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. 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 R O Y G R A N T Z , a n in d iv id u a l, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. S T AT E F AR M M UT UA L A U TO M O BI LE I N SU RA N CE C O M P A N Y , ac orpor a t i on, D ef

endant- A pp el l ee . N o. 09- 56602 D. C . No . 8 : 0 8 - c v - 0 0 8 5 5 - AG - AN 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 C e n tr a l D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia A ndr e w J . G ui l f

or d, D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d F e brua ry16, 2011

P a s a d e n a , C a lif

o rn ia B efo re: A L A R C Ó N , R Y M E R , an d B Y B E E , C i rcu i tJu d g es. T r o y G r a n tz ap p e a ls f

r o m th e o r d e rg r a n tin g s u m m a ryju d g m e n t to S ta te F a rm M utua l A ut o I ns ur a nc e C o. ( “ S t a t e F a rm ” ) on hi s c l a i m s f orf a i l ur e t o m a ke r e a s onabl e a c c om m oda t i on f orhi s di s abi l i tyunde rC a l i f orni a ’ s F a i rE m pl oy m e nt 

# FI LED MA R 09 2011 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS2

a nd H ous i ng A c t , C a l . G ov’ tC ode § 12940 e t s e q . ( “F E H A ” ) , d is ab ility di s c r i m i na t i on unde rthe F E H A , a nd vi ol a t i on of publ i c pol i c y . W e ha ve ju r is d ic tio n p u r s u a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1 , a n d w e a f f irm . I G r a nt z c ont e nds the di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n c onc l udi ng tha tno ge nui ne i s s ue o f m a te r ia l f

a c t e x is ts w ith r e s p e c t to w h e th e rS ta te F a rm f a ile d to a c c o m m o d a te h i s d i s ab i l i ty i n ar e a s o n ab l e m a n n e ri n v i o l a t i o n o f th e F E HA . Un d e rth e F E HA , a n e m pl oy e rm us t“ m a ke r e a s onabl e a c c om m oda t i on f orthe know n phy s i c a l or m ent al di sabi l i ty of an app l i cantor em pl oyee ” unl es s the em pl oyerw ou l d fac e

“ undue ha r ds hi p” i n doi ng s o. C a l . G ov’ tC ode § 12940( m ) . T he F E H A doe s not ent i t l e an em pl oyee t o cho ose the b e s t a c c o m m o d a tio n o ras p e c if ic a c c o m m o d a tio n ; it o n lye n title s h im to ar e a s o n ab le o n e . R ai ne v . C i t yof B ur bank , 37 C al . R ptr. 3d 89 9, 90 4 (C t . A pp . 20 06 ). A n em pl oyeri s notre qu i re d t o cre at e a ne w j ob, m ove a nothe re m pl oy e e , pr om ot e the e m pl oy e e , orvi ol a t e the r i ght s of a n o th e re m p lo y e e . H

a st i n gs v. D ep ’t

o f Co rr. , 2 C a l . R ptr . 3d 329, 335 ( C t . A pp. 2003) . T he e m pl oy e rm a y pr e va i l on am ot i on f ors um m a ryj udgm e ntby d em o n stra ti n g th at “th er e s im p ly w as n o v ac an t p o siti o n w ith in th e e m p lo ye r’s organi za t i on for w hi ch the di sabl ed em pl oyee w as qu al i fi ed and w hi ch the di sabl edS t a t e F a rm r a i s e d e xhaus t i on w i th r e s pe c tt o G r a nt z ’ s r e que s tt o w ork f r om 1 h o m e in J u n e 2 0 0 7 a s ad e f e n s e f o rth e f ir s t tim e in its r e p lyb r ie f in s u p p o rt o f

its m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm ent . T he di stri ctcourthel d thatG rant z’ s c l ai m that S ta te F a rm f

a ile d to a c c o m m o d a te h im b yr e f u s in g to le t h im w o rkf

r o m h o m e in June 20 07 w as barr ed on exhaust i on grou nd s. G rant z f ai l ed t o o bj ec tor t o fi l e a m o ti o n fo r r ec o n sid er atio n claim in g su rp rise af ter r ec eiv in g th e d istrict co u rt’s o r d e r . See F ed . R . C i v . P . 5 9 (e); F ed . R . C i v . P . 6 0 (b ) (“ O n m o t i o n an d j u stt erm s, th e c o u rt m a y r e lie v e ap a rtyo rits le g a l r e p r e s e n ta tiv e f r o m af in a l ju d g m e n t, o r d e r , o rp r o c e e d in g f

o r. . . ( 1 ) m is ta k e , in a d v e rte n c e , s u rp r is e , o re x c u s ab le ne gl e c t [ . ] ” ) . T hus , G r a nt z ’ s c ont e nt i on tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n pe rm i tt i ng S ta te F a rm to r a is e th e e x h au s tio n d o c tr in e a s ad e f e n s e f o rth e f ir s t tim e in its r e p lyb r ie f

w a s n o t p r e s e rv e d f

o rap p e a l. 3 em pl oyee w as capabl e of per form i ng w i th o r w i tho utac com m od at i on [. ] ” Je nsen v. W e l l s Far go B ank , 1 0 2 C a l. Rp tr . 2 d 5 5 , 6 8 ( C t. A p p . 2 0 0 0 ) . I n hi s a m e nde d c om pl a i ntt o the D e pa rtm e ntof F a i rE m pl oy m e nta nd H o u s in g ( “D F E H ” ) , G r a n tz s ta te d , “I w a s tr a n s f e rr e d , w ith o u t r e a s o n , to th e [ A u to C l ai m s C entra l ] , up on re turn from C F R A l ea ve i n O ct ob er , 20 07 . I r equest ed an a c c o m m o d a tio n . S ta te F a rm d e te rm in e d th a t I w a s e n title d to ar e a s o n ab le a c c om m oda t i on, w hi c h I r e que s t e d t o be a s s i gnm e ntt o af i e l d f a c i l i ty . ” H e di d not al l ege i n h i s c om pl ai ntthathe had request ed an acc om m od at i on pri or t o O ct ob er 2007. N ordi d he a l l e ge tha the ha d r e que s t e d a n a c c om m oda t i on i n the f orm of p a rt- tim e w o rkin th e A u to C la im s C e n tr a l ( “A C C ” ) . T h o s e c la im s a r e n o t w ith in the s c ope of

hi s D F E H c om pl a i nta nd the r e f or e ha ve notbe e n e xhaus t e d. C f. 1 N azi r v . U ni ted A i rl i nes, Inc. , 10 0 C al . R ptr. 3d 29 6, 31 7 (C t . A pp . 20 09 ) ( pl ai nt i ff4

m a y p r o c e e d o n c la im s n o t s p e c if ic a llya lle g e d in D F E H c o m p la in t if th e c la im is

“ l i ke orr e a s onabl y r e l a t e d” t o the a dm i ni s tr a t i ve c har ge s or“ c oul d r e a s onabl ybe expect ed t o g row ” outof an adm i ni stra t i ve i nv es t i gat i on ). A s t o the e xhaus t e d port i on of the c l a i m t o r e a s onabl e a c c om m oda t i on, G rant z has no tproffe re d evi dence thata vac antfi el d p osi t i on exi st ed betw ee n O c t obe r2007 a nd hi s t e rm i na t i on i n J ul y2008. H i s c l a i m tha tS t a t e F a rm di d not r e a s onabl y a c c om m oda t e hi s di s abi l i tybytr a ns f e rr i ng hi m t o af

i e l d pos i t i on d u ri n g th i s p eri o d th erefo re fai l s. II G r a n tz a r g u e s th a t h e p r e s e n te d s u f f ic ie n t e v id e n c e to d e m o n s tr a te th a t S ta te F arm ’ s proff

er ed re as on s f

or hi s transfe r t o the B ri dg e T ea m and h i s e ventual te rm in a tio n w e r e p r e te x tu a l o rth a t S ta te F a rm w a s m o tiv a te d b yd is c r im in a tio n . “[ T ]h e g r e a t w e ig h t o f

f e d e r a l a n d C a lif

o rn iaau th o r ityh o ld s th a t a n e m p lo y e ris e nt i t l e d t o s um m a ryj udgm e nti f , c ons i de r i ng the e m pl oy e r ’ s i nnoc e nte xpl a na t i on for i t s a ct i on s, the evi dence as a w ho l e i s i nsuffi ci entt o p erm i ta r at i on al i nfer ence thatthe em pl oyer ’ s a ctual m ot i ve w as di sc ri m i nat ory. ” G uz v. B ec ht el N at ’l Inc. , 8 P . 3d 10 89 , 11 17 (C al . 20 00 ). G r a nt z c ont e nds tha tS t a t e F a rm ’ s de c i s i on t o tr a ns f e rhi m t o the B r i dge T e a m w a s m ot i va t e d i n pa rtby bi a s be c aus e i tkne w pr i ort o a s s i gni ng hi m t o the5

B r i dge T e a m “ tha tthe A C C w orki ng e nvi r onm e ntha d c aus e d [ hi m ] s tr e s s a nd anxi ety a tt ac ks[. ] ” S t at e F arm pres ent ed evi dence, ho w ever , thati tas si gn ed G rant z t o the B ri dg e T ea m because he w as the on l y f i el d repres ent at i ve w ho had p r e v io u s e x p e r ie n c e in th e A C C , a n d b e c au s e “[ h ]e h a d th e c o m p e te n c ie s a n d s k ills a s f a ra s h is o r g an iz a tio n a n d c o m m u n ic a tio n s k ills to d o th a t jo b w e ll.” G r a n tz h a s n o t p r e s e n te d s u f

f ic ie n t e v id e n c e th a t th is e x p la n a tio n is p r e te x tu a l. W ith r e g a r d to h is te rm in a tio n , G r a n tz a r g u e s th a t, a s am a tte ro f la w , S ta te F a rm ’ s e xpl a na t i on tha ti tt e rm i na t e d hi m due t o e xpi r a t i on of hi s m e di c a l l e a ve const i tut es un l aw ful di sc ri m i nat i on un der the F E H A . H ow ever , w here an em pl oyerbel i eves thatan em pl oyee w i l l no tbe abl e t o p er form the es se nt i al f unc t i ons of

the j ob upon e xpi r a t i on of s t a tut oryl e a ve , the e m pl oy e rdoe s not v io la te th e F E H A b y te rm in a tin g th e e m p lo y e e . N adaf - R ahr ovv . N

e i m an M ar c us G rp. , Inc. , 8 3 C al. Rp tr. 3 d 1 9 0 , 2 0 2 (C t. A p p . 2 0 0 8 ). A cc o rd in g ly, S tate F ar m ’s te rm in a tio n o f

G r a n tz d u e to e x p ir a tio n o f h is m e d ic a l le a v e d o e s n o t c o n s titu te d i s ab i l i ty d i s c r i m i n a t i o n u n d e rth e F E HA . G r a n tz f u rth e ra s s e rts th a t “th e e v id e n c e th a t S ta te F a rm k n e w w h e n it tr a n s f e rr e d p la in tif

f to th e B r id g e T e a m th a t h e h a d ad is ab ilityth a t im p a ir e d h is abi l i ty t o pe r f

orm tha tj ob a nd tha ti tthe r e a f t e rr e f us e d a c c om m oda t i on w i thout know i ng ora tt e m pt i ng t o a s c e rt a i n the na tur e of tha tdi s abi l i tyr a i s e s age nui ne6

i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c ta s t o w he the rdi s c r i m i na t i on w a s , i n a ddi t i on t o the r e a s ons of f e r e d by S t a t e F a rm , a l s o am ot i va t i ng f a c t ori n S t a t e F a rm ’ s e m pl oy m e nt de c i s i ons . ” S t a t e F a rm , how e ve r , of f e r e d G r a nt z apos i t i on a s a n E s t i m a t i ng C oor di na t or , w hi c h G r a nt z de c l i ne d. G r a nt z a ddi t i ona l l yr e f us e d t o c ons i de ra ny p o siti o n o u tsid e o f I rv in e. O n th es e f ac ts, G ra n tz h as n o t sh o w n th at S tate F ar m ’s d eci si o n t o tran sfer h i m w as b ased o n h i s d i sab i l i ty. III G r a nt z doe s notdi s put e tha tthe s uc c e s s of hi s publ i c pol i c yc l a i m de pe nds o n th e s u c c e s s o f

h is c la im th a t h e w a s s u b je c t to d is ab ilityd is c r im in a tio n in v io la tio n o f

th e F E H A . B e c au s e h e h a s f a ile d to r a is e atr iab le is s u e o f f a c t w ith re gard t o h i s di sabi l i ty di sc ri m i nat i on cl ai m , hi s c l ai m thatS t at e F arm vi ol at ed p u b lic p o lic y f

a ils a s w e ll. IV G r a n tz a ls o r a is e s a n is s u e a s to w h e th e rJ a yK e ls e y , av ic e p r e s id e n t a t S ta te F a rm , w a s am a n a g in g a g e n t u n d e r§ 3 2 9 4 ( b ) o f th e C a lif

o rn iaC iv il C o d e . P ur s ua ntt o tha ts e c t i on, “ [ a ] n e m pl oy e rs ha l l notbe he l d l i abl e ” f orpuni t i ve da m a ge s unl e s s the c orpor a t i on’ s w r ongf ul c onduc tw a s author i z e d orr a t i f i e d by

“ a n of f i c e r , di r e c t or , orm a na gi ng a ge ntof the c orpor a t i on. ” C a l . C i v. C ode § 3 2 9 4 ( b ) .7

B e c aus e w e a f

f i rm the di s tr i c tc ourti n a l l r e s pe c t s , G r a nt z ’ s e l i gi bi l i tyf or p u n itiv e d a m a g e s is m o o t. See W ard v . R y an , 623 F . 3d 807, 813 ( 9th C i r . 2010) ( a f f irm in g s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in f a v o ro f d e f e n d a n t a n d a c c o r d in g lyd e c lin in g to addres s i ss ues r el at ed t o p un i t i ve dam ages ). AF F I RME D.