FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT D e c e m be r 9, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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- 12219 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 2 0 1 3 3 - C V- J AL S H A R O N A L L E N , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s U N I T E D S T A T E S P O S T M A S T E R G E N E R A L , J o h n E . P o tte r , 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

_________________________ ( D e c e m be r9, 2005) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an d D U B IN A , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A p p e lla n t S h a r o n A lle n ap p e a ls , p ro se , th e e n try o f s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in2

fa vo r of J oh n P ott er , the P ostm as t erG ener al of the U ni t ed S t at es P ost al S ervi ce ( “th e S e rv ic e ” ) , o n h e rc la im s o f v io la tio n s o f

th e R e h ab ilita tio n A c t, 2 9 U .S .C . § 7 0 1 , et se q . S h e a lle g e s th a t th e S e rv ic e tr a n s f e rr e d h e rto a n o v e rn ig h t s h if t a t a d i f f e r e n tf a c i l i ty o u to f

d i s c r i mi n a t i o n f

o rh e rd i s ab i l i ty a n d r e t a l i a t i o n f o rh e rEE O a c tiv ity . A lle n a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr e d in f in d in g th a t s h e f

a ile d to es t abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie c a s e o f d is ab ilityo rr e ta lia to ry d is c r im in a tio n . W e r e v ie w “ag r a n t o f

s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t de no vo , usi ng the sa m e l egal st andard as the di stri ctcourt . ” Me rr i t t v . D i l lard P ape rC o. , 120 F . 3d 1181, 1184 ( 11th C i r . 1997) . S um m a ry j 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 rty is e n title d to ju d g m e n t a s am a tte ro f la w . See C e lo tex C o r

p . v . Ca tr e tt , 477 U . S . 317, 322, 106 S . C t . 2548, 2552, 91 L . E d. 2d 265 ( 1986) ( quot i ng F ed . R . C i v . P . 5 6 (c)). T h e ev i d en ce, an d al l i n feren ces d raw n fro m th e fact s, m u st b e v ie w e d 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 . M at sushi ta E lec . I ndus . C o. , L td. v . Ze ni th R adi o C or p. , 475 U . S . 574, 587, 106 S . C t . 1348, 1356, 89 L . E d. 2d 538 ( 1986) . I n or de rt o de f e a ts um m a ry j udgm e nt , how e ve r , the n o n - mo v i n g p a rty “ mu s td o mo r e th a n s i mp l y s h o w th a tth e r e i s s o me m et aphysi ca l do ub tas t o the m at er i al fa ct s. ” I d. a t586, 106 S . C t . a t1356. 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 the3

c a s e f o rw 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 , 47 7 U . S . at32 3, 10 6 S . C t . at 2 5 5 2 . D is abi l i t yD is c r i m i nat i on A l l e n a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n gr a nt i ng the S e rvi c e s ’ s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm enton her di sc ri m i nat i on cl ai m . S he cl ai m s s he w as di sabl ed despi t e herabi l i ty t o p er form ho usehol d cho re s and her doct or’ s e st i m at i on thather di sabi l i ty w as on l y three perc entof her bod y. T o est abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie c a s e of di s c r i m i na t i on unde rthe R e habi l i t a t i on A c t , A l l e n m us ts how tha ts he w a s : ( 1) di s abl e d orpe r c e i ve d t o be di s abl e d; ( 2) aqua l i f i e d i ndi vi dua l ; a nd ( 3) d is c r im in a te d a g a in s t o n th e b a s is o f h e rd is ab ility . W

oo d v. G re en , 323 F . 3d 1309, 1 3 1 2 ( 1 1 th C ir .) , c e r t. deni ed , 5 4 0 U .S . 9 8 2 ( 2 0 0 3 ) . T o q ual i fyas di sabl ed, A l l en m ustshow thatshe has an i m pai rm entthat s u b s ta n tia lly lim its am a jo rlif e a c tiv ity . T

o y o ta Mo to rMf

g . K y . , v . Wi l l i a ms , 534 U . S . 184, 194- 95, 122 S . C t . 681, 690, 151 L . E d. 2d 615 ( 2002) . U nde rthe fe dera l re gu l at i on s, an i nd i vi du al i s “ di sabl ed” i f s he (1) has a physi ca l or m ent al i m pai rm entthatsubst ant i al l y l i m i t s one or m ore of her maj or l i fe ac t i vi t i es ; (2) has a r ec ord o f s uch an i m pai rm ent ; or (3) i s r egar ded b y herem pl oyeras havi ng such a n im p a irm e n t. Ca s h v . Sm ith , 231 F . 3d 1301, 1305 ( 11th C i r . 2000) ( c i t i ng 42 U .S .C . § 1 2 1 0 2 ( 2 ) a n d 3 4 C .F .R . § 1 0 4 .3 ( j) ( 1 ) ) .4

A lth o u g h th e A D A d o e s n o t e x p lic itlyd e f in e th e te rm “m a

jo rlif e a c tiv ity ,” w e a r e g u id e d b y E E O C r e g u la tio n s . See Stan da rd v. A . B . E . L . Serv i ces, Inc. , 161 F . 3d 1318, 1327 n. 1 ( 11th C i r . 1998) . U nde rthe s e r e gul a t i ons , w orki ng a nd w a l ki ng a r e e xa m pl e s of m a j orl i f e a c t i vi t i e s . 29 C . F . R . § 1630. 2( i ) . T he i s s ue pr e s e nt e d he r e , the r e f

or e , i s w he the rA l l e n i s s ubs t a nt i a l l y l i m i t e d i n a tl e a s tone of th e s e a c t i v i t i e s . I n g e n e r a l , “ s u b s t a n t i a l l y l i mi t s ” me a n s th e i n ab i l i ty t o p e r f o rm a m aj or l i fe ac t i vi ty a s c om pare d t o the avera ge pers on i n the generalpo pu l at i on or a si gn i fi cantre stri ct i on “ as t o the cond i t i on , m anner or durat i on un der w hi ch an in d iv id u a l c a n p e r f

o rm ” th e p a rtic u la ra c tiv ity . See Hi lb u rn v . Mu r a ta Ele c s . N. A m . , Inc. , 181 F . 3d 1220, 1226 ( 11th C i r . 1999) ( quot i ng 29 C . F . R . §§ 1 6 3 0 .2 ( j) ( 1 ) ( i) , ( ii) ) . A n in d iv id u a l h a s n o t s h o w n th a t h is o rh e rab ilityis subst ant i al l y l i m i t ed i f hi s or herfunct i on i ng i s onl y “ m od er at el y bel ow aver age. ” R o s s b a c h v . C i t

yo f Mi a mi , 3 7 1 F .3 d 1 3 5 4 , 1 3 5 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . F orac ondi t i on t o l i m i ts ubs t a nt i a l l y ape r s on’ s abi l i ty t o w ork, the c ondi t i on m us tr e s tr i c tthe pe r s on’ s abi l i ty t o pe r f orm e i the r“ ac l a s s of

j obs orabr oa d r a nge o f jo b s in v a r io u s c la s s e s a s c o m p a r e d to th e a v e r a g e p e r s o n h a v in g c o m p a r ab le tr a in in g , s k ill, a n d ab ilitie s .” 2 9 C .F .R . § 1 6 3 0 .2 ( j) ( 3 ) ( i) . A p e r s o n ’s in ab ilityto pe r f orm as i ngl e , pa rt i c ul a rj ob doe s notc ons t i tut e as ubs t a nt i a l l i m i t a t i on i n the m a jo rlif e a c tiv ity o f

w o rk in g . 2 9 C .F .R . § 1 6 3 0 .2 ( j) ( 3 ) ( i) ; se e a l

so Hi lb u rn , 1815

F .3 d a t 1 2 2 7 . T h is is s o e v e n if it is th e in d iv id u a l’s jo b o f c h o ic e . Ca sh , 231 F . 3d a t 1 3 0 6 . A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d , w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt w a s c o rr e c t in i t s c onc l us i on tha tA l l e n w a s not“ di s abl e d” w i thi n the m e a ni ng of the R eh ab i l i t at i o n A ct . T h o u g h th e ev i d en ce sh o w s A l l en i s u n ab l e t o fu n ct i o n as a l ett ercarr i er , her i nabi l i ty t o p er form thi s part i cul arj ob do es no tconst i tut e a subst ant i al l i m i t at i on on her abi l i ty t o w ork. T here i s no evi dence i n the re cord w h ic h e s tab lis h e s th a t A lle n ’s im p a irm e n t s ig n if ic a n tly r e s tr ic te d h e rab ilityto pe r f orm abr oa d r a nge of

j obs i n va r i ous c l a s s e s . M or e ove r , a l though A l l e n’ s f oot i nj ur i e s pr e ve nthe rf

r om w a l ki ng l ong di s t a nc e s w i thoutr e s t s on a c c ountof pa i n, the re cord do es no tdem on stra t e thatshe w as subst ant i al l y l i m i t ed i n the m aj or l i fe ac t i vi ty of w al ki ng . S he t es t i fi ed thatshe c an st i l l go t o the groceryst ore, l oad groceri es , care for her se l f and her c hi l dren, and d o o ther hou se ho l d cho re s s uch as l aund ry . H erdo ct or no t ed she c ou l d even w al k ei gh tho urs aday and thather di sabi l i ty w as l i m i t ed t o o nl y three perc entof her w ho l e bod y. A tbest , the nature a n d s e v e r ity o f

h e rw a lk in g a n d s ta n d in g im p a irm e n ts s e e m e d o n ly “m o d e r a te ly be l ow a ve r a ge , ” a nd the r e w a s no e vi de nc e tha the rpr obl e m s w a l ki ng a nd s t a ndi ng w e r e a ny w or s e tha n s uf f e r e d by m a ny a gi ng a dul t s . F urthe rm or e , a s the pos i t i on of l e tt e rc a rr i e ri s notabr oa d c l a s s of j obs , A l l e n ha s notputf orth e vi de nc e tha tthe6

S er v ice r eg ar d ed h eras d isab led . C o n se q u en tl y, w e a g re e w ith th e d istrict co u rt’s f in d in g th a t A lle n is n o t d is ab le d u n d e rth e R e h ab ilita tio n A c t. R e tal i at i on A l l e n a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n gr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nton h er ret al i at i o n cl ai m . S h e cl ai m s th atth e S erv i ce tran sferred h er t o ret al i at e ag ai n st h e rf o rf ilin g p r io rE E O a c tio n s . T h e R e h ab ilita tio n A c t p r o h ib its r e ta lia tio n in e m pl oy m e nta ga i ns tdi s abl e d pe r s ons by the f e de r a l gove rnm e nt , i nc l udi ng the S e rv ic e . See 2 9 U .S .C . § § 7 9 1 , 7 9 4 . T h e a n ti- r e ta lia tio n p r o v is io n o f th e A c t, w h ic h in c o rp o r a te s § 1 2 2 0 3 ( a ) o f th e A D A , p r o v id e s “[ n ]o p e r s o n s h a ll di s c r i m i na t e a ga i ns ta n i ndi vi dua l be c aus e s uc h i ndi vi dua l ha s oppos e d a ny a c tor p r a c tic e m a d e u n la w f

u l b y th is A c t.” 2 9 U .S .C . § 7 9 4 ( a ) , ( d ) , 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 0 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 , th e p la in tif

f m u s t s h o w th a t: (1 ) sh e en g ag ed i n st atu t o ri l y p ro t ect ed ex p ressi o n ; (2 ) sh e su ffered an ad v erse e m p l o y m e n ta c t i o n ; a n d ( 3 ) th e r e wa s s o m e c au s a l r e l a t i o n s h i p b e twe e n th e two e v e n ts . H

ol i f i e ld v . R e no , 11 5 F . 3d 15 55 , 15 66 (11th C i r. 19 97 ) ( T i t l e V II c ont e xt ) . “ A n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on i s a n ul t i m a t e de c i s i on s uc h a s di s c ha r ge o r fai l u re t o h i re, o r o th er co n d u ctth at‘ al t ers th e em p l o yee’ s co m p en sat i o n , t erm s, c ondi t i ons , orpr i vi l e ge s of e m pl oy m e nt , de pr i ve s hi m orhe rof e m pl oy m e nt7

op po rtun i t i es , or advers el y a ff ec t s hi s or herst atus as an em pl oyee . ’ ” G upta v . Fla. B d. o f R eg e n ts , 21 2 F . 3d 57 1, 58 7 (11 th C i r. 20 00 ) ( T i t l e V II cont ext ). A transfe r th a t is f o u n d to b e “p u r e ly v o lu n ta ry ” c a n n o t b e c o n s id e r e d a d v e r s e . D oe v. D e ka lb C o u n tySc h o o l D is t. , 1 4 5 F . 3 d 1 4 4 1 , 1 4 5 4 (1 1 th C i r. 1 9 9 8 ). “ T o est ab l i sh ac aus a l c onne c t i on, apl a i nt i f f m us ts how tha t‘ the de c i s i on- m a ke r s w e r e a w a r e of the pr ot e c t e d c onduc t ’ a nd ‘ tha tthe pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty a nd the a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nt ac t i on w er e notw ho l l y unrel at ed. ’ ” G u p ta , 212 F . 3d a t590 ( i nt e rna l c i t a t i ons om i tt e d) . “ C l os e t e m por a l pr oxi m i ty be tw e e n the pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty a nd the advers e a ct i on m aybe suff i ci entt o sho w thatthe tw o w er e notw ho l l y unrel at ed. ” B a s s v . B d. o

f C o u n tyC o m m ’ rs , 256 F . 3d 1095, 11119 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ( c i t a t i on om i tt ed). H ow ever , a l apse i n t i m e of s ever al m on ths, i n the abse nce of other e v id e n c e te n d in g to s h o w c au s a tio n , is in s u f f ic ie n t. Se e Hi

gdon v . J ac k s on , 393 F . 3d 12 11 , 12 20 (11th C i r. 20 04 ). O nce the em pl oyee es t abl i shes a p r i ma fa c ie ca se of re t al i at i on , the bu rden sw i t ches t o the em pl oyert o art i cul at e a n o n d is c r im in a to ryo rn o n - r e ta lia to ry r e a s o n f o rits tr e a tm e n t o f

th e e m p lo y e e . P e n n in g to n v . C ityo

f H u n ts v ille , 26 1 F . 3d 12 62 , 12 66 (11th C i r. 20 01 ) ( T i t l e V II c ont e xt ) . I f

the e m pl oy e rpr e s e nt s al e gi t i m a t e e xpl a na t i on f ori t s a c t i ons , the b u r d e n th e n r e tu rn s to th e e m p lo y e e to s h o w th a t th e e x p la n a tio n is p r e te x tu a l. I d. A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d , w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt c o rr e c tly8

det erm i ned thatA l l en coul d n otes t abl i sh a p r im a fa c ie c a s e o f r e ta lia tio n . W h ile A l l e n’ s E E O C c om pl a i ntw a s as t a tut or i l y pr ot e c t e d e xpr e s s i on, the r e i s no e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d s h o w in g th a t s h e s u f f e r e d a n a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n . A lle n ’s tr a n s f

e rw a s n o t a n a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n b e c au s e s h e r e p e a te d ly req u est ed a tran sfer t o th e cl erkcraft . T h o u g h l o ss o f sen i o ri ty m ay q u al i fy as a l os s of apr i vi l e ge of

e m pl oy m e nt , s he r e c ogni z e d tha ti f s he w a s tr a ns f

e rr e d t o a di ff er entcr af

t , as she r equest ed, she w ou l d l ose herse ni ori ty a s al ett ercarr i er . H er pay, l evel , and g ra de re m ai ned the sa m e. T hu s, A l l en can o nl y c om pl ai n o f a ch an g e i n sh i ftan d h av i n g t o d ri v e farth er t o w o rk , w h i ch are n o tad v erse em p l o ym en tact i o n s. F u rth er, ev en i f A l l en su ffered ad v erse em p l o ym en tact i o n s, her c l ai m s s t i l l w ou l d fai l because s he fa i l ed t o p rove a causal l i nk betw ee n h er E E O C co m p l ai n tan d th e act i o n s. B ro w n m ay h av e b eco m e aw are o f A l l en ’ s a c tio n th r e e m o n th s b e f o r e h e rtr a n s f

e r . H o w e v e r , s u c h alap s e in tim e a lo n e is i nsuffi ci entt o est abl i sh a p r i ma fa c ie ca se of re t al i at i on . A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ff i rm th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s g r a n t o f s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t. AF F I RME D.