NOT PRECEDENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEA LS

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

________ ___

No. 19

- 2137

___________

B. JANET PETTI

,

Appellant

v.

OCEAN CO UNTY BOARD OF HEALTH;

OCEAN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

____________________________________

On Ap pea l f

rom the United States Distri ct Court

for the D i s t r i c t o f N e w J e r s e y

( D

. N

. J

. Civi l Action No. 3 : 15

- cv

- 07305 )

Di strict Judge: Honorable Brian R. Martinotti

______________________ ____ __________

Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)

F e b r u a r y 2 1

, 2 0 2 0

Before: A M B R O

, G R E E N A W A Y

, J r

. , a n d P O R T E R

, C ircuit Judges

(Opinion filed March 31, 2020 )

___________

OPINION *

_________ __

PER CURIAM

P r o s e a p p e l l a n t B

. J a n e t P e t t i a p p e a l s t h e District C o u r t ’ s g r a n t o f s u m m a r y

* This dispositio n i s not an o pin ion of the f ull C ourt and pursuant t o I .O.P. 5.7 does not

c on stitut e bi nding pre ce dent

.2

j u d g m e n t i n f

a v o r o f d e f

e n d a n t s O c e a n C o u n t y B o a r d o f H e a l t h a n d O c e a n C o u n t y

H e a l t h D e p a r t m e n t ( “ O C H D ” )

. P e t t i b r ought c la i ms o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n v i o l a ti on o f t h e

Americans with Di sa bilities Act ( “ ADA ” )

, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq

. , r e t a l i a t i o n i n

v i o l a t i o n o f Title VII of the Civil Righ ts Act

, 42 U. S.C. § 2000e

, et seq

. , a n d w r o n g f u l

t e r m i n a t i o n

. For the reason s that follow, w e will affirm the District Court’ s j ud gm e n t

.

I.

P e t t i b e g a n w o r k i n g a s an a c c o u n t a n t f o r O C H D i n 2 0 0 4

. 1 S h e w o r k e d i n o n e o f

t h e t w o b u i l d i n g s at O C H D ’ s o f f i c e c a m p u s

. I n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 2

, c o n s t r u c t i o n b e g a n a t

the b ui l di ng n e x t to P e t t i ’ s ; t h e w i n dow s i n h e r bu i ld i n g w e r e t a p e d i n p r e p a r a t io n

. L a t e r

t h a t m o n t h

, s h e e m a i l e d O c e a n C o u n t y ’ s D i r e c t o r o f A d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d P r o g r a m

D e v e l o p m e n t

, V i c t o r i a M i r a g l i o t t a

, t o a s k w h e t h e r c o n s t r u c t i o n d e b r i s c o n t a i n i ng

a s b e s t o s w a s g e t t i n g i n t o h e r b u i l d i n g

, o ut of c o n c e r n t h a t i t c o u l d a g g r a v a t e a n

u n s p e c i f i e d m ed i c a l c o n d i t i o n

. S e v e r a l d a y s l a t e r

, P e t t i e m a i l e d M i r a g l i o t t a a n d O c e a n

C o u n t y ’ s P u b l i c H e a l t h C o o r d i n a t o r t o i n f o r m t h e m t h a t s h e h a d o b s e r v e d c o n s t r u c t i o n

d e b r i s o n h e r w i n d o w s i l l a n d h e r n o t e b o o k s

. Pe t t i a l s o a s k e d w h e t h e r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n

w o r k outsid e w a s b e i n g s a f e l y p e r f o r m e d

. M i r a g l i o t t a res p o n d e d t h a t a n a s b e s t o s

s a m p l i n g s u r v e y had b e e n c o n d u c t e d o n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e i n M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w h i c h

c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e r e w a s n o a s b e s t o s

- c o n t a i n i n g m a t e r i a l a t t h e s i t e p e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l

P r o t e c t i o n A g e n c y g u i d e l i n e s

. M i r a g l i o t t a a l s o in fo r m e d P e t t i t h a t h e r b ui l d i n g ’ s

1 Th e following facts are undispute d unles s othe rwis e noted

.3

v e n t i l at i on sy st em w a s n o t c o n n e c t e d t o a n y d e m o l i t i o n t h a t w a s o ccurring i n v o l v i n g t h e

o t h e r b u i l d i n g

. P e t t i r e st a t e d h e r c o n c e r n s a b o u t c o n s t r u c t i o n d e b r i s g e t t i n g i n t o h e r w o r k

a r e a t o h e r d i r e c t s u p e r v i s o r

.

I n e a r l y D e c e m b e r

, P e t t i ’ s w o r k l o c a t i o n w a s t e m p o r a r i l y t r a n s f e r r e d t o a d i f

f e r e n t

b u i l d i n g aw a y f

r o m O C H D ’ s o f

f i c e c a m p u s

. T o w a r d t h e e n d o f D e c e m b e r

, h e r

su p e r v i s o r t o l d P e t t i t ha t s h e w o u l d b e t r a n s f e r r e d b a c k i n e a r l y J a n u a r y

. S h e r e c e i v e d a

r e p o r t

, c o n d u c t e d a t t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e b y a n e x t e r n a l consultant d u r i n g h e r a b se n c e

,

i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e w a s f r e e o f e x t e r n a l d e b r i s o r o t h e r h a z a r d s

. P e t t i

s u b s e q u e n t l y f

i l e d an o c c u p a t i o n a l s a f

e t y c o m p l a in t w i th N e w J e r s e y ’ s P u b l i c E m p l o y e e s

O c c u p a t i o n a l S a f

e t y a n d H e a l t h P r o g r a m ( “ P E O S H ” ) s t a t i n g c o n c e r n s a b o u t a i r q u a l i t y

a n d d e b r i s a t h e r w o rkp l a c e

.

O n her s e c o n d d a y b a c k a t t h e o f f i c e

— w h i c h w a s u l t i m a t e l y h e r l a s t d a y w o r k i n g

a t O C H D

— P e t t i l e f

t e a rl y a n d s u b m i t t e d a l e t t e r t o h e r s u p e r v i s o r r e q u e s t i n g

u n s p e c i f i e d r e a s o n a b l e a c c o m m o d a t i o n s

. S h e a l s o s u b m i t t e d a d o c t o r ’ s n o t e o n h e r

r e t u r n sta t i n g t h a t s h e w a s a d v i s e d t o a v o i d e x p o s u r e t o d u s t

, c h e m i c a l s

, c o n s t r u c t i o n

m a t e r i a l s

, a n d r e s p i r a t o r y i r r i t a n t s

, d u e t o “ p u l m o n a r y d y s f u n c t i o n

. ” A p p

. a t 5 0

.

M i r a g l i o t t a s e n t P e t t i a l e t t e r t h a t d a y c o n f i r m i n g t h a t s h e h a d b e e n s e n t t w o r e p o r t s

i n d i c a t i n g t h a t h e r bu i l d i n g w a s s a f e f r o m c o n s t r u c t i o n d e b r i s a n d i n f o r m i n g h e r t h a t

o t h e r O C H D o f

f i c e s ha d on g o i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n

.

O n J a n ua r y 9

, 2 0 1 3

, P e t t i ind i c a t e d t h a t s h e h a d e x p e r ie n c e d an a l l er g i c r e a c t i o n4

w h e n s he h a d r e t u r n ed t o th e of f i c e a n d a s k e d t o b e m o v e d t o a d i f f e r e n t b u i l d i ng

. S h e

s u b m i t t e d a d o c t o r ’ s no t e r e q u e s t i n g t h a t s h e b e e x c u s ed f r o m wo r k d u e t o a l l e r g y

s y m p t o m s of a n “ u n d e t e r m i n ed e t i o l o g y

. ” A p p e l le e s ’ S u p p l

. A p p

. a t 4 30

. S e ve ral d ay s

l at er

, P e t t i re q u e st e d w or k e r s ’ c o m p e n s a t i o n b e c a u s e h e r w h o l e b o d y w a s i t c h y a n d h e r

e y e s w e r e s w o l l e n ; P e t t i c l a i m e d t h a t t h e r e a c t i o n s t e m m e d f r o m e x p o s u r e t o c o n s t r u c t i o n

d e b r i s

. S h e a l s o s u b m i t t e d a l e t t e r f r o m h e r d o c t o r r e q u e s t i n g t h a t s h e b e r e l o c a t e d s o

t h a t s h e w o u l d “ n o t b e exposed t o i r r i t a n t s t h a t e x a c e r b a t e h e r l u n g c o n d i t i o n

. ” A p p

. a t

5 6

. P e t t i t h e n u n d e r w e n t a p h y s i c a l e x a m i n a t i o n p u r s u a n t t o h e r w o r k e r s ’ c o m p e n s a t i o n

r e q u e s t

. T h e e x a m i n i n g d o c t o r n o t e d t h a t P e t t i r e p e a t e d l y d e n i e d h a v i n g a n y b r e a t h i n g

p r o b l e m s o r a r a s h a n d t h a t s h e r e f u s e d t o c o n s e n t t o p u l m o n a r y f u n c t i o n t e s t s o r t o

p e r m i t t h e d o c t o r t o s p e a k w i t h h e r o t h e r p h y s i c i a n s

. T h e d o c t o r u l t i m a t e l y c o n c l u d e d

t h a t t h e i tchiness Pe t t i r e p o r t e d w a s l i k e l y d u e t o d r y s k i n

.

O n J a n u a r y 1 6

, 2 0 1 3

, O c e a n C o u n t y ’ s P u b l i c H e a l t h C o o r d i n a t o r i n f o r m e d P e t t i

t hat h e w a s r e s e a r c h i n g h e r c o n c e r n s

. P e t t i t h e n s u b m i t t e d a l e a v e r e q u e s t b a c k d a t e d t o

J a n u a r y 2

, 2 0 1 3

, u n d e r t h e F a m i l y a n d M e d i c a l L e a v e A c t ( “ F M L A ” )

. S h e a t t a c h e d a

m e d i c a l c e r t i f

i c a t e b y h e r d o c t o r s t a t i n g t h a t s h e w a s e x p e r i e n c i n g “ s h o r t n e s s o f b r e a t h

a f t e r e x p o s u r e t o c o n s t r u c t i o n d u s t

. ” A p p e l l e e s ’ S u p p l

. A p p

. a t 4 7 6

. O n F e b r u a r y 7

,

2 0 1 3

, P et t i ’ s F M L A r e q u e s t w a s a p p r o v e d f o r 1 2 w e e k s

.

W h i l e P e t t i w a s o n F M L A l e a v e

, O c e a n C o u n t y c o n t r a c t e d a n e x t e r n a l e v a l u a t o r

t o t e s t t h e r o o m w h e r e P e t t i w o r k e d a n d s u r r o u n d i n g r o o m s f o r m o l d ; t h e t e s t s c a m e b a c k5

i n t h e n o r m a l r a n g e

. A d d i t i o n a l l y

, P E O S H c o n d u c t e d a n u n a n n o u n c e d i n s p e c t i o n o f

O c e a n C o u n t y ’ s F i n a n c e D e p a r t m e n t

, i n w h i c h i n v e s t i g a t o r s i n t e r v i e w e d e m p l o y e e s a n d

c o n d u c t e d a i r q u a l i t y t e s t s o f t h e r o o m i n w h i c h P e t t i w o r k e d a n d t h e a re a o u t s i d e o f t h e

b u i l d i n g

. T h e E n f

o r c e m e n t C o o r d i n a t o r o f P E O S H c o n c l u d e d t h a t n o v i o l a t i o n s o f h e a l t h

s t a n d a r d s w e r e o b s e r v e d d u r i n g t h e i n s p e c t i o n

.

O n A p r i l 8

, 2 0 1 3

, P e t t i s u b m i t t e d a r e q u e s t f o r a n a d d i t i o n a l l e a v e o f a b s e n c e w i t h

a n i n d e t e r m i n a t e e n d d a t e

, i n d i c a t i n g t h a t “ s h e n e e d [ e d ] t o b e a w a y f r o m c o n s t r u c t i o n

d u s t

. ” A p p e l l e e s ’ S u p p l

. A p p

. a t 5 1 2

. H e r r e q u e s t w a s d e n i e d s e v e r a l d a y s l a t e r b e c a u s e

s h e f a i l e d t o p r o v i d e a c o m p l e t e m e d i c a l c e r t i f i c a t i o n o r a n e n d d a t e

. P e t t i w a s d i r e c t e d

t o r e t u r n t o w o r k

, b u t s h e d i d n o t retu r n.

O n M a y 8

, 2 0 1 3

, M i r a g l i o t t a s e n t P e t t i a l e t t e r d e t a i l i n g t h e s t e p s t h a t h a d b e e n

t a k e n t o e n s u r e t h a t h e r w o r kp l a c e w a s s a f e a n d n o t i n g t h e d o c t o r ’ s e v a l u a t i o n f r o m h e r

w o r k e r s ’ c o m p e n s a t i o n e x a m i n a t i o n

. T h e l e t t e r i n d i c a t e d t h a t P e t t i ’ s wo r k l o c a t i o n h a d

b e e n m o v e d a w a y f

r o m t h e w i n d o w s i n h e r o f f i c e

, t h a t s h e w o u l d b e p r o v i d e d w i t h a

r e s p i r a t o r o r p a r t i c u l a t e d u s t m a s k a t w o r k

, a n d t h a t

, “ o u t o f a n a b u n d a n c e o f c a u t i o n

, ” a n

a i r s c r u b b e r w o u l d b e i n s t a l l e d i n h e r d e p a r t m e n t

. A p p

. a t 6 6

.

T h r o u g h a n a t t o r n e y

, P e t t i r e qu e s t e d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e p a r t i c u l a t e d u s t m a s k

.

A t t h e e n d o f M a y

, P e t t i ’ s d o c t o r s e n t a l e t t e r t o O C H D s t a t i n g t h a t P e t t i c ou l d n o t w e a r a

r e s p i r a t o r f

o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s o f t i m e b e c a u s e s h e h a d a n e c k i n j u r y a n d a l a t e x a l l e r g y

.

O c e a n C o u n t y ’ s l e g a l c o u n s e l r e q u e s t e d a m e e t i n g w i th P e t t i

, b u t s h e d i d n o t r e s p o n d

.6

I n J u l y

, O c e a n C o u n t y i n i t i a t e d f o r m a l discip linary p r o c e e d i n g s t o t e r m i n a t e P e t t i

f o r i n s u b o r d i n a t i o n

, e x c e s s i v e a b s e n t e e i s m

, 2 a n d r e s i g n a t i o n n o t i n g o o d s t a n d i n g

. O n

A u g u s t 2 1

, 2 0 1 3

, a h e a r i n g o f f i c e r c o n c l u d e d t h a t O c e a n C o u n t y ’ s t e r m i n a t i o n o f P e t t i

wa s w a r r a n t e d o n a l l t h r e e p r o p o s e d g r o u n d s

. A f t e r P e t t i a p p e a l e d t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n

, a n

a d m i n i s t r a t i v e l a w j u d g e up h e l d t h e c h a r g e s o f e x c e s s i v e absenteeism an d re s i g n a t i o n no t

i n g o o d s t a n d i ng

. H o w e v e r

, he d i smis s e d t h e c h a r g e o f i n s u b o r d i n a t i o n as u n w a r r a n te d

af t e r c o n c lu d in g t h a t P e t t i r e a s o n a b l y r e l i e d o n h e r d o c t o r s ’ o p i n i o n s ; h e a l s o de t e r m i n e d

t h a t a s i x t y

- d a y s u s p e n s i o n a n d r e s i g n a t i o n i n g o o d s t a n d i n g w a s t h e a p p r o p r i a t e

s a n c t i o n

. Hi s d e c i s i o n w a s u p h e l d o n a p p e a l

.

P e t ti c o m m e nc e d thi s a c t i on i n t h e D i st r i c t C o u r t i n O c t o b er 2 01 5

. 3 Following

early l itigation and disc overy

, d e f e n d a n t s m o v e d f

o r s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t

. T h e D i s t r i c t

C o u r t g r a n t e d t h e i r m o t i o n

. P e t t i t i m e l y a p p e a l e d a f t e r t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t g r a n t e d h e r a n

e x t e n s i o n o f t i m e t o a p p e a l u n d e r F e d e r a l R u l e o f A p p e l l a t e P r o c e d u r e 4 ( a ) ( 5 )

.

II.

We h ave jurisdiction ove r this appeal pur suant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291

. We e xercise

plenary review ov er the District C o u rt’s g r a n t o f s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t f o r d e f e n d a n t s

. See

Blunt v. L ower Merion Sch. Dist. , 767 F.3d 247, 265 (3d Cir. 2014). Summary judgm ent

2 Pet ti ’ s discip linary record included instances of excessive breaks and absences in

Mar ch and June 2012 , p rior to t he beginning o f the construction work.

3 P e t t i f i l e d a charge o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w i t h t h e Equal E mploy men t O pportunity

Commis sion (“ EEOC”) a l l e g i n g d i s a b i l i t y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n M a y 2 0 1 4 . S he w a s

ultimately i s s u e d a ri g h t

- t o

- s u e l e t t e r r e g a r d i n g h e r c h a r g e

.7

is p r o p e r “ if the mov an t shows that there is no ge n uine di spute as to any ma teria l fact an d

the movant is e n title d to judgme nt as a mat ter of law.” F ed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). A gen uine

dispute of mate rial fact exists if the evidence is sufficient fo r a re asonab le fac t finder to

r et urn a ve rdict for the non mo v ing par ty. And erson v. L ibert y Lobby

, Inc. , 477 U. S. 24 2

,

248 (1986).

II I.

W e a g r e e w i t h t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s g r a n t o f s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t f o r d e f e n d a n t s

.

F i r s t

, P e t t i d i d n o t s t a t e a p r i m a f a c i e c a s e o f A D A d i s c r i m i n a t i o n b a s e d o n h e r c l a i m t h at

O C H D f ail e d t o p r o v i d e r e q u e s t e d r e a s o n a b l e a c c o m m o d a t i o n s

. To es tabli sh a pr ima

facie case of discrimination unde r the ADA , an employee must show that she : (1) is

disabled ; (2) is o therwise qu alified to perform th e essential function s of the j ob, with or

withou t reason able accommodat ions by h er employer ; and (3) ha s su ffere d an adv erse

employmen t action as a result o f her disability

, i n c l u d i n g h e r e m p l o y e r ’ s re f u s a l t o m a k e

r e a s o n a b l e a c c o m m o d a t i o n f o r h e r d is a b i l i t y

. Hohider v. Unit ed Parcel Serv. , Inc. , 574

F.3d 169, 186 (3d Cir. 2 009)

. O nce a n e m p l o y e e r e q u e s t s a r e a s o n a b l e acc ommodation

,

h e r e m p l o y e r must as sist t h e employee in seeking accommodations t h r o u g h a “ f l e x i b l e

,

i n t e r a c t i v e p r o c e s s

, ” i d

. a t 1 8 7 ( i n t e r n a l c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

, a n d b o t h e m p l o y e r s a n d

e m p l o y e e s “ have a duty to assist in the search for appropriat e rea sonable accommodation

and to act in goo d fai th

, ” Taylor v. Phoenixville Sch. Dist. , 184 F.3d 2 96, 312 (3d Cir.

1999)

.8

I n t h i s c a s e

, a s s u m i n g w i t h o u t d e c i d i n g t h a t P e t t i c a n m a k e o ut t h e f i r s t t w o

e l e m e n t s o f a p r i m a f

a c i e c a s e

, t h e r e c o r d r e f

l e c t s O C H D ’ s c o n s i s t e n t g o o d f a i t h e f f o r t s

t o r e s p o n d t o P e t t i ’ s r e q u e s t s r e g a r d i n g the s a f e t y o f h e r w o r k

p l a c e

, g i v e n t h e m e d i c a l

conditio ns she re p re se n te d s h e h ad

. S e e i d

. a t 3 1 7 ( “ A l l the interactive process requires is

tha t employers make a good

- faith effort to s eek acco mmodations

. ” )

. O C H D p r o m p t l y

r e s p o n d e d t o P e t t i ’ s initial r e q u e s t s a b o u t e n v i r o n m e n t a l h a z a r d s w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t

p r i o r s a f e t y t e s t i n g t h a t h a d b e e n c o n d u c t e d o n t h e s i t e a n d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t h e r

b u i l d i n g ’ s s e p a r a t e v e n t i l a t i o n s y s t e m

. I n r e s p o n s e t o P e t t i ’ s c o n t i n u e d c o n c e r n s

, O C H D

m o v e d h e r t o a n o t h e r l o c a t i o n w h i l e i t i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e s a fe t y o f h e r w o r k s p a c e

. A f t e r a n

e x t e r n a l c o n s u l t a n t e x a mi n e d th e s i t e a n d d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e o u t s i d e c o n s t r u c t i o n wo r k

w a s f r e e o f e x t e r n a l d e b r i s o r o t h e r h a z a r d s

, s h e w a s a s k e d t o r e t u r n t o h e r u s u a l w o r k

l o c a t i o n

. I n e a r l y J a n u a r y

, a f t e r P e t t i r e p o r t e d h a v i n g a n a l l e r g i c r e a c t i o n a t w o r k

, O C H D

i n f o r m e d h e r t h a t i t w o u l d a g a i n r e v i e w h e r c o n c e r n s ; i n t h e f o l l o w i n g m o n t h

, O C HD

a p p r o v e d h e r r e q u e s t f

o r F M L A l e a v e

, h i r e d a n o t h e r e x t e r n a l c o n s u l t a n t t o c o n d u c t m o l d

t e s t i n g

, a n d c o m p l i e d w i t h a n u n a n n o u n c e d P E O S H i n s p e c t i o n

.

A f t e r m o l d t e s t i n g c a m e b a c k i n t h e n o r m a l r a n g e a n d t h e P E O S H i n s p e c t i o n c a m e

b a c k w i t h o u t a n y v i o l a t i o n s

, O C H D d e n i e d P e t t i ’ s i n c o m p l e t e r e q u e s t f o r a f u r t h e r l e a v e

o f a b s e n c e b u t o f

f e r e d t o i n s t a l l a n a i r s c r u b b e r i n h e r w o r k s p a c e a n d p r o v i d e h e r w i t h a

r e s p i r a t o r o r a p a r t i c u l a t e d u s t m a s k ; i t a l s o n o t e d t h a t h e r w o r k l o c a t i o n h a d b e e n m o v e d

a w a y f r o m a n y w i n d o w s

. P e t t i r e q u e s t e d f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e p a r t i c u l a t e d u s t9

m a s k

, but c o m m u n i c a t i o n u l t i m a t e l y b r o k e d o w n w h e n P e t t i f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d O C H D ’ s

r e q u e s t f o r a m e e t i n g t o d i s c u s s i t s p r o p o s e d ac commodat ions f o r h e r

. S e e i d

. ( e x p l a i n i n g

t h a t “ a n employer cannot be faulte d if after co nferring with the employee to find p ossible

accommodations, ” t h e i n t e r a c t i v e p r o c e s s b r e a k s d o w n d u e t o t h e e m p l o y e e ’ s a c t i o n s o r

o m i s s i o n s )

. A l t h o u g h P e t t i i n s i s t e d a t s e v e r a l p o i n t s d u r i n g t h i s p r o c e s s t h a t t h e o n l y

s o l u t i o n t o h e r c o n c e r n s w a s t o m o v e h e r t o a n o t h e r b u i l d i n g o u t s i d e o f h e r d e p a r t m e n t

,

s h e d i d n o t p r o v i d e e v i d e n c e t o e x p l a i n h o w h e r c o n c e r n s c o u l d b e a c c o m m o d a t e d

e l s e w h e r e w h e n o t h e r O C H D b u i l d i n g s w e r e a l s o u n d e r g o i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n

. A c c o r d i n g l y

,

t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t c o r r e c t l y g r a n t e d s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t f o r d e f e n d a n t s o n P e t t i ’ s A D A

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c l a i m

.

N e x t

, P e t t i f

a i l e d t o e s t a b l i s h a p r i m a f a c i e c a s e o f T i t l e V I I r e t a l i a t i o n b e c a u s e s h e

d i d n o t s h o w t h a t h e r e n g a g e m e n t i n a p r o t e c t e d a c t i v i t y u n d e r T i t l e V I I w a s a b u t

- f o r

c a u s e of her t e r m i n a t i o n

. T o m a k e o u t a prima facie case of T i t l e V I I retaliation

, a

plaint iff m u s t s h o w that: “(1) she e ngaged in activity protected by Title VII; (2) t h e

employer took an adverse employment action against her; and (3) there was a causal

connecti on between her partici pation in the protecte d activity and the adverse

employment action.” Moore v. City of Phila delphia , 461 F.3d 331, 340

- 41 (3 d Cir. 2006)

( ci t a tion o m i tt e d)

. A plaintiff asserting a T i t l e V I I retaliation claim “must establish that

his or her protected acti vity was a but

- for cau se of the alleged adverse action by the

employer.” Univ . of Tex. Sw. Med. Ctr. v. Nassar , 570 U.S. 33 8, 362 (2013).10

P e t t i h a s a r g u e d t h a t h e r f i l i n g o f a c o n f

i d e n t i a l c o m p l a i n t w i t h P E O S H c o n s t i t u t e s

p r o t e c t e d a c t i v i t y a n d t h a t s h e w a s f i r e d i n r e t a l i a t i o n f

o r f i l i n g t h a t c o m p l a i n t

. H o w e v e r

,

e v e n a s s u m i n g t h a t O C H D k n e w t h a t P e t t i f i l e d a c o m p l a i n t

, s h e r e l i e s s o l e l y o n t h e t i m e

t h at p a s s e d b e t we e n h e r c o m p l a i n t a n d h e r t e r m i n a t i o n t o e s t a b l i s h c a u s a t i o n

. S e e

Carvalho

- Grevious v. Del. State Univ. , 851 F.3d 249, 260 (3d Cir. 2017) ( e x p l a i n i n g t h a t

a p l a i n t i f f c a n e s t a b l i s h b u t

- f

o r c a u s a t i o n “by proffe ri ng evidence of a n em plo yer’s

incon sistent explanation for taking an adverse employment action, a pattern of

an tagonism, or temporal proximity ‘unusually s uggestive of retaliatory motive ’” )

(internal citation s omitted). T h e s i x m o n t h s t h a t p a s s e d be t w e e n P e t t i ’ s f i l in g o f a

c o m p l a i n t a n d O C H D ’ s in i t i a ti on o f t e r m i n a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g s a g a i n s t h e r a r e n o t

“u nusually s uggest ive of retaliato ry motive ” s u c h t h a t t i m i n g a l o n e c o u l d e s t a b l i s h b u t

f o r c a u s a t i o n

. See Williams v. Phila. Ho us. Auth. Polic e Dep’t , 380 F .3d 751, 760 (3d

Cir . 2004) (conclu ding that a gap of over two months

, t a k e n a l o n e

, i s insufficient to be

“und uly suggestive” of ret aliation)

, superseded by statute on other grounds a s s t a te d i n

Robinson v. First State Cmty. Action Agency , 920 F.3 d 182, 18 7

- 8 9 & n.30 (3d Cir.

20 19)

. T h u s

, s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t w a s p r o p e r l y g r a n t e d f o r d e f e n d a n t s o n P e t t i ’ s

r e t a l i a t i o n c l a i m

.

F i n a l l y

, w e a g r e e w i t h t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t t h a t Petti ’ s c ommon law claim for

wrongful termination is pre empted where she h a s a st atutory re medy

. See Lawrence v.

Nat’l Westminster Bank N.J.

, 98 F.3d 61, 73 (3d Cir. 1996 ) ( s t a t i n g t h a t w h e r e “ the11

s ou rces of public policy [ a p l a i n t i f f ] relies o n a re coterminous with his statutory claims,

he cannot advance a separate common law public policy cla im ” )

. P e t t i ’ s wrong ful

term ination claim was based on the s a m e facts as her discrimination a n d r e t a l i a t i o n

cl aims. B e c a u se a w r o n g f u l t e r m i n a t i o n c l a i m w o u l d n o t p r o t e c t any additional int erest

beyond t h e p rotections of the A D A a n d T i t l e V I I under t hese circumstances

, s u m m a r y

j u d g m e n t w a s p r o p e r l y g r a n t e d f o r d e f e n d a n t s o n P e t t i ’ s r e m a i n i n g c l a i m

. 4

A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e w i l l a f

f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

. 5

4 T o t h e e x t e n t t h a t P e t t i c h a l l e n g e s t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s r e s o l u t i o n o f s e v e r a l m o t i o n s s h e

f i l e d

, w e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d n o t e r r i n i t s d e c i s i o n s

.

5 Additionally, w e grant a ppellees ’ motion to file a supp lemental appendix, wh ich

inc ludes relevant documents from the record that P etti di d not provide in he r append ix,

a nd deny Petti ’ s motion to file a supple mental appendix , which does n ot con tain record

evidence

. We deny Petti ’ s motion for sanctions

, her motion for oral argume nt , and her

motion to strike appellees ’ response to h er motion for oral argum ent ; we gra nt Petti ’ s

motion to file corrections to her b rief.