FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT DEC 26 , 2006 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- 12209 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 2 - 0 2 1 6 1 - CV - T- 1 7 - M SS H A M I D G . B O J D , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s G O L D E R A S S O C I A T E S , 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 orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( D e c e m b e r 26, 2006) B efo re W IL S O N , P R Y O R an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

H a m id G . B o

jd , a n A s s o c ia te a t G o ld e rA s s o c ia te s , I n c . ( “G o ld e r ” ) , a c ons ul t i ng e ngi ne e r i ng f i rm , w a s di s c ha r ge d on N ove m be r26, 2001. H e br ought an ac t i on 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 . § 2 00 0e2 ( a ) , a lle g in g d is c r im in a to ry d is c h a r g e b a s e d o n h is r e lig io n , I s la m , a n d h is na t i ona l or i gi n, I r a ni a n. T he di s tr i c tc ourtgr a nt e d s um m a ryj udgm e nti n f a vorof G o ld e ra n d B o

jd ap p e a ls th is o r d e ro n th e g r o u n d s th a t h e e s tab lis h e d p r im af a c ie ca se s of di sc ri m i nat ory di sc harge base d o n h i s r el i gi on and n at i on al ori gi n and that he proffer ed suff

i ci entevi dence of pret extt o w i thst and G ol der’ s s um m ary ju d g m e n t m o 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 llyb e lo w , w e a f

f irm . W e r evi ew the grantof sum m ary j ud gm entde no vo , vi ew i ng the evi dence a nd dr a w i ng a l l r e a s onabl e i nf e r e nc e s i n the l i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o the nonm ovi ng party. John son v . G ov erno r of S t at e of F l a. , 40 5 F . 3d 12 14 , 12 17 (11th C i r. ) ( en banc), ce rt . deni ed, 12 6 S . C t . 65 0 (20 05 ). S um m ary j ud gm entshou l d b e grant ed onl y w he n “ 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 o n f ile , to g e th e rw ith th e a f

f id a v its , if

a n y , s h o w th a t th e r e is n o g e n u in e is s u e a s to a ny m 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 aj udgm e nta s am a tt e rof l aw . ” F ed. R . C i v. P . 56 (c ). B ec ause B oj d sup po rt s hi s c l ai m s w i th ci rc um st ant i al evi dence, w e anal yz e hi s c l a i m us i ng the f

r a m e w ork s e tf

orth i n M c D onne l l D ougl a s C orp. v. G r e e n, 4113

U .S . 7 9 2 , 9 3 S .C t. 1 8 1 7 , 3 6 L .E d .2 d 6 6 8 ( 1 9 7 3 ) . W ils o n v . B /E A e r o s p a c e , I n c ., 376 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, Bo j d mu s tf i r s te s t ab l i s h ap r i maf

a c i e c a s e o f

d i s c r i mi n a t i o n . I d . O n c e ap r i ma f a c ie c a s e o f

d is c r im in a tio n is e s tab lis h e d , th e b u r d e n s h if ts to th e e m p lo y e rto s ta te al e gi t i m a t e , nondi s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on f orthe a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on. C om bs v. P l ant at i on P att erns, 10 6 F . 3d 15 19 , 15 28 (11th C i r. 19 97 ). If the em pl oyer s uc c e s s f ul l y doe s s o, the bur de n s hi f t s ba c k t o the B oj d t o s how tha tthe r e a s on o f f e r e d b y th e e m p lo y e rw a s ap r e te x t f o rd is c r im in a tio n . S e e id . B oj d be ga n w orki ng a tG ol de r ’ s T a m paof f i c e i n 1997. I n S e pt e m be r2000, T o n y G ra ss o b ec am e th e T am p a o ff ice m an ag er . G ra ss o ’s ro le in B o jd ’s te rm in a tio n w a s to p r o v id e ar e c o m m e n d a tio n to u p p e rm a n a g e m e n t, to e v a lu a te B o j d ’ s co n d u ct , an d t o rep o rth i s o p i n i o n t o u p p er m an ag em en t . A l th o u g h G rasso m a de the r e c om m e nda t i on t o t e rm i na t e B oj d, the t e rm i na t i on de c i s i on w a s m a de b y G e o r g e D e a r d o r f

f , G o ld e r ’s V ic e P r e s id e n t o f O p e r a tio n s . A s r e a s o n s f o rits de c i s i on t o t e rm i na t e B oj d, G ol de rpr of f e r e d B oj d’ s : ( 1) a tt i tude a nd c onf r ont a t i ona l r e l a t i ons hi p w i th i t s T a m pam a na ge m e nt , pa rt i c ul a r l yG r a s s o; ( 2) i ns ubor di na t i on; ( 3) l a c k of r e s pe c tt ow a r ds hi s c ol l e a gue s , pa rt i c ul a r l yG r a s s o; ( 4 ) u n w illin g n e s s to c o o p e r a te w ith G r a s s o ; a n d ( 5 ) f a ilin g to m e e t o v e r a ll e x p e c ta tio n s o f

a n A s s o c ia te a t G o ld e r .4

A s s um i ng, a r gue ndo, tha tB oj d e s t abl i s he d pr i m af a c i e c a s e s of

r e l i gi ous a nd na t i ona l or i gi n di s c r i m i na t i on, w e hol d tha tB oj d’ s c l a i m s f a i l be c aus e he ha s not p r e s e n te d e v id e n c e s u f

f ic ie n t to 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 a s to p r e te x t. S e e P e n n in g to n v . C ityo f H u n ts v ille , 2 6 1 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 6 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . B o jd doe s notdi s put e tha tthe r e a s ons pr of f e r e d byG ol de ra r e l e gi t i m a t e a nd nondi sc ri m i nat ory. T hu s, “ [t ] o avo i d sum m ary j ud gm ent[the pl ai nt i ff ] m usti ntrodu ce si g n i fi can t l y p ro b at i v e ev i d en ce sh o w i n g th atth e assert ed reaso n i s m erel y a pr e t e xtf ordi s c r i m i na t i on. ” B r ooks v. C ountyC om m ’ n, 446 F . 3d 1160, 1163 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) ( c ita tio n an d q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) ( s e c o n d a lte rn a tio n in o r ig in a l) . “I f

th e p r o f f e r e d r e a s o n is o n e th a t m ig h t m o tiv a te ar e a s o n ab le e m pl oy e r , apl a i nt i f

f c a nnotr e c a s tthe r e a s on butm us tm e e ti the a d on a nd r e but i t . ” W i l son, 37 6 F . 3d at10 88 . T he pl ai nt i ff can sho w pret extthrou gh evi dence tha t( 1) adi s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on m or e l i ke l ym ot i va t e d the e m pl oy e ror( 2) the e m pl oy e r ’ s r e a s ons a r e unw orthyof c r e de nc e . C om bs , 106 F . 3d a t1528. T he p l ai n t i ff m u std em o n strat e “ su ch w eak n esses, i m p l au si b i l i t i es, i n co n si st en ci es, i nc ohe r e nc i e s orc ontr a di c t i ons i n the e m pl oy e r ' s pr of f e r e d l e gi t i m a t e r e a s ons f or i t s a ct i on s thata r ea sonabl e f ac t fi nd ercoul d fi nd them un w orthy of cr edence. ” V e s s e l s v. A t l a nt aI nde p. S c h. S y s . , 408 F . 3d 763, 771 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( c i t a t i on and q uo t at i on m arks om i tt ed). W here m ul t i pl e r ea sons ar e a dv ance d, the pl ai nt i ff5

m us ts how tha te a c h r e a s on w a s apr e t e xt . C hapm an v. A I T r a ns port , 229 F . 3d 1012, 1037 ( 11th C i r . 2000) ( e n ba nc ) . M or e ove r , “ [ a ] r e a s on i s notpr e t e xtf or di sc ri m i nat i on ‘ un l es s i ti s s ho w n b oth thatthe re as on w as fa l se , and that di s c r i m i na t i on w a s the r e a l r e a s on. ’ ” B r ooks , 446 F . 3d a t1163 ( c i t a t i on a nd e m p h a s is o m itte d ) . O n appe a l , B oj d ba s e s hi s pr e t e xta r gum e nton the t e s t i m ony of af orm e rc ow orke r , J i a nhua( J a y ) C he n, w ho s t a t e d tha tthe onl ype r s on w ho ga ve hi m ar e a s on a s t o w hy B oj d w a s f

i r e d w a s G r a s s o, w ho “ e s s e nt i a l l y ” s a i d tha the c oul d not s ta n d B o jd a n d , if th e y c o n tin u e d to w o rkto g e th e r , o n e o f th e m h a d to g o . E v e n if G ra ss o’ s c om m enti s i ncon si st entw i th G ol der’ s l egi t i m at e non -di sc ri m i nat ory r e a s ons , w hi c h pr i m a r i l y c e nt e ra r ound B oj d’ s poorr e l a t i ons hi p w i th G r a s s o, G r a s s o’ s c om m e nt , i n a nd of i t s e l f , i s i ns uf f i c i e ntt o e s t abl i s h tha tdi s c r i m i na t i on w a s the r e a l r e a s on f

orB oj d’ s t e rm i na t i on. S e e H a w ki ns v. C e c o C orp. , 883 F . 2d 97 7, 98 6 (11 th C i r. 19 89 ) ( “ [A ] di sl i ke al on e i s notevi dence of ra ci al di sc ri m i nat i on . ”) . A s e vi dence thatG ra ss o’ s di sl i ke w as base d o n a di sc ri m i nat ory a ni m us , B oj d a r gue s tha t( 1) G r a s s o pr e vi ous l yr e c om m e nde d hi s t e rm i na t i on w i thoutj us t i f

i c a t i on; ( 2) s om e of

the i nc i de nt s i n G r a s s o’ s N ove m be r26, 2001 m e m o c onc e rni ng hi s t e rm i na t i on oc c urr e d a f t e rG r a s s o’ s s e c ond r e c om m e nda t i on; ( 3) othe re m pl oy e e s of

f or e i gn de s c e ntw e r e poor l ytr e a t e d; ( 4) i n A ugus t2001,6

G ra ss o d el ay ed hi s tra i ni ng ; (5) G ra ss o p ushed t o repl ac e hi m on w at erre source p r o je c ts ; a n d ( 6 ) G r a s s o a tte m p te d to in te r f e r e w ith p r o

je c ts a n d c au s e c lie n ts to i nc urunauthor i z e d e xpe ns e s . A s di s c us s e d be l ow , onl ythe l a tt e rtw o r e a s ons coul d p ossi bl y s up po rta r ea sonabl e i nfer ence of di sc ri m i nat i on i n thi s c as e. B oj d’ s i ni t i a l pr obl e m s w i th G r a s s o c um ul a t e d i n am e e t i ng a tt e nde d by B oj d, G ra ss o, and D eardorff i n F ebruary20 01 . A l tho ug h G ra ss o h ad re com m ended t erm i nat i ng B oj d atthatt i m e, the fa ct s of thi s c as e und erm i ne a r e a s o n ab le in f

e r e n c e th a t, f

o llo w in g th is r e c o m m e n d a tio n , G r a s s o w a s m e r e ly w a i t i ng f ora n e xc us e t o t e rm i na t e B oj d. B oj d’ s c onc l us orya s s e rt i on tha tthe r e c o m m e n d a t i o n wa s u n j u s t i f i e d i s n o ts u p p o rt e d b yth e e v i d e n c e , wh i c h s h o ws th a t G o ld e rs in c e r e lyb e lie v e d th a t th e r e w e r e p r o b le m s b e tw e e n G r a s s o a n d B o jd . I n a d d itio n , G r a s s o a n d D e a r d o r f f a tte m p te dto r e s o lv e th e is s u e s b e tw e e n B o jd and G ra ss o, B oj d and G ra ss o agreed t o st artw i th a cl ean sl at e and w ork t og ether, G ra ss o t es t i fi ed thatthi s w orked for a t i m e, B oj d st at ed thathe di d h i s bes tt o w ork w i th G r a s s o a nd thi ngs w e ntpr e ttyw e l l , a nd R i c ha r d Z w ol a k, the f orm e rT a m pa o ff ice m an ag eran d a s en io r s taff m em b erat th e T am p a o ff ice, co rr o b o ra ted B o

jd ’s i m prov ed w orki ng re l at i on shi ps. H ow ever , Z w ol ak al so t es t i fi ed thatB oj d’ s e ff ort di m i ni s he d ove rt i m e , w hi c h i s c ons i s t e ntw i th G r a s s o’ s t e s t i m ony tha t , a l though th in g s in itia llyw e n t w e ll, th e y g o t to ap o in t w h e r e h e c o u ld n o t s ta n d it.Although B ojd interprets Grasso’s statement that he informed SteveThompson, 1 Golder’ s President in the United States, of his re commendation approx imately a few months be foretheac tual terminatio n tome an th at hemadetherenewe d re c omm endatio n a round Augus t 2001, Gra sso further

clarified that he a

nd Thompson discussed his October 4, 2001 memo. Thus, the meetingcould not have ta ken plac e bef

ore O ctober

4, 2001. 7 G ra ss o ’s N o v em b er2 6 , 2 0 0 1 m em o cited a n u m b ero f e x am p les o f B o jd ’s

“ t ot a l di s r e ga r d, ope n de f i a nc e a nd c om pl e t e l a c k of r e s pe c tf orm a na ge m e nt au th o ri ty an d d eci si o n m ak i n g resp o n si b i l i t i es. ” T h e o ccu rren ce o f so m e o f th ese i nci dent s a ft erG ra ss o i ni t i al l y r enew ed hi s r ec om m endat i on do es no tra i se a re as on abl e i nfer ence thatG ra ss o w as att em pt i ng t o cov erup a di sc ri m i nat ory r e a s on. T he i nc i de nt s w e r e c i t e d a s s pe c i f i c e xa m pl e s of

c ont i nui ng pr obl e m s a nd 1 n o ti n d ep en d en treaso n s fo r B o j d ’ s t erm i n at i o n . U n l i k e R am seu r v . C h ase M anhatt an B ank, 86 5 F . 2d 46 0, 46 7 (2d C i r. 19 89 ), up on w hi ch B oj d rel i es , w here th e e v i d e n c e c o u l d s h o w th a tth e d e f e n d a n td i d n o ttr e a to th e re mp l o y e e s th e s a me a s the pl a i nt i f

f unt i l a f t e rc ons ul t a t i on w i th i t s a tt orne y , G r a s s o w a s nott a ki ng addi t i on al ac t i on s t o m as k an earl i erdeci si on , ra ther he w as desc ri bi ng addi t i on al a c t i ons a l l e ge dl y c om m i tt e d by B oj d. A l though B oj d de ni e d the truth of s om e of the al l egat i on s by hi s c o-w orkers , he m akes no ar gu m entand o ff er s no evi dence thatG ra ss o o r D eardorff di d n otbel i eve thatthese al l egat i on s w er e true. S ee V e s s e l s , 408 F . 3d a t771 ( hol di ng tha tdi s put e a s t o w he the ri nc i de nt s the de c i s i onm arker r el i ed on occurre d i s i nsuffi ci entt o est abl i sh pret extabse ntevi dence that8

the de c i s i on- m a ke rdi d nots i nc e r e l ybe l i e ve tha tthe yoc c urr e d) . I n a ddi t i on, D eardorff

, w ho m ade the ul t i m at e dec i si on t o fi re B oj d, i nstruct ed G ra ss o t o d el ay th e te rm in a tio n . A s to G r a s s o ’s tr e a tm e n t o f o th e re m p lo y e e s , w e h a v e r e a s o n e d th a t it is d i f f i c u l tt o c o n c l u d e th a tap r a c t i c e a f f e c t i n g p e r s o n s o f

a l l r a c e s i n th e s a me m a nne ri s a c tua l l y de s i gne d t o c onc e a l ar a c i a l l ydi s c r i m i na t orym ot i ve . B r ow n v. A m . H on da M ot or C o. , 93 9 F . 2d 94 6, 95 2 (11 th C i r. 19 91 ). W e have al so re j ec t ed a pre t extar gu m entbase d o n the fa ctthatthe deci si on -m akerhad d i sc ri m i nat ed agai nsta di ff

er entcand i dat e i n m aki ng a pri or prom ot i on deci si on , no t i ng that

“ c ourt s a r e r e l uc t a ntt o c ons i de r‘ pr i orba d a c t s ’ i n thi s c ont e xtw he r e thos e a c t s do notr e l a t e di r e c t l y t o the pl a i nt i f f s . ” D e nne yv. C i tyof

A l ba ny , 247 F . 3d 1172, 1189 ( 11th C i r . 2001) . T hus , i n thi s c a s e , the r e s i gna t i on ort e rm i na t i on of e m p lo y e e s d u r in g G r a s s o ’s te n u r e a s T a m p ao f f ic e m a n a g e rd o e s n o t p e rm it a r e a s o n ab le in f

e r e n c e o f d is c r im in a to rya n im u s . G r a s s o te rm in a te d A g u s to R od ri gu ez (A m er i can o f H i spani c des ce nt , C atho l i c) , M ar i a S char al di (w hi t e, un kn ow n n at i on al ori gi n o r r el i gi on ), N ancyD eP aul (w hi t e, un kn ow n n at i on al o r ig in o rr e lig io n ) , a n d C r a ig T o e h ill ( u n k n o w n n a tio n a l o r ig in o rr e lig io n ) . A m ong the r e a s ons G r a s s o t e rm i na t e d S c ha r a l di w e r e S c ha r a l di ’ s poorbe ha vi or a n d in ab ilityto w o rkw ith o th e r s . I n a d d itio n , G r a s s o s u b s e q u e n tlys o u g h t to9

re hi re R od ri gu ez as a c on tra ct or. A m on g the em pl oyee s w ho re si gn ed w er e A l ex G ha f a r i ( L e ba ne s e , C hr i s t i a n) , C he n ( C hi ne s e , non- r e l i gi ous ) , a nd A l l e n G ui ns ( A m e r ic a n , u n k n o w n n a tio n a l o r ig in o rr e lig io n ) . A ll th r e e h a d p r o b le m s w ith G r a s s o. C he n a l s o t e s t i f i e d tha ts i x ors e ve n pe opl e l e f tG ol de ra nd tha tm os tof th e m h a d p r o b le m s w ith G r a s s o . A s to B o jd ’s c la im o f

d is c r im in a to rya n im u s d u e to G r a s s o ’s d e la yo f h is tra i ni ng , D eardorff

, no tG ra ss o, ordered the del ay . A s t o the re m ai ni ng evi dence B oj d c i t e s – tha tG r a s s o pus he d t o r e pl a c e hi m on w a t e rr e s our c e pr oj e c t s a nd att em pt ed t o i nt er fe re w i th p roj ec t s and cause c l i ent s t o i ncur un autho ri ze d e x p e n s e s –w e h o ld th a t it is in s u f f ic ie n t to r a is e ag e n u in e is s u e o f f a c t a s to pr e t e xt . S e e W a l ke rv. P rude nt i a l P r op. & C a s . I ns . C o. , 286 F . 3d 1270, 1279 ( 11th C i r . 2002) ( hol di ng tha ta“ s i ngl e s hr e d of e vi de nc e ” s upport i ng a n a s s e rt i on o f p re tex t w as in su ff

icien t, w ith o u t m o re , t o es tab li sh p re tex t). M o re o v er , B o jd ’s a s s e rtio n th a t th e s e in c id e n ts a r e in d ic a tiv e o f G r a s s o ’s d is lik e o f

B o jd d u e to B oj d’ s nat i on al ori gi n o r r el i gi ou s f ai th i s s pecul at i ve. F i rs t , w e quest i on w hether m a na ge m e ntde c i s i ons a ga i ns tone pe r s on, w i thouta n a r gum e nttha ts i m i l a ra c t i ons w e r e nott a ke n a ga i ns tothe r s , w oul d pe rm i tar e a s onabl e i nf e r e nc e of di sc ri m i nat ory ani m us, part i cul ar l y w here there i s e vi dence thata num ber of other pe opl e ha d pr obl e m s w i th tha tm a na ge r . S e c ond, the e vi de nc e de m ons tr a t e s not10

onl y anon- di s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on f orG r a s s o t o di s l i ke B oj d, butac onne c t i on b etw een th i s reaso n an d G rasso an d B o j d ’ s ab i l i ty t o w o rkt o g eth er. W h en G rasso f i r s tt ook the pos i t i on a s of f i c e m a na ge r , a l though both he a nd B oj d ha d c onc e rns abou tea ch other, C hen t es t i fi ed thatG ra ss o and B oj d w orked t og ether w el l for a few m o n th s, w h i ch w as ab o u tth e t i m e th atth e m aj o r i ssu e B o j d h ad w i th G rasso a r o s e . I n a d d itio n , a f

te rth e F e b ru a ry2 0 0 1 m e e tin g , G r a s s o a n d B o jd a d m itte d to an i m prov ed w orki ng re l at i on shi p. Z w ol ak t es t i fi ed that , for aperi od of t i m e a ft er the m ee t i ng , B oj d exh i bi t ed go od w orki ng re l at i on shi ps bu tthathi s e ff ort di m i ni s he d ove rt i m e . G r a s s o f urthe re xpl a i ne d tha ti te ve ntua l l ygott o the poi nt w h e r e h e c o u ld n o t to le r a te it. I n lig h t o f

th e f o r e g o in g , B o

jd h a s f a ile d to d e m o n s tr a te s u b s ta n tia lly prob at i ve evi dence of pret ext . A cc ordi ng l y, the di stri ctcourt ’ s grantof sum m ary ju d g m e n t in f

a v o ro f G o ld e ris AF F I RME D.