FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT JUNE 28, 2007 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. 06- 15627 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 05 -001 15 -C V -R L V -1 C H A N D R A F . H E N D E R S O N , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s W A F F L E H O U S E , I N C ., 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 o rth e N o rth e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( Ju n e 28, 2007) B efo re B L A C K , M A R C U S an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

C ha ndr aF . H e nde r s on appe a l s the e ntryof s um m a ryj udgm e nti n f a vorof W a f f l e H ous e , I nc . on he rs e xua l ha r a s s m e nta nd r e t a l i a t i on c l a i m s , br ought pu rs uantt o T i t l e V II of the C i vi l R i gh t s A ctof 19 64 , 42 U . S . C . §§ 20 00 e- 2(a) , 2 0 0 0 e - 3 ( a ) . O n ap p e a l, H e n d e r s o 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 b yf a ilin g to c ons i de rthe f

or - c aus e de t e rm i na t i on pr e pa r e d bythe E qua l E m pl oy m e nt O pportuni tyC om m i s s i on ( E E O C ) ore vi de nc e f r om the E E O C ’ s f

i l e tha ts he pr e s e nt e d i n oppos i t i on t o W a f f l e H ous e ’ s m ot i on f

ors um m a ryj udgm e nt . S he f u rth e rc h a l l e n g e s th e d i s tr i c tc o u rt ’ s f i n d i n g s th a ts h e f

a i l e d t o e s t ab l i s h ap r i ma f a c ie c a s e o f

s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t o rr e ta lia tio n . F o rth e r e a s o n s s e t f o rth m o r e f

u lly b e lo w , w e a f

f irm . W e r evi ew the di stri ctcourt ’ s rul i ng on sum m ary j ud gm entde no vo . R oj as v . F lo r id a , 2 8 5 F .3 d 1 3 3 9 , 1 3 4 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . T h e m o v in g p a rtyis e n title d to s um m a ryj udgm e nt“ i f

the pl e a di ngs , de pos i t i ons , a ns w e r s t o i nt e rr oga t or i e s , a nd a dm i s s i ons on f

i l e , t oge the rw i th the a f

f i da vi t s , i f

a ny , s how tha tthe r e i s no ge nui ne i s s ue a s t o a nym a t e r i a l f a c ta nd tha tthe m ovi ng pa rtyi s e nt i t l e d t o a j ud gm entas a m att erof l aw . ” F ed. R . C i v. P . 56 (c ). If the no n-m ov i ng party bears th e u ltim a te b u r d e n o f

p r o o f r e g a r d in g th e c la im a t is s u e , th a t p a rty , in r e s p o n s e to apr ope r l ys upport e d m ot i on, m us tgo be y ond the pl e a di ngs a nd e s t abl i s h, thr ough com pet entevi dence, thatthere trul y i s agenu i ne, m at er i al i ss ue t o b e tri ed. C el ot ex3

C orp. v. C atre tt , 47 7 U . S . 31 7, 32 4, 10 6 S . C t . 25 48 , 25 53 , 91 L . E d. 2d 26 5 (19 86 ). H ow e ve r , a“ m e r e ‘ s c i nt i l l a ’ of e vi de nc e s upport i ng the oppos i ng pa rty ’ s pos i t i on w ill n o t s u f

f ic e ; th e r e m u s t b e e n o u g h o f as h o w in g th a t th e ju ryc o u ld r e a s o n ab ly f in d f o rth a t p a rty .” W a lk e rv . D a rb y , 9 1 1 F .2 d 1 5 7 3 , 1 5 7 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) .

“ W he n de c i di ng w he the rs um m a ryj udgm e nti s appr opr i a t e , a l l e vi de nc e a nd reaso n ab l e factu al i n feren ces d raw n th erefro m are rev i ew ed i n a l i g h tm o st f a vor abl e t o the non- m ovi ng pa rty . ” R oj a s , 285 F . 3d a t1341- 42 ( c i t a t i on a nd qu ot at i on m arks om i tt ed). U n d e rT itle V I I , d is c r im in a tio n “a g a in s t a n yin d iv id u a l w ith r e s p e c t to h is com pensat i on , t erm s, cond i t i on s, or pri vi l eges of em pl oym ent , because of s uch i n d i v i d u a l ’ s . . . s e x ” i s a n “ u n l a w f u l e mp l o y me n tp r a c t i c e . ” 4 2 U . S. C. § 2 0 0 0 e-2 (a)(1 ). A cl ai m o f sex u al h arassm en tb ased o n h arassm en tb y a s u p e rv i s o rr e q u i r e s a n e m p l o y e e t o s h o w: (1) thathe or she bel on gs t o a prot ec t ed grou p; (2) thatthe em pl oyee has bee n subj ec tt o u nw el com e s exual hara ss m ent , such as se xu al advances, re qu es t s f

or se xu al fa vo rs , and o ther c on du ctof a s exual na tur e ; ( 3) tha tthe ha r a s s m e ntm us tha ve be e n ba s e d on the s e x of the e m pl oy e e ; ( 4) tha tthe ha r a s s m e ntw a s s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o al t erthe t erm s and cond i t i on s of e m pl oym entand creat e a di s c r i m i na t or i l yabus i ve w orki ng e nvi r onm e nt ; and ( 5) aba s i s f or ho l di ng the em pl oyerl i abl e. M e ndoz av. B or de n, I nc . , 195 F . 3d 1238, 1245 ( 11th C i r . 1999) ( e n ba nc ) ( c i t a t i on a n d f o o tn o te o m itte d ) .4

H a r a s s m e n t is s e v e r e o rp e rv a s iv e f o rT itle V I I p u rp o s e s o n lyif it is b o th s u b je c tiv e lya n d o b

je c tiv e lys e v e r e a n d p e rv a s iv e . H a r a s s m e n t is subj ec t i vel y s ever e and pervas i ve i f the com pl ai ni ng em pl oyee p e r c e iv e s th e h a r a s s m e n t a s s e v e r e a n d p e rv a s iv e , a n d h a r a s s m e n t is obj e c t i ve l ys e ve r e a nd pe rva s i ve i f ar e a s onabl e pe r s on i n the pl a i nt i f f’ s pos i t i on w oul d a dj udge the ha r a s s m e nts e ve r e a nd p e rv a s iv e . W h e n d e te rm in in g w h e th e rh a r a s s m e n t is o b je c tiv e ly s e v e r e a n d p e rv a s iv e , c o u rts c o n s id e rth e f r e q u e n c yo f

th e c o n d u c t, th e s e v e r ityo f

th e c o n d u c t, w h e th e rth e c o n d u c t is p h y s ic a lly threa t eni ng or hu m i l i at i ng , or a m er e off ensi ve utt er ance , and w hether the c onduc tunr e a s onabl yi nt e r f e r e s w i th the e m pl oy e e ’ s j ob perf orm ance . John son v . B oo ker T . W as hi ng t on B road. S erv. , Inc. , 23 4 F . 3d 50 1, 50 9 (11 th C i r. 2 0 0 0 ) ( c i t a t i o n s a n d q u o t a t i o n m a rk s o m i tt e d ) . I n m a k i n g th i s d e t e rm i n a t i o n , we l oo k t o the t ot al i ty of the ci rc um st ance s. M endo za , 19 5 F . 3d at12 46 . H ow ever , “‘s im p le te a s in g ,’ o f

f h a n d c o m m e n ts , a n d is o la te d in c id e n ts ( u n le s s e x tr e m e ly s e r i ous ) w i l l nota m ountt o di s c r i m i na t oryc ha nge s i n the ‘ t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m p lo y m e n t.’” F a r a g h e rv . C ityo f B o c aR a to n , 5 2 4 U .S . 7 7 5 , 7 8 8 , 1 1 8 S .C t. 2 2 7 5 , 2 2 8 3 , 1 4 1 L .E d .2 d 6 6 2 ( 1 9 9 8 ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . T itle V I I a ls o p r o h ib its d is c r im in a tio n b ya n e m p lo y e r“a g a in s t a n yo f h is e m pl oy e e s . . . be c aus e he ha s oppos e d a nypr a c t i c e m a de a n unl a w f ul e m pl oy m e nt prac t i ce by thi s s ub chapt er. . . . ” 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-3(a) . W here a pl ai nt i ff s u p p o rts h e rT itle V I I c la im w ith c ir c u m s ta n tia l e v id e n c e , w e a n a ly z e h e rc la im u s i n g th e f

r a me w o rks e tf

o rth i n M c D o n n e l l D o u g l a s Co rp . v . G r e e n , 4 1 1 U . S. 792, 93 S . C t . 1817, 36 L . E d. 2d 668 ( 1973) . W i l s on v. B / E A e r os pa c e , I nc . , 3765

F . 3d 1079, 1087 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . U nde rthe M c D onne l l D ougl a s f r a m e w ork, the p la in tif f h a s th e in itia l b u r d e n o f e s tab lis h in g ap r im af

a c ie c a s e . M c D o n n e ll D o u g l as C o rp . , 4 1 1 U . S . at8 0 2 , 9 3 S . C t . at1 8 2 4 . T o est ab l i sh a p ri m a faci e case of r e t a l i a t i on f

orbi dde n byT i t l e V I I , the pl a i nt i f f m us ts how tha t : ( 1) s he p art i ci p at ed i n an act i v i ty p ro t ect ed b y T i t l e V II; (2 ) sh e su ffered an ad v erse e m pl oy m e nta c t i on; a nd ( 3) the r e i s ac aus a l c onne c t i on be tw e e n the pa rt i c i pa t i on i n the 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 ntde c i s i on. G upt av. F l a . B d. o f R e g 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 itle V I I p r o te c ts in d iv id u a ls w h o h a v e in f o rm a llyv o ic e d c o m p la in ts to th e irs u p e r io r s . S h a n n o n v . B e lls o u th T e le c o m m s ., I n c ., 2 9 2 F .3 d 7 1 2 , 7 1 5 n .2 ( 11th C i r . 2002) . A pl a i nt i f f m us tde m ons tr a t e tha ts he ha d as ubj e c t i ve , goodf a i th be l i e f

tha the re m pl oy e rw a s e nga ge d i n unl a w f ul e m pl oy m e ntpr a c t i c e s a nd th a t h e rb e lie f

w a s o b je c tiv e lyr e a s o n ab le in lig h t o f th e f a c ts a n d r e c o r d p r e s e n te d . L i tt l e v. U ni t ed T ec hs. , C arri erT ransi col d D i v. , 10 3 F . 3d 95 6, 96 0 (11 th C i r. 19 97 ). T he pl ai nt i ff’ s s ubj ec t i ve bel i ef i s m ea sure d agai nstthe subst ant i ve l aw at the t i m e of

the of f e ns e . L i ppha r dtv. D ur a ngo S t e a khous e of B r a ndon, I nc . , 267 F . 3d 1183, 1187 ( 11th C i r . 2001) . A l though the c onduc toppos e d ne e d not

“ ac tual l y be s exual hara ss m ent , . . . i tm ustbe cl ose e no ug h t o sup po rtan obj e c t i ve l yr e a s onabl e be l i e f tha ti ti s . ” C l ove rv. T ot a l S y s . S e rvs . , I nc . , 176 F . 3d6

1346, 1351 ( 11th C i r . 1999) . T o e s t abl i s h the c aus a l c onne c t i on r e qui r e d bythe thi r d pr ong, the pl a i nt i f f m us ts how tha tthe 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 ta 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 nt a c tio n w e r e n o t w h o llyu n r e la te d . G u p ta , 2 1 2 F .3 d a t 5 9 0 . W e ha ve r e vi e w e d the E E O C ’ s f or - c aus e de t e rm i na t i on. S e e K i nc a i d v. B d. of T r s . , S t i l l m a n C ol l e ge , N o. 05- 15974, m a nus c r i ptop. a t13- 14 ( 11th C i r . J une 2 7 , 2 0 0 6 ) ( u n p u b l i s h e d ) ( r e j e c t i n g th e p l a i n t i f

f’ s c o n t e n t i o n th a tth e E E OC d e te rm in a tio n r a is e d ag e n u in e is s u e o f m a te r ia l f

a c t) ; H o rn e v . T u rn e rC o n s tr . C o ., N o. 04- 14775, m a nus c r i ptop. a t7 ( 11th C i r . J une 21, 2005) ( unpubl i s he d) (hol di ng thatthe di stri ctcourtshou l d h ave t aken i nt o con si dera t i on i n the sum m ary ju d g m e n t p r o c e e d in g th e E E O C ’s f in d in g th a t th e r e w a s r e a s o n ab le c au s e to b e lie v e th a t d is c r im in a tio n o c c u rr e d a n d th a t th e c o u rt e rr e d b yf a ilin g to d o s o ) . W e h a v e a ls o r e v ie w e d th e e v id e n c e f r o m th e E E O C f

ile , to th e e x te n t th a t it is pert i nentt o the i ss ue of w hether H enders on es t abl i shed a pri m a f ac i e c as e on h er c l a i m s a nd i s r e duc i bl e t o a n a dm i s s i bl e f orm . S e e R ow e l l v. B e l l S outh C orp. , 433 F . 3d 79 4, 80 0 (11 th C i r. 20 05 ) ( “ O n m ot i on s f or sum m ary j ud gm ent , w e m ay c o n s id e ro n lyth a t e v id e n c e w h ic h c a n b e r e d u c e d to a n a d m is s ib le f o rm .” ) . Ho we v e r , u p o n c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e p a rt i e s ’ b r i e f

s a n d th e r e c o r d o n ap p e a l , we d is c e rn n o e rr o rin th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s c o n c lu s io n s th a t H e n d e r s o n f a ile d to7

e s t abl i s h apr i m af

a c i e c a s e of

s e xua l ha r a s s m e ntorr e t a l i a t i on. H e n d e r s o n w a s e m p lo y e d a s aw a itr e s s a t aW a f f le H o u s e r e s tau r a n t in C ordel e, G eorgi a. In supp ortof her s exual hara ss m entcl ai m , H enders on re l i es upon the f

ol l ow i ng e vi de nc e i n s upportof he ra r gum e nttha ts he e s t abl i s he d a ge nui ne i s s ue of

m a t e r i a l f

a c ta s t o the s e ve r i tya nd pe rva s i ve ne s s of the h arassm en t : (1 ) th e E E O C ’ s fo r-cau se d et erm i n at i o n , w h i ch fo u n d th atJesse S t i ns on, the m a na ge rof the C or de l e W a f

f l e H ous e , s e xua l l yha r a s s e d he r ; ( 2) c ow orke rJ e r e m yA ul tm a n’ s t e s t i m ony tha ts e xua l ha r a s s m e ntw a s ar e gul a ra nd ra m pantprob l em atthe C ordel e W af fl e H ou se and atevery W af fl e H ou se i n w hi ch he w orked; (3) a ss i st antm anager H ez eki ah H ow ar d’ s t es t i m on y thathe w as a c c us e d of

s e xua l ha r a s s m e nt , butnothi ng happe ne d a s ar e s ul tof the a c c us a t i on; a nd ( 4) e vi de nc e tha tS t i ns on pul l e d he rha i r , c a l l e d he r“ D ol l y , ” m a de r e m a rks abou tthe si ze of her brea st s on m ore than o ne occas i on , and ref used t o g i ve her an ap r o n b e c au s e o f

h is o p in io n ab o u t th e s iz e o f h e rb r e a s ts . I n he rde pos i t i on, H e nde r s on s t a t e d tha tS t i ns on m a de the f ol l ow i ng c o m m e n ts o f

as e x u a l n a tu r e d u r in g th e la s t tw o m o n th s o f h e re m p lo y m e n t: ( 1 ) S tin s o n c a lle d h e r“D o lly ” ; ( 2 ) in ac o n v e r s a tio n ab o u t an e w s h irt, S tin s o n to ld he r , “ y ou j us tl ook l i ke y ou’ r e goi ng t o bur s t ” a nd s t a rt e d l aughi ng; ( 3) w he n s he a s ke d S t i ns on f

ora n apr on, S t i ns on s a i d tha tthe ydi d notm a ke apr ons “ bi g e nough8

f o rp e o p le w ith b o o b s lik e m in e ” ; ( 4 ) S tin s o n to ld h e rn o t to s ta n d s o c lo s e to h im b ecau se i tm ad e h i m n erv o u s an d t o l d h er h e w o u l d g eti n tro u b l e i f h e sai d w h y; a n d ( 5 ) S tin s o n p u lle d h e rh a ir , a n d s a id s h e h a d h o r s e h a ira n d th a t it w a s g r e a s y . In her E E O C i nt ervi ew , H enders on st at ed thatS t i nson m ade acom m entabou ther la r g e b r e a s ts in f

r o n t o f ac u s to m e r . I t is u n c le a rw h e th e ro rn o t th is is as e p a r a te in c id e n t f

r o m th e o n e s d e s c r ib e d in h e rd e p o s itio n . E v e n if b e in g c a lle d “D o lly ,” S tin s o n ’s c o m m e n t th a t h e w o u ld g e t in tro u b le if h e s aidw h y H en d er so n ’s p re se n ce m ad e h im n er v o u s, an d h av in g o n e’s h a irp u lle d a n d c o m m e n te d u p o n in th is m a n n e ris s e x u a l in n a tu r e , th e s e in c id e n ts a r e i ns uf f i c i e ntt o c r e a t e age nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c ta s t o w he the rha r a s s m e nt w a s s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve s o a s t o a l t e rthe t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m p lo y m e n t. S e e M e n d o z a , 1 9 5 F .3 d a t 1 2 4 7 - 4 9 ( h o ld in g th a t as u p e rv is o r ’s a c ts of rubbi ng hi s hi p a ga i ns tthe pl a i nt i f f’ s hi p w hi l e t ouc hi ng he rs houl de ra nd sm i l i n g , l o o k i n g ath er g ro i n area w h i l e m ak i n g a sn i ffi n g so u n d , an d “ co n st an t l y” st ari n g an d fo l l o w i n g h er, o v er an el ev en -m o n th p eri o d , w ere i n su ffi ci en tas a m a tt e rof l a w t o s us t a i n a“ hos t i l e e nvi r onm e nt ” s e xua l ha r a s s m e ntc l a i m ) . T he E E O C for- cause det erm i nat i on foun d thatH enders on w as “ subj ec t ed t o v erbal s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t” b yS tin s o n a n d th a t th e e v id e n c e s u p p o rte d av io la tio n o f T itle V I I . T h e f

in d in g th a t S tin s o n v e rb a llys e x u a llyh a r a s s e d H e n d e r s o n is e s s e n tia lly9

du pl i ca t i ve of the i nci dent s of har as sm entH enders on desc ri bed. T o the ext entthat H enders on i s argui ng thatthe E E O C det erm i ned thatthe haras sm entw as s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e a nd pe rva s i ve , the E E O C di d note xpl i c i t l ym a ke thi s f i ndi ng and p rovi ded n o anal ys i s thatw ou l d sup po rtsuch a f i nd i ng . T he E E O C ’ s f

orc au s e d e te rm in a tio n , th e r e f o r e , is in s u f

f ic ie n t to c r e a te ag e n u in e is s u e o f f a c t a s to the s e ve r i tyorpe rva s i ve ne s s of the ha r a s s m e nt . S e e B a l d M ount a i n P a rk, L t d. v. O l i ver, 86 3 F . 2d 15 60 , 15 63 (11th C i r. 19 89 ) ( “ M er e c on cl usi on s and un supp ort ed fa ctual al l egat i on s are l egal l y i nsuffi ci entt o cre at e adi sput e t o d ef ea tsum m ary j udgm e nt . ” ) ; s e e a l s o W a l t on v. J ohns on & J ohns on S e rvs . , I nc . , 347 F . 3d 1272, 12 79 (11th C i r. 20 03 ) ( “ N otal l form s of c on du ctthatm aybe desc ri bed as

‘ ha r a s s m e nt , ’ how e ve r , a f f e c ta‘ t e rm , c ondi t i on, orpr i vi l e ge ’ of e m pl oy m e nt w i thi n the m e a ni ng of

T i t l e V I I . ” ) . W i th r e ga r d t o e vi de nc e of s e xua l ha r a s s m e nt occurri ng atW af

fl e H ou se s i n g ener al and the C ordel e W af fl e H ou se i n p art i cul ar , the r e i s no e vi de nc e tha ta nyof thi s ha r a s s m e nti nvol ve d H e nde r s on. I n a ddi t i on, A ul tm a n de s c r i be d the ha r a s s m e nthe w i tne s s e d a s c ons i s t i ng of “ t a l k” orj oke s by co -w o rk ers, n o tm an ag ers. O n h erre t al i at i on cl ai m , H enders on po i nt s t o evi dence thatS t i nson w as h e a r d u s in g in ap p r o p r ia te la n g u a g e w ith h e ra n d w a s h e a r d m a k in g c o m m e n ts ab o u t h e rb r e a s ts to d e m o n s tr a te th a t s h e h a d a n o b je c tiv e lya n d s u b

je c tiv e ly10

r e a s o n ab le b e lie f

th a t S tin s o n w a s e n g a g in g in a n u n la w f u l e m p lo y m e n t p r a c tic e . S he ar gu es that , contraryt o the di stri ctcourt ’ s c on cl usi on thatocca si on al j ok es abouthe rbr e a s ts i z e w e r e i ns uf f i c i e nt , thi s s houl d ha ve c r e a t e d age nui ne i s s ue of f a c t. A lth o u g h th e c o n d u c t o p p o s e d n e e d n o t “a c tu a llyb e s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t, . . . it m ustbe cl ose e no ug h t o sup po rtan obj ec t i vel y r ea sonabl e bel i ef thati ti s. ” C lo v e r , 1 7 6 F .3 d a t 1 3 5 1 . I n th is c a s e , th e c o n d u c t H e n d e r s o n d e s c r ib e d is i ns uf f i c i e ntt o s upporta n obj e c t i ve l yr e a s onabl e be l i e f tha tS t i ns on w a s e nga gi ng i n an u nl aw ful em pl oym entprac t i ce . S ee F ar agher, 52 4 U . S . at78 8, 11 8 S . C t . at 2 2 8 3 (“ ‘ [S ] i m p l e t easi n g , ’ o ffh an d co m m en t s, an d i so l at ed i n ci d en t s (u n l ess e xtr e m e l ys e r i ous ) w i l l nota m ountt o di s c r i m i na t oryc ha nge s i n the ‘ t e rm s a nd c o n d itio n s o f

e m p lo y m e n t.’” ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . E ven i f w e w er e t o fi nd H enders on ’ s bel i ef obj ec t i vel y r ea sonabl e, H enders on cann otes t abl i sh a c as ual conn ec t i on betw ee n h ercom pl ai ntt o H ow ar d a nd t o he rdi vi s i on m a na ge r , M e l i s s aA nn P e rry , the ni ghtbe f or e s he w a s f

i r e d a nd her t erm i nat i on . H enders on ar gu es thatP erryw as “ l i kel y” i nv ol ved i n h er t e rm i na t i on, a n a r gum e nts he ba s e s on the f a c ttha tP e rryha d hi r i ng a nd f i r i ng autho ri ty. H ow ever , thi s e vi dence does notperm i ta r ea sonabl e i nfer ence that P e rry w a s i nvol ve d i n H e nde r s on’ s t e rm i na t i on. S t i ns on t e s t i f i e d tha the m a de the de c i s i on t o t e rm i na t e H e nde r s on, a nd di d notc onf e rw i th a ny one e l s e , apa rtf r om11

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i r i ng a s s oc i a t e s w i thi n e a c h di vi s i on a n d th a t u n it m a n a g e r s h a d th e au th o r ityto te rm in a te as a le s p e r s o n in th e ir r e s t aur a ntw i thoutc ons ul t i ng a ny one . T he r e f or e , e ve n i f

H e nde r s on’ s c om pl a i nt s uf f i c i e nt l yi nf

orm e d P e rrytha ts he w a s oppos i ng a n unl a w f ul e m pl oy m e nt prac t i ce , H enders on i s e ss ent i al l y s pecul at i ng thatP erryhad a rol e i n h er te rm in a tio n . S e e R a n e yv . V in s o n G u a r d S e rv ., I n c ., 1 2 0 F .3 d 1 1 9 2 , 1 1 9 8 ( 1 1 th C i r. 19 97 ) ( “ S um m ary j ud gm entcann otbe avoi ded, tho ug h, base d o n h un ches uns upport e d w i th s i gni f i c a ntpr oba t i ve e vi de nc e . ” ) . I n a ddi t i on, the r e m a i nde rof H e nde r s on’ s c om pl a i nt s c a nnotr e a s onabl ybe vi e w e d a s oppos i t i on t o a n unl a w f ul a c tiv ity , th e r e is n o e v id e n c e th a t H o w a r d r e la y e d a n yo f H e n d e r s o n ’s c o m p la in ts t o S t i nson , and the conv er sa t i on S usan A ul tm an had w i th S t i nson , t el l i ng hi m that w ha the s a i d w a s “ ugl y , ” tha the hurtH e nde r s on’ s f e e l i ngs , a nd tha ti tw a s not pr of e s s i ona l , c a nnotr e a s onabl ybe vi e w e d a s putt i ng hi m on not i c e tha tH e nde r s on w a s e n g a g e d in p r o te c te d c o n d u c t. I n l i g h to f

th e f o r e g o i n g , we A F F I R M.