W e w i l l , t her efor e, aff i r m t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s j udgm entt hatt he Pos t al Ser vi ce t erm i nat ed Si m on’ s empl oym entfora l egi t i m at e and non- di s cr i m i nat or yr eas on. 5