# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s
For the Eig hth Circu it

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -2 6 43

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Karen Beck l ey

ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Pl a in t i

f f - Ap p el l an t

v

.

St . Lu k e's Ep i sco pal -Pres b y teri an Ho s p i t al s, d o in g b us i n es s as St . Lu k e's Ho s p i t al

l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap

p el l ee

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _
Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt fo r t he Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri - St . Lo u i s

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Su b m it t ed : Ap ri l 1 6, 2 0 1 9
Fi l ed : M ay

1 6 , 2 01 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re COLLOTON, GRUENDER, an d ERICKSON, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

ERICKSON, Ci rcu i t J u dg e.

Karen Beck l ey s u ed h er fo rm er em p l o y er, St

. Lu k e’ s Ep is co p al -Pres b y t eri an

Ho s pi t al s (“ St

. Lu k e’ s ”)

, f o r a l l eg ed l y i n t erferi n g wi t h h er ri gh t s u n der t he Fam i l ya n d M e d i c a l Leav e Act (“ FM L A”), 2 9 U.S.C. § 2 6 0 1 et seq

. Th e di s t ri ct co u rt 1

g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f St . Lu k e’ s , an d we affi rm

.

I

. Ba ck g ro und

W h en rev iewi n g t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, we reci t e t h e

fact s i n t h e l i g h t m o st fav o rab le t o Beck l ey

. St

. Lu k e’ s hi red Beck l ey in 1 9 9 5 t o wo rk

as a s u rg i cal t ech n i ci an

. A su rg i cal t ech ni ci an ’ s p ri nci p al du t y i s t o p as s i n s t ru m en t s

i n t he o p erat i n g ro o m

. Beck l ey b eg an wo rk in g i n t h e Lab o r & Del i v ery Dep art m en t

. In Oct o b er 2 01 2

, St

. L u k e’ s pro m o t ed Beck l ey t o a fu ll -t i m e p os i t i o n i n th e Op erat i n g

Ro o m Dep art m en t (“ ORD”). Th e jo b d es cri p ti o n s u m m ari zed t h at t h e s u r g i cal

t ech n i ci an was ex p ect ed t o “ [p ] erfo rm [] i n t h e s cru b ro l e du ri n g s urg i cal p ro ced u res , fo l l o w i n g al l es t ab l i s h ed N u rs i n g St an d ard s an d Ho s p i t al Po l i ci es .” W h en Beck l ey

was p ro m o t e d

, s h e was al read y o n in t erm i tt en t FM LA l eav e, an d St

. Lu k e’ s

u n d ers t o o d t h a t B eck l ey wo u l d n eed t o t ak e ad d i ti o n al FM L A l eav e. St

. Lu k e’ s

ap p ro v ed Beck l ey ’ s req u es t s fo r i n t erm i tt en t FM LA l eav e wh i le in t h e ORD d u ri n g

t h e fo l lo wi n g t im e p eri o ds : 2 fr om A ugust 2012 thr ough Feb ru ary 2 0 13 ; fro m Feb ru ary

2 0 1 3 t hro u g h Au gu st 2 0 1 3 ; an d fro m Ap ri l 2 0 1 4

, t hro u g h Ap ri l 2 0

, 2 0 1 5

. St

. Lu k e’ s

t erm i n at ed Beck l ey ’ s em p l oy m en t o n M arch 2 0 , 2 01 5

.

Beck l ey ’ s d ep art m en t al ch an g e t o t h e ORD i n cl u d ed a ch an g e i n s o m e o f h er jo b res ponsibilities

, i n cl u d i n g “ o n -cal l ” s h i ft s

. An o n -cal l s h i ft req u i red t h e em p l o y ee

t o be acces s i b l e w h il e o ff-d ut y d u ri n g t h e s hi ft

. Du ri n g an o n-cal l sh i ft

, an em p l o y ee

1 Th e Ho n o rab le Ro n ni e L. W h i t e, Un it ed St at es Di s tri ct Ju d ge fo r t h e Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri

.

2 Th ere i s n o cl ai m

t h at St . Lu k e’ s ev er d en i ed a req u es t fro m Beck l ey t o t ak e FM LA l eav e. So m et im es Beck l ey t o o k co n s ecu t i v e l e a v e d u ri n g t h es e p eri o d s , i n cl u d i n g , fo r ex am

p l e, fro m Decem b er 3 1 , 2 0 14 , t h ro u g h J an u ary 1 9

, 2 01 5

.

-2

-was t o rep o rt t o wo rk wi th in ap p ro x i m at el y 3 0 m i n u t es o f recei v in g an em erg en cy

cal l -i n

.

St . Lu k e’ s rep ri m an d ed Beck l ey o n m u l t i p l e o ccas i o ns fo r fai li n g t o res p o n d

ap p ro p ri at el y

t o em erg en cy cal l -i n req u es t s

. On M arch 1 0 , 2 01 4 , Beck l ey recei v ed

a Lev el 1 warn in g fo r fai li n g t o res p o n d t o m es s ag es l eft o n h er cel l p h o n e an d p ag er.

Becau s e of Beck l ey ’ s fai l ure to res p o n d

, St

. Lu ke’ s was fo rced t o co n tact t h e s eco n d

o n -cal l em

p l o y ee fo r t h e em erg en cy

. Beck l ey ad m i t t ed t h at t h i s rep ri m an d was

u n rel at ed t o her t ak in g FM LA l eav e. On Au g u st 1 2

, 20 1 4

, Beck l ey recei ved a Lev el

2 warn in g fo r n o t r e s p o n d i n g ap p ro p ri at el y t o a cal l -i n req u es t

. Beck l ey d i d n ot

res p o n d t o th e i n i t i a l cal l -i n m es s ag e, b u t res po n ded t o t h e s eco n d co n t act

ap p ro x i m at el y 3 5 m in u t es l at er. On A u g u s t 2 5

, 20 1 4

, Beck l ey recei v ed a Fi n al

W arn i ng fo r fai l i n g t o res p o n d t o an em erg en cy cal l-i n req u es t

. St

. Lu k e’ s co n t act ed

an o th er s u rg i cal t ech ni ci an fo r t h e em erg en cy

. A s a co n s eq u en ce, St

. Lu k e’ s

p ro h ib i t ed Beck l ey fro m s i g n i n g u p fo r ad d i t i o nal on -cal l sh i ft s b ecau s e o f h er

rep eat ed fai l ures t o res p o nd ap p ro p ri at el y wh en co n tact ed . Each t i m e Beck l ey was

rep ri m an d ed

, St

. L u k e ’ s co u ns el ed h er o n ap p ro p ri at e o n -cal l pro ced u res an d t h e

ORD’ s e x p e c t a t i o n s

. St

. Lu k e’ s i n fo rm ed Beck l ey each t i m e t h at an y ad d i t i o n al

o ccu rren ces m a y r e s u lt i n fu rt h er d i s ci p l i n ary act io n, i n cl u d i n g d i s ch arg e. Each

d i s ci pl i n ary act i o n in v o l v ed a d i fferen t ch arg e nu rs e, no n e o f wh o m p l ay ed an y ro l e

i n Beck l ey ’ s t erm i n at i o n

.

In ad d it io n t o t he fo rm al d i s ci pl i n ary act i o n s , Beck l ey was co u ns el ed ab o ut

o t h er i s s u es rel at ed t o h er wo rk

. On M arch 1 3, 2 0 1 4, St

. L u k e’ s t al k ed to Be c k l ey
ab o u t b e i n g i n at t en t i v e t o d et ai l s

. Beck l ey was rem i n ded t hat s h e need ed t o fo cu s

m o re an d t al k les s d u ri n g su rg i cal p ro ced u res

. Beck l ey ad m i t t ed th i s cri t i ci s m o f h er

w o r k p erfo rm an ce was un rel at ed t o h er FM LA leav e. Du ri ng h er an nu al j o b

e v a l u at io n o n March 3 0

, 2 0 1 4

, St

. Lu k e’ s s ug g es t ed Beck l ey k eep a n o t eb o o k an d

p referen ce card s fo r t h e d o ct ors s o t h at s h e co u l d fo cu s o n her ro le as t ech n i ci an an d

d ecreas e t h e am o u n t of tal k i n g a n d rep et i ti v e q u es t i o n i n g d u ri n g t h e p ro ced u re.

-3

-Acco rd in g t o Beck ley ’ s p ers o nn el fi l e, o n Ap ri l 7

, 20 1 4

, St

. L u k e’ s ag ai n d i s cu s s ed

wi t h Beck l ey t h e n eed t o fo cu s o n t h e tas k at h an d

. Sh e wa s a l s o c o a c h ed ab o ut

h av in g accu rat e s u rg i cal co un t s

.

Beck l ey , al t h o u gh n o t fo rm al l y d i sci p l i n ed fo r i m p ro p erl y l ab el i ng a s y ri n ge,
ack n owl ed ged t hat it was her res p o n si b il i ty an d “ a b i g d eal .” On J u ly 2 5

, 2 0 1 4

, wh i l e

p recep t i ng a s t ud en t

, Beck l ey m i s l ab el ed a s y ri n g e, wh i ch was h an d ed t o th e s u rg eo n
d u ri n g t h e p ro ced u re. Th e s yri n g e co n t ai n ed a m ed i cat i o n rat her t h an t h e s al i n e

s o l u t i on t h e s u rg eo n n eed ed fo r a fl u s h

. Beck l ey ad m i t t e d t h e m i s tak e was s eri ou s

an d d es cri b ed t h e ev en t as o n e wh ere “ t h e w h o le [o p erat i n g ] ro o m w as i nv o lv ed ” an d

aware o f h er erro r.

Les s t h an s ev en m o n th s aft er b ei n g g i v en a fi n al warn in g , o n M arch 9

, 2 0 1 5

, 3

d u ri n g a co m

p l i cat ed s u rg i cal p ro ced u re, Beck l ey b ecam e co n t am i n at ed wh i l e i n t h e

o p erat i n g ro om w h en sh e t o u ch ed a n o n -s t eri l e o b ject

. B e ck l ey reco g n i zed

i m m ed i at el y t hat sh e bro ke st eri l it y, b u t di d n o t i m m ed i at el y ch an g e h er g o wn o r

g l o v es . Du ri n g t h e p ro ced u re, Beck l ey l eft t h e o p erat i n g ro o m t o u s e t h e b at h ro o m
wi t h o u t let t i n g t h e s u r g eo n k n o w. Du ri n g th e res tro o m b reak

, Beck l ey h ad a

co n vers at i on wi t h a c o

- w o rk er ab o u t t h e co -wo rk er’ s up co m i n g facel i ft s u rg ery

. Beck l ey d en i ed t h at t h i s co n v ers at i o n d el ay ed h er ret u rn t o t h e o p erat i n g ro o m

. B e f o r e r e

- en t eri n g t h e o p erat i n g ro o m , Beck l ey h ad t he o pt i o n of s teri l i zi n g wi t h a

g el o r re-s cru b b in g

. Beck l ey ch o s e to re-s cru b

, a t en -m i n u te p ro ces s , rat her t h an u s e

t h e g el

, a t wo -o r th ree-s eco n d p ro ces s

. By t h e t i m e Beck l ey ret u rn ed t o t h e op erat i n g

ro o m , an es t i m at ed 1 0 t o 1 5 m i n u t es h ad el ap s ed

. T here w as an ad di ti o n al em p l o y ee
wh o en tered t h e o p e r at i ng ro o m d u ri n g Beck l ey ’ s ab s en ce t o as s i s t wi t h t h e

p ro ced ure. Aft er t h e su rg ery , t h e Di rect o r of Su rg i cal Serv i ces recei v ed rep o rt s fro m
b o t h n u rs es wh o w ere i n t h e o p erat i n g ro o m i n d i cat i n g Beck l ey b ro k e s t eri l i t y by

3 Th e M a r c h 1 0

, 2 0 1 5

, d at e o n t h e t erm in at i o n n ot i ce i s i n co rrect

. It i s

u n d i s p u t ed t h at t h e d at e o f t h e s u rg ery was M arch 9 , 2 0 1 5

.

-4

-wal k i n g t o th e s teri le fi el d t w i c e w h il e co n t am i n at ed

, s h e fai l ed t o b reak s cru b

acco rd i n g t o As s o ci at i o n o f Peri o p erat iv e Reg i s t ered Nu rs e g u i d el i nes , s h e ex erci s ed

p o o r ju d g m en t i n co n d u ct i n g a s u rg i cal co u n t du ri n g t h e p ro ced u re, an d s h e l eft t h e

o p erat i n g ro o m wh i l e t h e pro ced u re was o n g o i n g fo r a n e xt en d ed am o u n t o f t i m e
wi t h o u t l et t i n g an y o n e kn o w o f h er n eed t o l eav e. Beck l ey d en i ed t hat sh e en t ered

t h e s t eri le fi el d wh i l e co n tam i n at ed

. Sh e ad m i t t ed t h at s h e w a s g on e fro m t h e

o p erat i n g ro om fo r at l eas t 1 5 m i n u t es , b u t d e n i e d th at an o t h er p ers o n en t ered t h e

ro o m t o as s u m e h er ro le.

Beck l ey at t ri b u t ed t he co m p l ai n ts ab o ut h er wo rk p erfo rm an ce fro m co

wo rk ers an d h er s u perv i so r t o b e b ecau s e o f h er i n creas ed FM LA l eav e. Sh e as s ert ed

t h at o n e o f h er co -wo rk ers t o l d h er t h at s h e “ n eed ed to wat ch hers el f” wi t h reg ard to

h er FM LA u s a g e

. Beck l ey v i ewed a s u perv i s o r’ s in q u i ry ab o u t wh et h er s h e co u ld

s ch ed u l e d o ct or’ s ap p oi n t m e n t s d u ri n g o ff-d u t y h o u rs as a co m pl ai nt o r co n cern
ab o ut h er FM LA l eav e u s ag e. Beck l ey b el i ev ed i t was b ecau s e o f h er FM LA l eav e

t h at s h e was b ei ng t r eat ed d i fferen t l y t h an o t her em p l o y ees fo r wh at s h e v i ewed as

m i n o r i nfract i o n s

. Beck l ey b ro u g h t t h i s FM LA ret al i at i on cl ai m ag ai n st St

. Lu k e’ s ,

as s ert i n g s h e ro u t i n el y s u ffered ad v ers e em p l o y m en t act i o n s fo ll o w i n g th e ex erci s e

o f FM LA l eav e.

W i t h o u t d i rect ev i d en ce o f ret al i a t i o n , t h e d i s tri ct co urt an al y zed Beck l ey ’ s
cl ai m u n der t h e b u rd en -s h i ft i n g fram ewo rk o f M cDo n n el l D o u gl as Co rp . v . Green

, 4 1 1 U.S. 7 9 2 (1 9 7 3 ). Th e co u rt d eci d ed th at Beck ley ’ s t em p o ral p ro x i m i t y cl ai m was

i n s u ffi ci en t t o es t ab l i s h a cau s al co nn ect i o n to t he d is ci p l i n ary act i o ns o r t erm i n at i o n

an d

, t h erefo re, s h e co u l d no t es t ab l i s h a pr i ma f a ci e cas e o f r e t a l i at i on

. Th e co u rt

wen t o n t o fi n d th at St

. Lu k e’ s p ro ffered a l eg i t i m at e, n o n d i s cri m i n at o ry reas o n fo r
Beck l ey ’ s t erm i n at i o n an d t h at Beck l ey h ad fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h p ret ex t

.

-5

-I I

. Di s cus s i o n

W e rev i ew t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t d

e n o v o , v i e w i n g t h e fact s an d

d rawi n g al l i n feren ces i n th e li g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o Beck l ey , t h e n on -m o v in g p art y

. RSA 1 L t d

. P’ sh i p v. Param o u n t So ft ware As s o cs ., In c., 7 93 F.3 d 9 0 3

, 90 6 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 5 ). Su m

m ary ju d g m en t i s ap p ro p ri at e i f “ t h ere i s n o g en u i n e d i s p u t e as t o an y

m at eri al fact an d t h e m ov an t is en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at ter o f l aw.” Fed

. R. Ci v.

P. 5 6 (a). W e m ay affi rm o n an y b as i s su p p o rt ed b y t h e reco rd

. Ho l t v. H o ward

, 8 0 6

F.3 d 1 12 9

, 1 13 2 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 5 ) (q u o t i n g H o h n v

. BNSF Ry

. Co

., 7 0 7 F.3 d 9 9 5

, 1 0 0 0
(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 3 )).

Th e FM LA pro hi b i t s an em p l o y er fro m t ak in g ad v ers e act i o n ag ai n s t an

em pl o y ee b ecau s e t h e em

p l o y ee ex erci s es a ri g h t t o wh i ch sh e i s en t it l ed

. Pu l czi n s ki

v

. T ri ni t y S t r u ct u ral T o wers , In c., 6 9 1 F.3 d 9 9 6

, 1 0 05

– 0 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 2 ). Tak i n g

FM LA l e a v e , h o wev er, d o es n o t gi v e an em pl o y ee g reat er pro t ect i o n s ag ai n s t

t erm i n at i o n fo r reas o n s u n rel at ed t o t h e FM LA t h an was av ai l ab le b efo re. Es t rad a v. Cy p res s Sem i co n du ct o r (M i n n .) In c., 6 1 6 F.3 d 86 6

, 8 7 1 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 0 ). In o t h er

wo rd s , t erm i n at i o n i s act io nab l e u n d er t he F M L A on l y i f t he em p l o y ee was
d i s ch arg ed b ecau s e o f h er FM LA l eav e. Id

. To p ro ceed wi t h h er cl ai m , Beck l ey m u s t

p res en t s u ffi ci en t ev i d en c e fo r a ju ry t o fi n d t hat h er t erm i n at io n was m o t i v at ed by

h er ex erci s e o f ri g h t s u n d er t h e FM LA. Pu l czi n sk i , 6 9 1 F.3 d at 1 0 0 7

.

Beck l ey arg u es t h at s h e es t ab l i s h ed a s u b m i s s i b l e FM LA ret al i at i on cl ai m , rel y i n g o n ev i d en ce o f (1 ) t h e t em p o ral p ro x i m i t y o f t he ex erci s e o f h er FM LA ri g h t s

t o th e di s ci p l i nary act i o n s an d u l t i m at e t erm i n at i o n, an d (2 ) St

. Lu k e’ s m o re l en i en t

t reat m en t o f o t her em

p l o y ees wh o d i d n o t ex e r c i s e ri g h t s u n d er t h e FM LA.

As s um i n g w i t h o u t d eci d i n g t hat Beck l ey es t ab l i s h ed a p r ima f a ci e cas e, h er FM LA

ret al i at i o n cl ai m fai l s b ecau s e s h e can no t es tab l i s h h er t erm i n at io n was m ot i v at ed by

t h e ex erci s e o f FM LA ri g h ts

.

-6

-B e c k l ey u s ed FM LA l eav e freq u en t l y wi t h n o n eg at i v e co n s eq u en ces fro m

Oct o b er 2 0 1 2

, w h en sh e s t art ed wo rk i ng in t h e ORD, un t i l M arch 1 0

, 2 0 14

, wh en s h e
recei v ed a Lev el 1 warn i n g

. 4 Beg i n n i n g o n M arch 1 0

, 2 0 1 4

, St

. Lu k e’ s d o cu m en t ed

Beck l ey ’ s fai l u re t o f

o l l o w o n -cal l p ol i cy an d o t h er wo rk perfo rm an ce i s s u es

. Sh e

was co u n s el ed ab o u t St

. Lu k e’ s ex p ect at i o n s a n d h o w s he was fai l i n g t o m eet

ex p ect at i o ns o n M arch 10

, 2 0 1 4 ; M arch 1 3

, 20 1 4 ; M arch 3 0, 2 0 1 4 ; A p ri l 7

, 2 0 1 4;

J u l y 2 5

, 2 0 14 ; Au g u s t 1 2

, 2 0 1 4 ; Au g u s t 2 5

, 20 1 4; Decem b er 4

, 2 01 4 ; an d J an u ary 2 1,

2 0 1 5

. On t h ree o f th es e o c cas i o n s Beck l ey was g iv en w ri t t en w arn i n g s, each t i m e
b ei n g p u t o n n o t i ce t h at ad di ti o n al o ccu rren ces co u ld l ead t o h er t erm i n at io n

.

Beck l ey ’ s al leg ed m i s t reat m en t b y St

. Lu ke’ s su p erv is o rs , in cl u d i ng h o l d i n g

h er t o a d i fferen t s t an d ard t h an ot h er em p l o y ees , s cru t i n izi n g h er wo rk m o re cl o s el y , fai l i n g t o co rrect o r ad d res s a co -wo rk er’ s c o m m e n t ab o u t h er FM LA l eav e u s ag e,

i n q u i ri n g wh et her s he co u l d s ch ed u l e d o ct or’ s ap p o i n t m en ts d u ri n g o ff-d u t y h o u rs ,

an d as ki n g i f pap erwo rk recei v ed b y fa c s i m i l e w as “ FM LA t o o ,” wi t h o u t ev i d en ce

o f tan gi b l e i nju ry o r h arm i s n o t act i o n ab l e u nd er t he FM LA. Has en wi n k el v

. M o s ai c, 8 0 9 F.3 d 4 2 7

, 4 3 4 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 5 ). Th e FM LA i s n o t “ a g en eral ci v i l i t y co d e

fo r t h e A m eri can wo rk

pl ace.” Bu rl i ng t on N. & San t a Fe Ry

. Co

. v

. W h i t e, 5 4 8 U.S.

5 3

, 6 8 (2 0 0 6 ) (q uo t i n g On cal e v

. Su n d o wn er Offs h o re Serv i ces , In c., 5 2 3 U.S. 7 5

, 8 0
(1 9 9 8)). Beck l ey ’ s co m p l ai n t s i n v o l v e th e s o rt o f “ p et t y s l i g ht s o r m i n o r

an n oy an ces ,” referen ced b y t h e Su p rem e Co u rt i n Bu rl in g t o n N, 5 4 8 U.S. at 6 8

, t h at

al t h o u g h fru s t rat i n g t o an em p l o y ee, d o n ot g i ve ri s e t o a co g n i zab l e FM LA cl ai m

.

In t h e en d

, Beck l ey ’ s cas e co n si s t s o f an u n p ers u as i v e arg u m en t o f t e m p o r al

p ro x im it y co m

b in ed wi t h her s u b

ject i v e b el i ef t h at s h e was b ei n g t reat ed di fferen t l y

an d a few s t ray co m

m en t s t h at s h e p ercei v ed t o i n t erfere wi th h er FM LA ri g ht s

. Beck l ey ’ s ev i d en ce d o es n o t u n d erm i ne or ev en rai s e a g en ui n e is s u e o f m at eri al fact

4 Th e reco rd i s s i l en t as t o n eg at i v e co n s eq u en ces , i f an y , w h i l e o n FM LA l eav e d u ri n g t h e 1 7 -y ear p eri o d Beck l ey wo rk ed i n t h e Lab o r an d Del i v ery Dep art m en t

.

-7

-reg ard i n g St

. Lu ke’ s l eg i t i m at e, n o n d i s cri m i n a t o r y reas o n s fo r h er term i n at i o n.

Beck l ey h as n o t p res en t ed a s u b m i s si b l e cas e o f ret al i at i o n fo r ex erci s i n g h er FM LA

ri gh t s.

I I I

. Co ncl us i o n

Th e ju d g m en t o f t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt i s affi rm ed

.

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-8

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