FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT NOV 30 , 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. 05- 13670

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -000 20 -C V -C D L -4 S A N D R A J . D A V I S , P l ai nt i ff -A pp el l ee , V E L M A B . D U N C A N , e t a l, P l ai n t i ffs, v ersu s V A L L E Y H O S P I T A L I T Y S E R V I C E S , L L C , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ 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 M id d le D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 30, 2006) B efo re B IR C H , 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:This appeal was consolidated with Nos. 05-13107 and 05-13342, a ppeals filed by 1 p l ai nti f f s V e l m a B . D un c an , Ro s a

B ro wn , an d

Ann e tt eAm i c k

f ro mo rd er s wh i c h , re s p e c ti v e ly, denied their

motion for class certification and grante d Valley Hospitality

summary judgment on their employ

ment discrimination claims. In the sepa rateopinion issued in thos e appe als, we vacated the consolidation of those a ppeals with this case .

2 D e f e n d a n t V a lle y H o s p ita lity S e rv ic e s , L L C . ( “V a lle y H o s p ita lity ” ) ap p e a ls the i nt er l ocut ory orderdenyi ng i t s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm entagai nstpl ai nt i ff S a ndr aJ . D a vi s i n he re m pl oy m e ntdi s c r i m i na t i on a c t i on. 1 D avi s, an ov er40 -y ea r- ol d A fr i ca n-A m er i ca n w om an, w as em pl oyed as F rontO ff

i ce M anager a tthe W yndh am ho t el i n C ol um bu s, G eorgi a. D uri ng her em pl oym ent , the ho t el had ei gh tdepartm entm anagers , i ncl ud i ng the F rontO ff i ce M a n a g e r , w h o r e p o r te d to th e G e n e r a l M a n a g e r . A s F r o n t O f f ic e M a n a g e r , D a v is m anaged seven t o t en em pl oyee s, and sup ervi se d fi ve ar ea s i ncl ud i ng the bel l st af f, com m un i ca t i on s, fr on tdesk, re se rvat i on s, and sec uri ty. In O ct ob er20 02 , V al l ey H os pi t a l i ty w a s c hos e n t o t a ke ove rm a na ge m e ntof the hot e l a nd be ga n pl a nni ng t ow a r d tha te nd. T he W y ndha m ’ s a c t i ng ge ne r a l m a na ge rhe l d am e e t i ng w i th the h o te l m a n a g e r s in la te O c to b e r2 0 0 2 , a d v is e d th e m o f th e a n tic ip a te d c h a n g e s in m a na ge m e ntor ga ni z a t i on, a nd a s ke d e a c h e m pl oy e e t o c om pl e t e ane w appl i c a t i on for e m pl oym entand sub m i tt o a drug t es t . O n 3 1 O ct ob er20 02 , D avi s c om pl et ed a n appl i c a t i on f

ore m pl oy m e ntf

orthe pos i t i on of

“ G ue s tS e rvi c e M a na ge r . ” E xh. 6 6 a t E x h . 4 .3

O n 1 N ove m be r2002, V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty t ook ove rf ul l c ontr ol of

the W yn d h am . Itreo rg an i zed th e h o t el m an ag em en ti n t o th ree fu n ct i o n al areas: sal es, fi nance, and g ener al ho t el op er at i on s. T he general ho t el op er at i on s w er e organi ze d i nt o tw o de pa r tm e nt s w hi c h w e r e s upe rvi s e d by e xe c ut i ve s : the R oom s D e pa r tm e nt and the F oo d and B ever age D epartm ent . T he R oo m s D epartm entE xecut i ve w as g iv e n s u p e rv is io n o f

an e w ly c r e a te d o f

F r o n t D e s k S u p e rv is o r ; th e s ta f f p r e v io u s ly assi g n ed t o th e F ro n tO ffi ce M an ag er, i n cl u d i n g th e b el l st aff, co m m u n i cat i o n s, r e s e rva t i ons , a nd s e c ur i ty ; a nd othe rs t a f f , i nc l udi ng hous e ke e pi ng, l a undry , a nd m ai nt enance. T he F rontD es k S up ervi sor overs aw on l y the fr on tdesk and i t s s t af f, l os ts upe rvi s i on of

num e r ous pos i t i ons pr e vi ous l y a s s i gne d t o the f orm e rF r ont O f f ic e M a n a g e r , a n d e a rn e dle s s th a n th e f o rm e rF r o n t O f

f ic e M a n a g e r . T h e n e w ly cr ea t ed po si t i on s, i ncl ud i ng “ fr on tdesk cl erks, ” w er e a dv ert i se d i n the l ocal n e w s p ap e ro n 3 N o v e m b e r2 0 0 2 . E x h . 6 6 a t 1 0 3 - 0 4 , E x h . 7 . O n 4 N ov em ber 200 2, D avi s w as t erm i nat ed because her posi t i on w as el i m i nat ed. Im m edi at el y a ft erbei ng advi se d o f hert erm i nat i on , she a sked w hether there w er e a ny other posi t i on s thatshe c ou l d d o atthe ho t el . S he w as t ol d “ no . ” E xh. 66 a t71- 72. T he F rontD es k S up ervi sor posi t i on w as fi l l ed on 4 N ov em ber 200 2 w i th an A fri can -A m eri can m al e. H e w as d i sm i ssed o n 6 N o v em b er w h en h i s d ru g t est4

c a m e ba c k pos i t i ve , a nd w a s r e pl a c e d by a24- y e a r - ol d w hi t e f e m a l e w ho tran sferred fro m an o th er V al l ey H o sp i t al i ty p ro p erty. O n 19 N ove m be r2002, D a vi s f i l e d ac ha r ge of

di s c r i m i na t i on 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 ”) . In her c harge, she s t at ed thatshe w as “ di sc harged from [her ] po si t i on as F rontD es k M anager/ S up ervi sor” de s pi t e a s s ur a nc e s tha ts he w oul d r e m a i n i n he rpos i t i on f ol l ow i ng ac ha nge of o w n e r s h ip . R 1 - 3 1 , E x h . A . S h e a lle g e d th a t s h e w a s “d is c r im in a te d a g a in s t . . . b a s e d o n [ h e r ] r a c e ( B la c k ) .” I d . D a vi s s ubs e que nt l y br oughta n a c t i on a ga i ns tV a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty unde r42 U .S .C . § 1 9 8 1 a n d 2 9 U .S .C . § § 6 2 3 , a lle g in g th a t s h e w a s d is c h a r g e d o n th e b a s is of her r ac e a nd age, re spec t i vel y. S he re qu es t ed j ob re i nst at em entand m on et ary d a m a g e s . S h e a r g u e d th a t h e rp o s itio n w a s n o t tru ly e lim in a te d b u t w a s m e r e ly re nam ed and thatthe po si t i on w as fi l l ed w i th a youn ger w hi t e w om an. V al l ey H o sp it ality m o v ed fo r s u m m ar y ju d g m en t, an d ex p lain ed th at all o f th e h o tel’ s e m pl oy e e s w e r e r e qui r e d t o c om pl e t e ane w e m pl oy m e ntappl i c a t i on dur i ng the r e or ga ni z a t i on. A l though D a vi s s t a t e d tha ts he w a nt e d a nothe rpos i t i on a tthe hot e l , s he a l s o a ns w e r e d “ [ n] o” w he n a s ke d i f s he w a nt e d t o be tr a ns f e rr e d t o a d if f e r e n t p o s itio n w ith in th e h o te l. E x h . 6 6 a t 1 0 7 - 0 8 . V a lle y H o s p ita lity re spon ded thatD avi s f

ai l ed t o app l y f

or any a dv ert i se d p osi t i on w i th the ho t el af t er5

h e rp o s itio n w a s te rm in a te d . T he di s tr i c tc our tde ni e d V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ’ s m ot i on f ors um m a ry j udgm e nt a s t o D a vi s ’ s i ndi vi dua l di s pa r a t e tr e a tm e nt cl ai m . Itfoun d thatD avi s had e s tab lis h e d ap r im af

a c ie c a s e o f

b o th r a c e a n d a g e d is c r im in a tio n a n d th a t, a l though V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ha d a r t i c ul a t e d al e gi t i m a t e nondi s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on for e l i m i nat i ng her posi t i on , i thad n otprov i ded a l egi t i m at e non di sc ri m i nat ory r e a s on f ornotr e hi r i ng he r . T he c our tr e a s one d tha tD a vi s ’ s 31 O c t obe rappl i c a t i on fo r G u estS erv i ces M an ag er co n st i tu t ed an ap p l i cat i o n fo r th e F ro n tD esk S up ervi sor posi t i on because s he had n o w ayof appl yi ng for the new l y c re at ed F rontD es k S up ervi sor posi t i on w hen she com pl et ed her appl i ca t i on . T he di stri ct c our tde ni e d V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ’ s m ot i on f orr e c ons i de r a t i on, a nd c e r t i f i e d the de ni a l of s um m a ry j udgm e nta s t o D a vi s ’ s c l a i m s f ori nt e r l oc ut ory appe a l pur s ua nt t o 2 8 U . S . C . § 1 29 2(b). O n appe a l , V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our ti m pr ope r l y f ound th ati th ad d i scri m i n at ed ag ai n stD av i s b y fai l i n g t o h i re h er fo r th e F ro n tD esk S up ervi sor posi t i on because s he never as se rt ed a f ai l ure t o h i re cl ai m i n the ca se . It m a i nt a i ns tha the rc a s e i s ba s e d on s ol e l y on he rt e rm i na t i on. I tnot e s tha ts he c onc e de d thi s poi nti n he rr e s pons e t o V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ’ s m ot i on f or r e c ons i de r a t i on w he n s he s t a t e d:6 T h e em p l o ym en tact i o n th atd i scri m i n at o ri l y affected [D av i s] w as th e d isch ar g e o f h erfr o m em p lo ym en t w ith [V alley H o sp it ality] .

. . .

. . . . T hi s i s nota f

ai l ure t o h i re ca se , bu tas [D avi s] corr ec t l y a l l eged i n the A m end[ed] C om pl ai ntthat[s he] w as di sc harged [base d o n h er r a c e a n d a g e ]. R 4- 89 a t2. I n e m p lo y m e n t d is c r im in a tio n a c tio n s , th e p la in tif f’s ju d ic ia l c o m p la in t is l i m i t ed t o “ the sc op e of the E E O C i nv es t i gat i on w hi ch ca n rea sonabl y be e xp ec t ed t o gr ow outof

the c ha r ge of

di s c r i m i na t i on. ” M ul ha l l v. A dva nc e S e c . , I nc . , 19 F . 3d 586, 589 n. 8 ( 11th C i r . 1994) . T he c om pl a i ntm us tpr ovi de “ ‘ as hor ta nd p la in s ta te m e n t o f

th e c la im ’ th a t w ill g iv e th e d e f e n d a n t f a irn o tic e o f

. . . th e . . . c l a i m . . . a nd the gr ounds upon w hi c h i tr e s t s . ” C onl e y v. G i bs on, 355 U . S . 41, 47, 7 8 S . C t. 9 9 , 1 0 3 ( 1 9 5 7 ) ( c itin g F e d . R . C iv . P . 8 ( a ) ) . A lle g a tio n s w h ic h f a il to prov i de such no t i ce ar e app ropri at el y s ubj ec tt o sum m ary j ud gm ent . S w i erki ew i cz v. S orem a N . A . , 53 4 U . S . 50 6, 51 4, 12 2 S . C t . 99 2, 99 8 (20 02 ). T o a s s e r taf

a i l ur e t o hi r e c l a i m , the pl a i nt i f f m us ts how , i nt e ra l i a , tha ts he ap p l i e d f o raj o b f o rw h i c h s h e w a s q u a l i f i e d a n d w h i c h w a s a v a i l ab l e a tth e t i me o f h e rte rm in a tio n . S m ith v . J . S m ith L a n ie r& C o ., 3 5 2 F .3 d 1 3 4 2 , 1 3 4 4 - 4 5 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2003) ( pe rc ur i a m ) . A pl a i nt i f f w ho ha s know l e dge of

a n a dve r t i s e d pos i t i on, b u t f a ils to f o rm a lly ap p ly f

o rit, is u n ab le to s h o w th a t s h e ap p lie d f o rth e p o s itio n .Although w e havenoted that the lac k of an a pplication for a

specificjob would not 2 defe at a f ailure to hireclaim where the plaintiff a pplied for “work”but was initially told that no full-time positions were available, weexplained that the plaintiff lear ned of thepossibili ty

of a position “by

word of mouth” a

nd that “[t] he def

endant did not advertise its job openings.” Ca r mi c h a e l v . B ir

min gh am S awWo r

k s , 7 3 8 F . 2 d

1 1 2 6 , 1 1 2 9 , 1 1 3 2 ( 1 1 th

Cir . 1 9 8 4 ) . We commented that the plaintiff “wa s not require d to do more than indicate as be st he could that he would take a

ny availablejob” and “ could not be expected to a sk for a [specific] posit ion when he did not know one was a

vailable.”I d. at 1132. 7 Id. at13 45 -46. “ A general i nt er es ti n b ei ng re hi re d w i tho utsubm i tt i ng an appl i c a t i on i s note nough t o e s t abl i s h apr i m af a c i e c a s e of

a ge di s c r i m i na t i on w he n the de f

e nda nt - e m pl oy e rha s publ i c i z e d a n ope n pos i t i on. ” I d. a t1345. 2 A c la im o f

w r o n g f u l d is c h a r g e is n o t th e e q u iv a le n t o f ac la im o f

f a ilu r e to hi r e . D a vi s ’ s E E O C w r ongf ul di s c ha r ge c l a i m a nd the r e s ul t i ng i nve s t i ga t i on w oul d nottr i gge ra n i nqui ry i nt o V a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ’ s hi r i ng pol i c i e s . S he di d not appl y f ora n a dve r t i s e d pos i t i on a f t e rV a l l e y H os pi t a l i ty ha d r e or ga ni z e d the m anagem entpo si t i on s a nd she w as t erm i nat ed. F urther, D avi s e xp re ss l y s t at ed thatshe w as no tra i si ng a f ai l ure t o h i re cl ai m . A cc ordi ng l y, the di stri ctcourterre d b y f in d in g th at a r eh irin g claim w as ra ised an d b y d en yin g V alley H o sp it ality’s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm entre gardi ng her di sc harge. T he di stri ctcourt ’ s deni al of V al l eyH ospi t al i ty’ s m ot i on for s um m ary ju d g m e n t o n D a v is ’s c la im s is , th e r e f o r e , R EVER SED a n d th e m a tte ris R EM A N D ED f

orf ur the rpr oc e e di ngs c ons i s t e ntw i th thi s opi ni on.