T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on a nd i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3.

T h e p a r tie s c o n s e n te d to p r o c e e d b e f o r e am a g is tr a te ju d g e . See 28 ** U . S . C . § 6 36 (c ).

T he pa ne l una ni m ous l y c onc l ude s thi s c a s e i s s ui t abl e f orde c i s i on ** * w ith o u t o r a l a r g u m e n t. See F ed. R . A pp . P . 34 (a )( 2). NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T T I P A K S O RN T U N G J U N Y A T H A M, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. M I K E J O H A N N S, Se c r e t a ry o f th e U . S. D ep artm en to f A g ri cu l tu re A g en cy, D ef

endant- A pp el l ee . N o. 11- 16170 D . C . N o . 1 : 0 6 - c v - 0 1 7 6 4 - S MS ME MOR AN DU M *

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 E a s te rn D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia S a ndr aM . S ny de r , M a gi s tr a t e J udge , P r e s i di ng **

S ubm i tt e d J une 29, 2012 *** B efo re: H U G , F A R R IS , an d L E A V Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. D r. T i paksorn T un gj un ya tham (“ D r. T un g, ” a s s he re fe rs t o h er se l f i n h er pro se bri ef

), an A si an-P ac i fi c f

em al e, appeal s the di stri ctcourt ’ s gra ntof sum m ary



# FI LED DE C 14 2012 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSB e c a us e the pa r t i e s a r e f a m i l i a rw i th the f

a c t s unde r l y i ng thi s appe a l , w e do 1 no tre coun tthe fa ct s her e. 2 j udgm e nti n f

a vorof the U ni t e d S t a t e s D e pa r tm e ntof A gr i c ul tur e ( “ U S D A ” ) on h e rc la im s a r is in g u n d e rT itle V I I o f th e C iv il R ig h ts A c t o f 1 9 6 4 , 4 2 U .S .C . § 2 0 0 0 e - 1 6 . D r . T u n g a ls o ap p e a ls th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s g r a n t o f s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in f a vorof the U S D A on he rc l a i m tha tthe A ge nc y vi ol a t e d he rr i ght s unde rthe P r i va c y A c tof

1974, 5 U . S . C . § 552a ( b) . W e r e vi e w adi s tr i c tc our t ’ s gr a ntof s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t d e n o v o . Sur r e l l v . C al i f or ni a W ate rSe r v i c e C o. , 518 F . 3d 1097, 1103 ( 9th C i r . 2008) . S um m a ry j udgm e nti s appr opr i a t e w he n the r e i s no ge nui ne i s s ue a s t o a ny m a t e r i a l f a c ta nd the m ovi ng pa r tyi s e nt i t l e d t o j udgm e nt as a m att erof l aw . F ed. R . C i v. P . 56 (a ). T he di stri ctcourt ’ s gra ntof sum m ary j ud gm entm aybe af

fi rm ed “ on any groun d sup po rt ed by the re cord. ” Schm i dtv. C o n tr a C o s ta C o u n ty , 693 F . 3d 1122, 1132 ( 9th C i r . 2012) . W e ha ve j ur i s di c t i on u n d e r2 8 U . S. C. § 1 2 9 1 , a n d w e a f f i rm. 1 D r . T ung c l a i m s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by gr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nt i n f a vorof the U S D A on he rf

a i l ur e t o pr om ot e c l a i m . D r . T ung a r gue s tha tthe U S D A deni ed her a prom ot i on because of r ac i al di sc ri m i nat i on . In a T i t l e V II di s pa r a t e tr e a tm e ntc a s e , the pl a i nt i f f ha s the opt i on of

r e s pondi ng t o am ot i on f or s um m a ry j udgm e nte i the rby s how i ng di r e c torc i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e of3

di s c r i m i na t i on, orby e s t abl i s hi ng apr i m af a c i e c a s e a nd the n pr oc e e di ng thr ough the M cD onne l l D ouglas C orp. v. G re en , 411 U . S . 792 ( 1973) bur de n- s hi f t i ng f r a m e w ork s e tf

or th i n D o m in g u ez - C u r r y v . N e v a da T r a n s p . D e p t. , 424 F . 3d 1027, 1 0 3 7 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . T o e s tab lis h ap r im af

a c ie c a s e , apl a i nt i f

f m us ts how tha t1) s he be l ongs t o a r a c i a l m i nor i ty ; 2) s he appl i e d f orapos i t i on f

orw hi c h s he w a s qua l i f i e d a nd the em pl oyerw as se eki ng appl i ca nt s; 3) she w as re j ec t ed even tho ug h she w as q u a lif ie d ; a n d 4 ) th a t th e p o s itio n r e m a in e d o p e n a n d th e e m p lo y e rc o n tin u e d to s e e k ap p lic a n ts w ith q u a lif ic a tio n s s im ila rto th o s e o f th e p la in tif

f . McD o n n e ll D ouglas C or

p. , 411 U . S . a t802. I f

the pl a i nt i f

f i s unabl e t o pr ove e ve ry e l e m e ntof h e rp r im af

a c ie c a s e s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t is ap p r o p r ia te a n d th e r e is n o n e e d to p r o c e e d th r o u g h th e b u r d e n - s h if tin g f r a m e w o rk . R is s e t to v . P lum be rs and Ste am f i t te rs L oc al

343 , 94 F . 3d 59 7, 60 0 (9th C i r. 19 96 ). T h e d i s tr i c tc o u r tp r o p e r l y g r a n t e d s u m m a ry j u d g m e n ti n f a v o ro f th e US DA on D r . T ung’ s f

a i l ur e t o pr om ot e c l a i m be c a us e D r . T ung f a i l e d t o r a i s e age nui ne di sput e of m at er i al fa ctas t o w hether s he po ss es se d the neces sa ryski l l s i n p ou l try h u s b a n d ry o rd is e a s e p r o c e s s e s a n d th e r e q u is ite ab ility to e f f e c tiv e ly c o m m u n ic a te th e A g e n c y ’s o b

je c tiv e s in th e p o s itio n f o rw h ic h s h e ap p lie d . Se e R is s e tto , 94 F . 3d at60 0 (sum m ary j ud gm entprop er l y e nt er ed w hen p l ai nt i ff i s unabl e t o sat i sf

y4

th e e le m e n t o f

h e rp r im af

a c ie c a s e ) ; s e e a ls o N

e ls o n v . P im a Cm ty . C o ll. , 83 F . 3d 10 75 , 10 81 -82 (9th C i r. 19 96 ) ( “ [M ] er e a l l egat i on and specul at i on do no tcr ea t e a fa ctual di sput e f

or pu rposes of sum m ary j ud gm ent . ”) . D r . T ung a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d bygr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nt i n f a vorof the U S D A on he runl a w f ul r e t a l i a t i on c l a i m . A pl a i nt i f f m a y e s t abl i s h a pri m a f ac i e c as e of r et al i at i on by show i ng that1) the pl ai nt i ff engaged i n p rot ec t ed a c t i vi t i e s , 2) the e m pl oy e rs ubj e c t e d the pl a i nt i f f t o a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nt de c i s i on, a nd 3) the r e w a s ac a us a l l i nk be tw e e n the pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty a nd the e m p lo y e r ’s a c tio n . Jo rda n v. C la rk , 847 F . 2d 1368, 1376 ( 9th C i r . 1988) . “ T he causal l i nk m aybe es t abl i shed by an i nfer ence deri ved from ci rc um st ant i al e v id e n c e , s u c h a s th e e m p lo y e r ’s k n o w le d g e th a t th e e m p lo y e e e n g a g e d in pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi t i e s a nd the pr oxi m i ty i n t i m e be tw e e n the pr ot e c t e d a c t i on a nd the al l egedl y r et al i at ory e m pl oym entdeci si on . ” I d. ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m a rks a nd al t er at i on s om i tt ed). T he em pl oyee m ustshow thather e ng agi ng i n the prot ec t ed a c tiv ity w a s ab u t- f

o rc a u s e o f

th e a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n s h e s u f f e r e d to s a tis f y th e th ir d p r o n g o f

th e p r im af

a c ie c a s e . V

i l l i ari m o v. A loh a Islan d A i r, Inc. , 28 1 F . 3d 10 54 , 10 65 (9th C i r. 20 02 ). If the pl ai nt i ff

i s unabl e t o p rove every e l e m e ntof

he rpr i m af

a c i e c a s e s um m a ry j udgm e nti s appr opr i a t e a nd the r e i s no n e e d to p r o c e e d th r o u g h th e b u r d e n - s h if tin g f r a m e w o rk . R is s e tto , 94 F . 3d a t600.5

D r . T ung i s unabl e t o s how ac a us a l l i nk be tw e e n he rpr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty of fi l i ng com pl ai nt s w i th the E qu al E m pl oym entO pp ortun i ty C om m i ss i on (“ E E O C ”) a n d th e a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n o f b e in g r e q u ir e d to a tte n d a d d itio n a l tr a in in g . D r. T u n g can n o tsh o w th e cau sal l i n k b ecau se sh e p resen t ed n o ev i d en ce t o su g g est tha tthe s upe rvi s orr e s pons i bl e f ora s s i gni ng he rt o a ddi t i ona l tr a i ni ng kne w about th e p r io rE E O C c la im s . Se e J or dan , 847 F . 2d a t1376. F ur the r , D r . T ung p r e s e n t e d n o e v i d e n c e t o s u g g e s tth a tth e t i m i n g b e twe e n th e f i l i n g o f th e E E OC c om pl a i nt s a nd he ra s s i gnm e ntt o a ddi t i ona l tr a i ni ng ga ve r i s e t o a n i nf e r e nc e of r e ta lia tio n . Se e i d. T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t d idn o t e rrin g r a n tin g s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t to the U S D A on D r. T un g’ s r et al i at i on cl ai m because s he w as un abl e t o sho w thather E E O C a c tiv ity w a s th e b u t- f o rc a u s e in h e ra d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n . See V i l l i a r i mo , 281 F . 3d a t1065. D r . T ung c l a i m s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by gr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nt in f a v o ro f th e U S D A o n h e rw r o n g f u l te rm in a tio n c la im . I n o r d e rto a s s e r t ac la im f orw r ongf

ul t e rm i na t i on ba s e d on r a c i a l di s c r i m i na t i on unde rT i t l e V I I , the p la in tif f m u s t f ir s t e s tab lis h ap r im af

a c ie c a s e . W

al l is v . J . R . Si m plot C o. , 26 F . 3d 885, 889 ( 9th C i r . 1994) . A pl a i nt i f f c a n e s t abl i s h he rpr i m af a c i e c a s e by s how i ng tha ts he 1) w a s am e m be rof apr ot e c t e d c l a s s ; 2) tha ts he w a s pe r f orm i ng he rj ob i n a sa t i sf

ac t ory m anner; 3) thatshe w as di sc harged; and 4 ) thatthe em pl oyer6

s oughtar e pl a c e m e ntw i th qua l i f i c a t i ons s i m i l a rt o thos e of the pl a i nt i f

f or c o n tin u e d to n e e d a n e m p lo y e e w ith p la in tif f’s s k ills . Se e R os e v . W e l l s Far go & C o. , 902 F . 2d 1417, 1421 ( 9th C i r . 1990) . S um m a ry j udgm e nti s appr opr i a t e i f the pl ai nt i ff i s unabl e t o sho w thatshe w as perf orm i ng her j ob i n a sa t i sf ac t ory m a n n e r . R is s e tto , 94 F . 3d a t600. T h e d i s tr i c tc o u r tp r o p e r l y g r a n t e d s u m m a ry j u d g m e n ti n f a v o ro f th e US DA on D r. T un g’ s w rong ful t erm i nat i on cl ai m because the U S D A proffe re d evi dence tha tD r . T ung vi ol a t e d s e ve r a l a ge nc y rul e s a nd e xe r c i s e d poorj udgm e nton the j ob , and D r. T un g fai l ed t o rai se a genui ne di sput e of m at er i al fa ctas t o w hether s h e w a s p e r f

o rm in g h e rjo b in as a tis f a c to ry m a n n e r . Se e R is s e tto , 94 F . 3d a t600 ( s u mma ry j u d g e me n tp r o p e r l y e n t e r e d w h e n p l a i n t i f f i s u n ab l e t o s a t i s f

y th e p r i ma f a c ie e le m e n t th a t s h e w a s p e r f o rm in g h e rjo b in as a tis f a c to ry m a n n e r ) ; see a l

so Sc hul e rv . Chr oni c l e B r oadc as t i ng C o. I nc . , 793 F . 2d 1010, 1011 ( 9th C i r . 1986) (p lain ti ff’s d en ial o f th e c re d ib il ity o f d ef en d an t’ s e v id en ce an d p lain ti ff’s s u b je c tiv e p e r s o n a l o p in io n s d o n o t r a is e ag e n u in e is s u e o f m a te r ia l f

a c t) . D r . T ung a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d bygr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nt i n f a vorof the U S D A on he rc l a i m tha tthe A ge nc y vi ol a t e d he rr i ght s unde rthe P r i va c y A c t . A s uc c e s s f ul c l a i m unde rthe P r i va c y A c tr e qui r e s as how i ng 1) the a ge nc y di s c l os e d i nf

orm a t i on c ont a i ne d w i thi n as y s t e m of r e c or ds ; 2) the7

di s c l os ur e w a s i m pr ope r ; 3) the di s c l os ur e w a s i nt e nt i ona l orw i l l f ul , a nd 4) the p la in tif f w a s a d v e r s e ly a f

f e c te d b y th e d is c lo s u r e . Se e Sw e ns on v . U . S. P os tal Serv i ce , 890 F . 2d 1075, 1077 ( 9th C i r . 1989) . T he A ge nc y ’ s di s c l os ur e i s w i l l f ul o rin te n tio n a l if

it f la g r a n tly d is r e g a r d s th e p la in tif f’s r ig h ts u n d e rth e A c t. See C ov e r t v . H ar r i ngton , 87 6 F . 2d 75 1, 75 6 (9th C i r. 19 89 ). D r . T ung c a nnots how tha tthe di s c l os ur e of i nf orm a t i on w a s i nt e nt i ona l or w i l l f ul . D r . T ung’ s r e pr e s e nt a t i ve dur i ng he rE E O C c l a i m a gr e e d t o e xc ha nge i nform at i on vi a f

ax m ac hi ne w i th the A gency’ s a tt orney. P ursuantt o that ag re em en t, th e A g en cy ’s atto rn ey se n t P re h ea rin g d o cu m en ts to D r. T u n g ’s re pres ent at i ve vi a f

ax m ac hi ne. T here fore , the di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr bec ause a re as on abl e tri erof fa ctcoul d n otconcl ud e thatthe i nform at i on w as tra nsm i tt ed w i th g ross negl i gence or thatthe U S D A ’ s r epre se nt at i ve fl agra nt l y di sr egar ded T u n g ’s r ig h ts u n d e rth e P r iv a c y A c t b y s e n d in g th e d o c u m e n ts v iaf a x m a c h in e . C o vert , 876 F . 2d a t756, 757. AF F I RME D.