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

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
No. 1 6- 23 95

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
Maz en Abd el -Gh an i

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

ff - App el la nt

v.
Targ et Co rp or at io n

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

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
No. 1 6- 23 97

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
Maz en Abd el -Gh an i

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

ff - App el la nt

v.

Mar ke tS ou rce, In c.

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

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal s fr om

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: Marc h 8 , 20 17 Fil ed : M ay

5, 2 01 7 [Un pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __Befo re BENTON, BEAM, an d M URPHY, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

PER CURI AM.

Maz en Abd el -Gh an i wor ke d at a Targ et Mo bi le ki os k fo r a few m on th s an d th en was di s c h a r g e d. He br ou gh t th is act io n ag ai ns t Targ et Co rp or at io n an d
Mar ke tS ou rce, In c

. , a l l e g in g th at he ha d be en di sc riminat ed ag ai ns t on th e ba si s of

va rio us pr ot ect ed ch ar a c t e r i s ti cs

. The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d su m m ary jud gm en t to 1
th e d efen da nt s, an d we a ffi rm

.

I.

In 20 13 Targ et pa rtn ered wit h Mar ke tS ou rce, In c. an d Bri gh ts ta r U.S., In c. as in de pe nd e n t co nt ract or s to im pl em en t th e Targ et Mo bi le pr og ram

. Thro ug h th at
pr og r a m cu st om ers co ul d pu rch as e m ob il e ph on e se rv ic es at se le ct Targ et st or es

. Abd el -Gh an i, a Pal es ti ni an im m ig ran t, was hi red by Ma rk et So ur ce in A ug us t 20 13

t o w o r k f

o r th e pr og ram

. He be ga n wor ki ng at a Targ et Mo bi le ki os k in th e Bl oo m in gt on Targ et st or e in Octo be r 20 13

.

Abd el -Gh an i ha d ne ga ti ve in te ract io ns wit h em pl oyees fo r bo th Mar ke tS ou rce

an d Targ et

. Abd el -Gh an i be li ev ed th a t t h e M a rk et So ur ce sa le s m an ag er at th e Bl oo m in gt on Targ et , Co ur tn ey Lieb ha rd
, was reg ul arl y un de r th e in flu en ce of dr ug s

or al co ho l whe n sh e cam e to wor k. He rep or te d th is to th e Mar ke tS ou rce hu m an

res ou rces de pa rtment. Lieb ha rd be li ev ed th at Abd el -Gh an i was ha ras si ng he r an d

act in g in ap pr op ria te ly to ward cu st om ers

. Near th e Tha nk sg iv in g ho li da y , th e two go t

The Hon or ab le Pat ric k J. Sch il tz , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct 1 of Mi nn es ot a, ad op ti ng th e rep or t and reco m m en da ti on s of th e Hon or ab le Je ffre y J. Key es , Uni te d S ta te s M ag is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta

.
-2

-in to an arg um en t ab ou t sc he du li ng

. Lieb ha rd al le ge dl y to ld Abd el -Gh an i to "g o ba ck

ho m e, go to y ou r co un try." Lieb ha rd ev en tu al ly co m pl ai ne d ab ou t hi s co nd uc t to th e Mar ke tS ou rce di st ric t m an ag er, St ev e Varh ol

. Varh ol in st ru ct ed Lieb ha rd to co ll ect

an y co m pl ai nt s ab ou t Ab de l-Gh an i fr om Targ et em

pl oyees a nd rep or t th em to hi m

. Abd el -Gh an i al le ge d th at so m e of th e Targ et em pl oyees cal le d hi m na m es li ke cam el jock ey , Mu sl im
, Arab
, te rro ris t, a n d s an d ni gg er, of te n fro m be hi nd sh el ve s in th e

em pl oyee ba ck ro om

. He cl ai m s he he ard su ch co m m en ts at le as t te n ti m es du rin g hi s
two m on th s wor ki ng at th e Bl oo m in gt on Targ et

. He al so cl ai m ed to ha ve ov erh eard 2

an ot he r em

pl oyee sa y

"[y] ou sh ou ld be rou nd ed up in on e p la ce an d n uk e[d ]. "

Varh ol su sp en de d Abd el -Gh an i fro m wor k in m id Decem be r an d fir ed hi m fiv e da y s la te r be cau se of hi s is su es wit h Lieb ha rd
, Targ et st aff, an d gu es ts

. Abd el -Gh an i fil ed a ch arg e of di sc riminat io n wit h th e EEOC an d l a t e r s u ed Targ et an d
Mar ke tS ou rce in st at e co ur t, fro m whi ch th e cas es were rem ov ed to fed eral co ur t an d

co ns ol id at ed

. Abd el -Gh an i th en fil ed a se co nd am en de d co m pla int w hic h alleg ed th at Targ e t a n d Mar ke tS ou rce ha d vi ol at ed Tit le VII of th e Ci vi l Ri gh ts Act, th e Age Dis cri m in at io n i n Em

pl oym en t Act , and th e Mi nn es ot a Hum an Rig ht s Act

.

Fo ll owi ng di sc ov ery, Mag is tra te Ju dg e Je ffre y J. K e y es is su ed a rep or t

reco m m en di ng th at th e di st ric t co ur t gr an t de f e n da nt s' m ot io ns fo r su m m ary jud gm en t. He co nc lu de d th at Targ e t h a d ne it he r em pl oyed no r joi nt ly em

pl oyed Abd el

- G h a n i
, an d th at Abd el -Gh an i ha d fai le d to es ta bl is h a ho st il e wor k

en vi ro nm e n t or th at hi s di sc ha rg e was ret al ia to ry or be cau se of hi s ag e or na ti on al

or ig in

. The di st ric t co ur t ad op te d th e reco m m en da ti on s ov er Ab d e l

- Gha ni 's

W e as su m e th at Abd el -Gh an i's la te r de sc rip ti on of th es e co m m en ts as ha vi ng 2 be en "co nt in uo us " is co ns is te nt wit h hi s pr io r st at em en t th at he he ard th em a t le as t te n t i m es ov er so m e two m on th s. To th e ex te nt it m ay ha ve di ffer ed
, a pl ai nt iff

can no t crea te an is su e of fact bl oc ki ng su m m ary jud gm en t by co nt rad ic ti ng hi s own pr io r st at em en ts

. See W il so n v. W es ti ng ho u s e Elec . C or p., 83 8 F.2 d 28 6, 28 9 (8 th Ci r. 19 88 ).

-3

-ob

jecti on s. Abd el -Gh an i th en ap pe al ed th e di st ric t co ur t's gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t on hi s ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t an d na ti on al or ig in di sc riminat io n cl ai m s.

II.

W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t's gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo

. Al-Zu ba id y

v. TEK In du s. In c., 40 6 F. 3 d 1 0 3 0, 10 36 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ). Su m m ary jud gm en t is

pr op er if, vi ewin g th e ev id en ce in th e li gh t m os t fa vo rab le to th e no nm ov in g pa rty, "t he re are no ge nu in e i s s u e s of m at eri al fact " an d th e m ov in g pa rty is "en ti tl ed to ju d g men t as a m at te r of la w." Id

. Abd el -Gh an i fir st arg ue s th at th e di st ric t c o u r t

erre d by co nc lu di ng th at he ha d no t be en em pl oyed or joi nt ly e mp l o ye d by Targ et

. We ne ed no t di sc us s th is fu rth er be cau se ev en if Targ et ha d be en Abd el

- G h a n i ' s

em pl oyer, bo th hi s ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t cl ai m an d hi s di sc riminat io n cl ai m fai l

as a m at te r of

law, as di sc us se d b el ow.

A.

Abd el

- G ha ni arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in de te rm in in g th at he fai le d

to es ta bl is h a ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t un d e r e i t he r Tit le VII or th e Mi nn es ot a H um an Ri gh ts Act. To es ta bl is h a ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t un de r ei th er st at ut e , Abd el -Gh an i m

us t sh ow th at he was su bjec t to un wan te d ha ras sm en t th at affe ct ed a
te rm , co nd it io n, or pr iv il eg e of hi s em pl oym en t. Py e v. Nu Aire
, In c., 64 1 F.3 d 10 11
, 10 15 n.3
, 10 18 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). Thi s is a de m an di ng st an da rd —" co nd uc t m

us t be

ex tre m e to am ou nt to a ch an ge in th e te rm s an d co nd it io ns of em pl oym en t." Fara gh er

v. Ci ty of Bo ca Rat on , 52 4 U.S. 7 7 5
, 7 88 (1 99 8)

. W he n de te rm in in g "wh et he r an

en vi ro nm en t is su ffi ci en tl y ho st il e," co ur ts co ns id er th e to ta li ty of th e ci rcu m st an ces , "i nc lu di ng th e 'freq ue nc y of th e di sc riminat o r y c o nd uc t; it s se ve rit y ; whe th er it is ph y si cal ly thre at en in g o r hu m il ia ti ng , or a m ere o ffen si ve ut te ran ce; an d whe th er it

un reas on ab ly in t e r fere s wit h an em pl oyee's wor k pe rfo rm an ce.'" Id

. at 78 7– 88 (q uo ti ng Harri s v . For kl ift Sy s., In c., 51 0 U.S. 1 7, 2 3 (1 99 3) ).

-4

-Here, Abd el -Gh an i ha s no t al le ge d fact s whi ch sh ow he was su bjec te d to a

ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t by Targ et or Mar ke tS ou rce. So m e of th e ap pr ox im at el y te n

co m m en ts Abd el -Gh an i he ard in Targ et 's ba c k r o om m ay ha ve be en "m or al ly

rep ul si ve ," b ut th ey were no t ph y si cal ly th reat en in g. Cf. Sin gl et ary v. Mo. Dep't of
Co rr., 42 3 F.3 d 88 6, 89 2– 93 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (co nc lu di ng oc cas io na l us e of r aci al

ep it he ts ha d no t crea te d a ho st il e wor k en vi ro nm en t). The on e ph y si cal ly th reat en in g

co m m en t he o ve rh eard (refe ren ci ng be in g n uk ed ) was no t s ai d di rect ly to hi m

. See id

. Fu rth erm or e, Abd el -Gh an i ha s no t sh own th at an y of th es e co m m en ts in te rfer ed wit h hi s work pe rfo rm an ce. See Arral eh v. Ct y

. of Ram se y , 46 1 F.3d 96 7, 97 9 (8t h Ci r. 20 06 ). W e co nc lu de th at th e reco rd do es no t sh ow he was su bjec te d to a ho st il e

wor k e nv iro nm en t.

B.

Abd el -Gh an i al so arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d b y g r a n ti ng su m m ary jud gm en t on hi s cl ai m s of na ti on al or ig in di sc riminat io n. Abd el -Gh an i ha s fai le d to 3

pr ov id e d ire ct ev id en ce tha t Varho l's de ci si on to fir e hi m was ba se d o n h is na ti on al

or ig in

. See Sch affh au se r v. Uni te d Parc el Serv
., In c., 79 4 F.3 d 89 9
, 9 0 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 15 ). His di sc riminat io n cl ai m m us t th er e f o r e b e " an al y zed un de r th e bu rd en

sh ift in g an al y si s [u se d] in McDo nn el l Dou gl as Co rp

. v. Green
, 41 1 U.S. 79 2 (1 97 3) ." Sch ie rh of f v. Glax oS m it hKl in e Co ns um er Heal th care , L.P., 444 F.3d 96 1, 9 64 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ). Und er th is bu rd en sh ift in g fram ewo rk
, a pl ai nt iff m us t fir st pr od uc e a
pr im a faci e cas e by sh owi ng fact s gi vi ng "ri se to an in fere nc e of di sc r i m in at io n." Tak el e v. Mayo Cl in ic
, 57 6 F.3 d 83 4, 83 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ). The bu rd en th en sh ift s to th e em pl oyer to pr od uc e a le gi ti m at e, no nd is cri m in at or y reas on fo r th e em pl oym en t de ci si on . Id.

Abd el -Gh an i as se rts th at he al so pl ed a cl ai m of race di sc riminat io n. He di d 3

no t argu e be lo w, ho wev er, t ha t h e h ad su ffi ci en tl y pl ed su ch a cl ai m . W e th eref or e de cl in e to co ns id er hi s raci al di sc ri mi n a t i on cl ai m on ap pe al

. See Ri de no ur v. Bo eh rin ge r In ge lh ei m

Ph arm ., Inc ., 67 9 F .3d 10 62 , 10 66 –6 7 (8 th Cir . 20 12 ).

-5

-Abd el -Gh an i ha s f a i le d to es ta bl is h a pr im a faci e cas e of di sc riminat io n "b ecau se th e reco rd do es no t sh ow th at [h is ] te rm in at io n oc cu r r e d u n d er ci rcu m st an ce s t h a t wou ld pe rm it an in fere nc e of di sc riminat io n." See Pri ce v. S-B
Po wer Too l, 75 F.3 d 36 2, 36 5 (8 th Ci r. 19 96 ). The re is no ev id en ce th at Varh ol m ad e

an y rem ark s ab ou t Abd el -Gh an i's na ti on al or ig in at an y ti m e. Abd el -Gh an i al le ge s th at Lieb ha rd was al so in vo lv ed in th e te rm in at io n dec is io n. Eve n if th at were tru e, ho wev er, th e on e st at em en t sh e m ad e ab ou t ho w Abd el -Gh an i sh ou ld go ba ck ho m e

was "fa ci al ly ne ut ral as to na ti on al or ig in " an d th eref or e di d no t "d em on st rat e an im us

on [h er] pa rt." See Gui m arae s v. Su pe rVal u, In c., 67 4 F.3 d 96 2, 97 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). Abd el -Gh an i ha s t h e r e f

or e fai le d to sh ow th at he was di sc riminat ed ag ai ns t on th e ba si s o f hi s n at io na l o rig in

.

III.

Acco rd in gl y , th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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

-6

-