# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 3- 34 07

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Lora li e Ann Mu so lf, a n i nd iv id ua l

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el la nt

v.

J.C . Pen ne y

Co m pa ny, Inc., a Del aware co rp or at io n d oi ng bu si ne ss in Mi nn es ot a

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta - Mi nn eap ol is

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Octo be r 7, 2 01 4 Fil ed : Dec em

be r 5, 2 01 4 (C or rect ed Decem be r 8, 2 01 4)

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , W OLLMAN and BYE, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __ BYE, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Lora li e Ann Mu so lf br ou gh t th is em pl oym en t di sc rimina t i o n cas e cl ai m in g
ret al ia ti on an d rep ris al ag ai ns t he r fo rm er em pl oyer J.C

. Pen ne y Co m

pa ny, In c. ("J .C.
Pen ne y "). The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d su m m ary jud gm en t to J.C

. Pen ne y on al l cl ai m s. 1
Mu so lf n ow ap pe al s. We affir m

.

The Hon or ab le Jo an Eric ks en , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct of 1 Mi nn es ot a.I

Mu so lf was em

pl oyed w i t h J.C

. Pen ne y fo r two y ears as a lo ss pr ev en ti on
sp eci al is t. Mu so lf le d a te am of em pl oyees an d wor ke d to pr ev e n t th eft fro m th e St

. Cl ou d, Mi nn es ot a, J.C

. Pen ne y st or e. Mu so lf was effe ct iv e at he r jo b a n d de crea se d th eft fro m th e st or e. Mu so lf' s di rect su pe rv is or , st or e m an ag er Crai g Ch il d, ha d co nc ern s Mu so lf di d no t di sp la y res pe ct fo r he r te am an d ne ed ed to de ve lo p he r
te am wor k. Ch il d co nd uc te d co ach in g se ss io ns wit h Mu so lf to wor k on th es e is su es du rin g h er em

pl oym en t wi th J.C. Pe nn ey

.

In la te Ja nu ary an d earl y Feb ru ary 20 10
, Mu so lf m ad e c l a i ms o f se xu al ha ras sm en t ag ai ns t on e of he r co -wo rk ers , Jo e Pek arn a, ba se d on th ree t o u c hi ng in c i d e n c e s whi ch oc cu rred in la te Ja nu ary. Mu so lf m ad e th e co m pl ai nt s to Ch il d. Sh or tl y th erea fte r Ch il d m et wit h Pek arn a an d Pek arn a ne ve r to uc he d Mu so lf ag ai n. The pa rti es di sp ut e whe n Mu so lf le arn ed of Ch il d's m eet in g wit h Pek arn a, bu t Mu so lf ack no wled ge s sh e was r e pe at ed ly to ld by Ch il d th e si tu at io n was ta ke n care of

. In
Mar ch 20 10
, Mu so lf was pr es en te d wit h a cert ifi cat e co m m en di ng he r o u t s ta nd in g
pe rfo rm an ce. In May 201 0, M us ol f earn ed a m eri t ra is e.

By Aug us t 20 10
, C h il d ha d rece iv ed co m pl ai nt s ab ou t Mu so lf fro m se ve ral

em pl oyees, in cl ud in g Pek arn a. Pek arn a rai se d th ree rece nt in ci de nt s to Ch il d, on e of whi ch in vo l v ed an arg um en t be twee n Mu so lf an d Pek arn a on Aug us t 13
, 20 10

. Pek arn a ha d rep or te d th e co nf ro nt at io n to Ch il d on Aug us t 16
, 20 10

. On Aug us t 18
, 20 10
, Ch il d he ld a m eet in g wit h Mu so lf to di sc us s th e co m pl ai nt s. The di st ric t lo ss
pr ev en ti on m an ag er, Gran t Gras sl e, was al so in at te nd an ce an d co m m en de d Mu so lf

on he r effe ct iv en es s at ap pr eh en di ng sh op li fte rs

.

The reaf te r, Ch il d he ld two fu rth er m eet in gs wit h Mu so lf, du rin g whi ch Mu so lf ad m it s sh e refu se d to fu ll y pa rti ci pa te in an swe rin g qu es ti on s. Ch il d be li ev ed Mu so lf ha d do wnl oa de d do cu m en ts in vi ol at io n of he r co nf ide nti al ity ag re em en t an d be li ev ed
Mu so lf ha d in vo lv ed an ot he r em pl oyee wit h an at te m

pt to sn eak in to Ch il d's of fic e.

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-On Sep te m

be r 2, 20 10
, Ch il d co nt act ed Hum an Res ou rce s an d reco m m en de d J.C

. Pen ne y fir e Mu so lf. Late r on Sep te m be r 2, 201 0, Mu so lf e-m ai le d Kob e Zim m erm an , th e di st ric t man a g e r , ab ou t th e in ci de nt s fro m Ja nu ary 20 10 in vo lv in g Pek arn a. Mu so lf co m

m un ic at ed sh e be li ev ed Pek arn a ha d no t be en pr op erl y di sc ip li ne d an d

s ho ul d ha ve be en fir ed

. Mu so lf al so co m m un ic at ed sh e ha d rece iv ed no f i r m

co m m it m en t fr om

J.C. Pe nn ey

th at Pek arn a wou ld no t re -o ffen d.

J.C

. Pen ne y su sp en de d Mu so lf wit h pa y du rin g an in ve st ig at io n an d ul ti m at el y
te rm in at ed he r on Sep te m be r 9, 20 10

. Mu so lf was te rm in at ed fo r fai lu re to co op erat e in a co m pa ny in ve st ig at io n, fo r ta ki ng co nf id en ti al in fo rm at io n wit ho ut pe rm is si on ,
an d fo r at te m

pt in g to i nv ol ve an ot he r as so ci at e in a pl an to sn eak in to th e st or e

m an ag er's off

ic e an d t ak e d oc um en ts wit ho ut pe rm is si on

.

On Ju ly 2, 20 12
, Mu so lf co m m en ced th is la wsu it in th e fed eral di st ric t cou rt, al le gi ng se x di sc riminat io n an d ret al ia ti on in vi ol at io n of Tit le VII of th e Ci vi l Ri gh ts Act an d se x di sc riminat io n an d rep ris al in vi ol at io n of th e Mi nn es ot a Hum an Ri gh ts Act ("M HRA"). J.C

. Pen ne y m ov ed fo r su m m ary jud gm en t on al l of Mu so lf' s cl ai m s, whi ch t he di st ric t co ur t gr an te d. Mu so lf no w ap pe al s, arg ui ng th e di st ric t co ur t im pr op erl y gra nt ed su m

m ary jud gm en t o n h er re ta li at io n a nd rep ris al cla im s.

II

"We rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t's de ci si on to gr an t a m ot io n fo r su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo , ap pl y in g th e sa m e st an da rd s fo r su m m ary jud gm en t a s t h e d i st ric t co ur t."
Tus in g v. Des Mo in es In de p. Cm ty. Sch

. Dis t., 63 9 F.3 d 50 7, 51 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ).
Su m m ary jud gm en t is ap pr op ria te "i f th e mo v a n t s h o ws th at th ere is no ge nu in e di sp ut e as to an y

m at eri al fact an d t he m ov an t i s en ti tl ed to jud gm en t as a m at te r of la w." Fed

. R. Ci v. P. 56 (a). In co ns id eri ng su m m ary jud gm en t m ot io ns , th e bu rd en of de m on st rat in g th ere a r e no ge nu in e is su es of m at eri al fact res ts on th e m ov in g
pa rty, an d we rev ie w th e ev id en ce an d th e in fere nc es whi ch reas on ab ly m ay be dr awn fro m th e ev id en ce in th e li gh t m os t fav or a b l e t o t h e no nm ov in g pa rty. Dav is v.

-3

-Je ffer so n Hos p. Ass 'n, 68 5 F.3 d 67 5, 68 0 (8 th C i r

. 2 0 1 2 )

. The no n- m ov in g pa rty

m us t su bs ta nt ia te he r al le ga ti on s by "s uf f i ci en t pr ob at iv e ev id en ce [th at ] wou ld

pe rm it a fin di ng in [h er] fav or on m or e th an m ere sp ecu la ti on , co njec tu re, or fan ta sy."
Man n v. Yarn el l, 49 7 F.3 d 82 2, 82 5 (8 th C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) (fi rs t al te rat io n in or ig in al ) (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. "'Where th e reco rd ta ke n as a who le co ul d no t le ad

a rat io na l t rie r of

fact to fin d fo r th e no nm ov in g pa rty, t he re is no ge nu in e is su e fo r tri al .'" Torg ers on v. Ci ty of Ro ch es te r, 64 3 F.3 d 10 31
, 10 42 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ti ng Ri cci v. DeSt efan o, 5 57 U.S. 55 9, 5 85 (20 09 )).

To su rv iv e a m ot io n fo r su m m ary jud gm en t, Mu so lf m us t sh ow a pr ima fa ci e

cas e of ret al ia ti on

. To es ta bl is h a ret al ia ti on cl ai m un de r Tit le VII, an em pl oyee m us t sh ow: (1 ) sh e en ga ge d in pr ot ect ed co nd uc t; (2 ) a reas on ab le em pl oyee wou ld ha ve fo un d th e ret al ia to ry act io n m at eri al ly ad ve rs e; an d (3 ) th e m at eri al ly ad ve rs e act io n

was cau sa ll y li nk ed to th e pr ot ect ed co nd uc t. P ye v

. N u Aire , I nc ., 6 41 F.3 d 10 11
, 10 21 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). W he n a pl ai nt iff la ck s di rect ev id en c e o f ret al ia ti on , th e bu rd e n

- s h ift in g an al y si s of McDo nn el l Dou gl as Co rp . v . Gr een , 4 11 U.S. 7 92 , 8 02 (1 97 3)
, ap pl ie s. Und er McDo nn el l Dou gl as , M u s o lf be ars th e in it ia l bu rd en of

m ak in g a pr ima fa ci e sh owi ng of ret al ia ti on

. If Mu so lf m ak es th is pr ima fa ci e sh owi ng , th e bu rd en sh ift s to J.C

. Pen ne y to art ic ul a t e a l e gi ti m at e, no n- ret al ia to ry

r eas on fo r th e ad ve rs e act io n. Onc e J.C

. Pen ne y do es so , th e bu rd en sh ift s b a c k t o Mu so lf to pu t fo rward ev idenc e of pr et ex t. T he bu rd en -s hi fti ng fram ewo rk ap pl ic ab le

to Tit le VII ret al ia ti on cl ai m s is al so ap pl ic ab le to rep ris al cl ai m s un de r th e MHRA. Fl et ch er v . St. Pa ul Pio ne er Pre ss , 58 9 N.W.2d 9 6, 1 01 -0 2 (M in n. 1 99 9)

.

Mu so lf es ta bl is he d sh e en ga ge d i n a st at ut or il y pr ot ect ed act iv it y by

co m pl ai ni ng to Ch il d ab ou t se xu al ha ras sm en t. M u s o l f al so es ta bl is he d ad ve rs e

em pl oym en t act io n was ta ke n ag ai ns t he r whe n sh e was te rm in at ed

. The su rv iv al of
M u s o l f's cl ai m s th eref

or e de pe nd s up on es ta bl is hi ng a cau sa l li nk be twee n h e r

co m pl ai nt to Ch il d a n d he r te rm in at io n. The di st ric t co ur t fo un d Mu so lf ha d no t sh own th is cau sa l l in k. We agre e.

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-The bu rd en to sh ow a pr ima fa ci e cas e is no t di ffi cu lt
, bu t on e m us t sh ow so m e

cau sa ti on

. The Su pr em e Co ur t rece nt ly he ld ret al ia ti on cl ai m s br ou gh t un de r Tit le
VII m us t be pr ov ed acco rd in g to tra di ti on al pr in ci pl es of bu t-f or cau sa ti on

. Uni v. of
Tex

. Sw. Med

. Ct r. v. Nas sa r, 13 3 S. Ct

. 25 17
, 25 34 (2 01 3) ("Th e te xt , st ru ct ur e, an d hi st or y of Tit le VII de m on s t r a t e t h at a pl ai nt iff m ak in g a ret al ia ti on cl ai m un de r § 20 00 -3 (a) m

us t es ta bl is h th at hi s or he r pr ot ect ed act iv it y was a bu t-f or cau se of th e al le ge d ad ve rs e act io n by th e em pl oyer."). The Mi nn es ot a co ur ts ha ve no t ad dr es se d,

an d we ne ed no t de te rm in e, whe th er th e Nas sa r bu t-f or cau sa ti on st an da rd si m il arl y
ap pl ie s fo r rep ris al cl ai m s un de r th e MHRA. Even ap pl y in g t he lo wer s ta nd ard of 2

ca us at io n em

pl oyed by Mi nn es ot a co ur ts –t ha t cau sa ti on can be sh own "i f an il le gi ti m at e reas on m or e l i k el y th an no t m ot iv at ed th e di sc ha rg e de ci si on "– Mu so lf ha s fai le d to sh ow su ffi ci en t cau sa ti on to su rv iv e su m m ary jud gm en t. M c G r a t h v

. TFC Ban k Sav
., 50 9 N.W .2d 36 5, 36 6 (Mi nn

. 19 93 ) (in t e r n al qu ot at io n m ark s an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

.

Mu so lf pr es en te d no ev id en ce of co nd uc t or st at em en ts whi ch wou ld pe rm it a

reas on ab le jury to fin d J.C

. Pen ne y 's m ot iv at io n to fir e he r was be cau se sh e

co m pl ai ne d of se xu al ha ras sm en t. The ti m e-l ag be twee n Mu so lf' s co m pl ai nt s an d he r
te rm in at io n crea te s a ch al le ng e fo r Mu so lf to es ta bl is h a cau sa l li nk

. Ferc el lo v. Cn ty. of Ram se y , 6 12 F.3 d 10 69 , 1 08 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (fi nd in g a s i x -m on th ga p be twee n th e pr ot ect ed act iv it y an d th e ad ve rs e em pl oym en t act io n "wea ke ns th e in fere nc e of

cau sa ti on "). In th e ci rcu m st an ces of th is cas e, t h e s e ve n- m on th ti m e-l ag "i s in su ffi ci en t to sh ow, an d in fac t weak en s th e sh owi ng of , t he req ui red cau sa l li nk ."
W al la ce v. Sp ark s Heal th Sy s., 41 5 F.3 d 85 3, 85 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (in te rv al of ne arl y
a y ear) ; s ee al so Kip p v

. Mo

. Hwy

. & T ran sp

. Co m m 'n, 28 0 F.3d 89 3, 8 97 (8t h C ir.
20 02 ) (in te rv al of two m on th s)

. In de ed
, in th e m on th s be twee n he r co m pl ai nt an d he r

Mu so lf as ks th is co ur t to rev ers e t h e d i s t ric t co ur t's gr an t of su m m ary 2 jud gm en t o n he r rep ris al cl ai m s arg ui ng th e di st ric t co ur t ap pl ie d th e wro ng le ga l st an da rd of cau sa ti on

. Howev er, th e di st ric t co ur t co rrec tl y no te d Mi nn es ot a ha s no t y et de te rm in ed whe th er th e Nas sa r bu t-f or te st ap pl ie s t o re pr is al cla im s, an d n ot ed Mu so lf' s ca us at io n a rg um en t fa il s u nd er ei th er ca us at io n s ta nd ard

.
-5

-te rm in at io n, Mu so lf was pr ai se d fo r he r effi cacy an d gi ve n a sa la ry in crea se

. It was

no t un ti l aft er Ch il d he ard Mu so lf ha d ac ces se d co nf id en ti al do cu m en ts an d as ke d

an ot he r em

pl oyee to he lp he r br eak in to th e m an ag er's of fic e th at Ch il d reco m

m en de d
J.C . Pen ne y

fir e Mu so lf.

Reg ard in g Mu so lf' s in qu iry to Zim m erm an on Sep te m be r 2 ab ou t Mu so lf' s earl ie r co m

pl ai nt s, th e in qu iry oc cu rred di rect ly be fo re Mu so lf was fir ed

. If Mu so lf

co nt act ed Zim m erm an to pr ev en t he r te rm in at io n by en ga gi ng in pr ot ect ed act iv it y in te m po ral pr ox im it y to he r im

pe nd in g te rm in at io n, sh e ha s fai le d to sh ow cau sa ti on

. Herv ey v. Cn ty. of Koo ch in in g, 52 7 F.3 d 71 1, 72 3 ( 8 t h C ir. 20 08 ) ("I ns ub or di na te

em pl oyees m ay no t in su la te th em se lv es fro m di sc ip li ne by ann ou nc in g a n in te nt io n
to cl ai m di sc riminat io n jus t be fo re th e em pl oyer ta ke s act io n." ). If M us ol f was

co nc ern ed ab ou t Ch il d's fai lu re to ad dr es s th e al le ge d se xu al ha ras sm en t, sh e ha s fai le d to sh ow caus at io n bec au se he r Sep te m be r 2 e-m ai l m erel y rel at ed ba ck to he r

or ig in al co m

pl ai nt , di d no t rai se an y n e w c o mp la in ts , an d was se nt aft er Ch il d

reco m m en de d t erm in at io n.

Mu so lf ad di ti on al ly arg ue s it was Pek arn a's Aug us t 16 co m pl ai nt whi ch le d to Mu so lf' s te rm in at io n. Howev er, Pek arn a's co m pl ai nt was on e of on ly se ve ral to pi cs di sc us se d at th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g an d on e of on ly se ve r a l co m pl ai nt s whi ch ha d be en m ad e ag ai ns t Mu so lf by ot he r em pl oyees. Add i t i o n al ly, al th ou gh Pek arn a's

co m pl ai nt cau se d, in pa rt, t he Aug us t 18 m eet in g, Pek arn a's co m pl ai nt di d no t le ad

to Mu so lf' s te rm in at io n. Rat he r, Mu so lf' s te rm in at io n was ba se d on he r act io ns aft er 3

Mu so lf a r g u e s th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g was it se lf an ad ve rs e em pl oym en t 3
act io n. It was no t. An ad ve rs e em pl oym en t act io n is a "t an gi bl e ch an ge in wor ki ng
co nd it io ns " an d m

us t pr od uc e "a m at eri al em pl oym en t di sa dv an ta ge ." Cl eg g v. Ark

. Dep 't of Co rr

. , 4 9 6 F

. 3 d 92 2, 92 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ) (q uo ta ti on m ark s an d ci ta ti on
om it te d)

. Alt ho ug h Mu so lf ex pe rie nc ed st res s aft er th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g an d was
co nc ern ed ab ou t th e st at us of he r job
, Mu so lf do es no t di sp ut e J

. C

. Pen ne y di d no t

co ns tru ct iv el y

di sc ha rg e he r, "t erm in at e[] [h er], cu t her pay or be ne fit s, o r ch an ge [] he r job du ti es or res po ns ib il it ie s" du rin g th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g. W il ki e v. Dep't of

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-th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g, in cl ud in g Mu so lf' s refu sa l to pa rti ci pa te in th e in ve st ig at io n

an d J .C. Pen ne y 's u nd ers ta nd in g M us ol f acc es se d c on fid en ti al in fo rm at io n a nd ha d

a no th er em

pl oyee he lp Mu so lf br eak in to th e st or e m an ag er's of fic e. Mu s o l f h a s fai le d to sh ow ho w Pek arn a's co m pl ai nt cau se d he r te rm in at io n an d ha s fai le d to sh ow ho w Pek arn a's co m

pl ai nt was re la te d t o h er p ro te ct ed co nd uc t.

Mu so lf has fai le d t o sh ow di rect or in fere nt ia l evi de nc e J.C

. Pen ne y en ga ge d in ret al ia ti on

. Bec au se Mu so lf ha s fai le d to sh ow a pr ima fa ci e cas e of ret al ia ti on an d

rep ris al , we nee d n ot en ga ge in th e McDo nn el l Do ug la s b ur de n- sh ift in g a na lysis to affi rm th e g ran t o f su m

m ary jud gm en t t o d efen da nt

.

III

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Heal th an d Hum an Serv s., 63 8 F.3 d 94 4, 95 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). Bec au se Mu s ol f ha s fai le d to de m on st rat e an y m at eri al ly si gn ifi can t di sa dv an ta ge oc cu rred ba se d on th e Aug us t 18 m eet in g, sh e is un ab le to sh ow sh e su ffer ed an ad ve rs e em pl oym en t act io n at th at ti m e.

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