FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT SEPT 12 , 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- 16439 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C. Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 8 0 6 5 2 - CV- KLR L A Z H A R A B B E S , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s E M B R A E R S E R V I C E S , I N C ., d .b .a . E m b r a e rS e rv ic e s I n c ., D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 12, 2006) B efo re A N D E R S O N , D U B IN A an d H U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: L a z h a rA b b e s , aC a n a d ia n a n d T u n is ia n c itiz e n , p r o c e e d in g p r o s e , ap p e a lsAbbes mistakenly named Embraer Ser

vices, Inc., as thedefendant. The f inal 1 judgment notes that the defendant’s cor rect name is Embraer Engineering Ser vices, Inc. 2 th e d i stri ctco u rt ’ s g ran to f su m m ary j u d g m en tt o E m b raer E n g i n eeri n g S erv i ces, Inc. , (“ E E S I” ), i n h i s s ui tal l egi ng nat i on al ori gi n d i sc ri m i nat i on un der T i t l e V II . 1 O n app ea l , A bb es ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourterre d i n g rant i ng sum m ary ju d g m e n t f

o rE E S I b e c au s e E E S I tr e a te d o th e rB r a z ilia n e m p lo y e e s m o r e f a v o r ab ly a n d its g iv e n r e a s o n s f

o rh is te rm in a tio n w e r e ap r e te x t. W e r e vi e w adi s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof s um m a ryj udgm e ntde novo, appl y i ng the s a m e s t a nda r ds ut i l i z e d by the di s tr i c tc ourt . S . E . C . v. A dl e r , 137 F . 3d 1325, 1332 ( 11th C i r . 1998) . T he m ovi ng pa rtyi s e nt i t l e d t o s um m a ryj udgm e nti f the pl ea di ng s, depo si t i on s, answ er s t o i nt errogat ori es , and adm i ss i on s on fi l e, t og ether w i th the af

fi davi t s, i f any, show thatthere i s no g enui ne i ss ue as t o any m at er i al f a c t a n d th a t th e m o v in g p a rtyis e n title d to aju d g m e n t a s am a tte ro f la w . F e d. R . C i v. P . 56( c ) . I f

the non- m ovi ng pa rtybe a r s the ul t i m a t e bur de n of pr oof r e ga r di ng the c l a i m a ti s s ue i n the m ot i on, tha tpa rty , i n r e s pons e t o the m ot i on, m ustgo beyond the pl ea di ng s and es t abl i sh, throu gh com pet entevi dence, that the r e trul y i s age nui ne , m a t e r i a l i s s ue t o be tr i e d. C e l ot e x C orp. v. C a tr e tt , 477 U . S . 317, 324, 106 S . C t . 2548, 2553, 91 L . E d. 2d 265 ( 1986) . A ddi t i ona l l y , the no n-m ov i ng party m ustpres entenou gh evi dence t o d em on stra t e thati tcan m ee t th e s u b s ta n tiv e e v id e n tia ry s ta n d a r d s th a t ap p lyto th e c a s e , th a t is , th a t aju ryc o u ld3

r e a s o n ab l y r e tu rn av e r d i c ti n h i s f a v o r . Se e A n d e r s o n v . Li b e rtyLo b b y , 4 7 7 U . S. 24 2, 25 5, 10 6 S . C t . 25 05 , 25 14 , 91 L . E d. 2d 20 2 (19 86 ). W e vi ew the evi dence a n d a ll f a c tu a l in f

e r e n c e s th e r e f

r o m in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o r ab le to th e p a rty o p p o s in g th e m o tio n , a n d a ll r e a s o n ab le d o u b ts ab o u t th e f a c ts a r e r e s o lv e d in f a v o ro f th e n o n m o v a n t. B u rto n v . C ityo f B e lle G la d e , 1 7 8 F .3 d 1 1 7 5 , 1 1 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) . “A m e r e ‘s c in tilla ’ o f e v id e n c e s u p p o rtin g th e o p p o s in g p a rty 's p o s itio n w ill n o t s u f

f ic e ; th e r e m u s t b e e n o u g h o f as h o w in g th a t th e ju ryc o u ld re as on abl y f

i nd for thatparty. ” W al ker v. D arby, 91 1 F . 2d 15 73 , 15 77 (11th C i r. 1 9 9 0 ) . A . N a t i ona l O r i gi n D i s c r i m i na t i on T itle V I I m a k e s it a n u n la w f u l e m p lo y m e n t p r a c tic e f o ra n e m p lo y e rto f

a il o r refu se t o h i re o r t o d i sch arg e an y i n d i v i d u al , o r o th erw i se d i scri m i n at e ag ai n st a ny i ndi vi dua l w i th r e s pe c tt o hi s c om pe ns a t i on, t e rm s , c ondi t i ons , orpr i vi l e ge s of em pl oym ent , because of s uch i nd i vi du al ’ s r ac e, col or, re l i gi on , se x, or nat i on al or i gi n. S e e B a s s v. B oa r d of C ountyC om ' r s , O r a nge C ounty , F l a . , 256 F . 3d 1095, 11 03 (11th C i r. 20 01 ); se e a l so 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-2(a) . “I n o r d e rto p r o v e d is c r im in a to rytr e a tm e n t in v io la tio n o f T itle V I I , a p la in tif f m u s t f ir s t e s tab lis h ap r im af

a c ie c a s e o f

d is c r im in a tio n .” C o u tu v . M a rtin4

C ounty B d. of

C ounty C om m ’ r s , 47 F . 3d 1068, 1073 ( 11th C i r . 1995) . W e ha ve s tr e s s e d th a tc o u rt s s h o u l d a v o i d as tr i c tf o rmu l a t i o n o f

th e e l e me n t s o f

ap r i ma f a c ie c a s e . S e e C a rte rv . C ityo f M ia m i, 8 7 0 F .2 d 5 7 8 , 5 8 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 8 9 ) . A bsentdi re ctevi dence of di sc ri m i nat i on , a pl ai nt i ff i n a t erm i nat i on ca se can es t abl i sh a pri m a f

ac i e c as e by s ho w i ng that : (1) he i s am em ber of aprot ec t ed c l a s s ; ( 2) he w a s s ubj e c tt o a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on; ( 3) he w a s qua l i f i e d f or the pos i t i on he l d; ( 4) a nd he w a s r e pl a c e d ortr e a t e d l e s s f a vor abl ytha n s om e one s im ila r lys itu a te d o u ts id e o f h is p r o te c te d c la s s . K n ig h t v . B ap tis t H o s p . o f M ia m i, Inc. , 33 0 F . 3d 13 13 , 13 16 (11th C i r. 20 03 ).

“ T o sho w thatem pl oyee s are si m i l ar l y s i tuat ed, the pl ai nt i ff m ustshow that th e e m p lo y e e s a r e s im ila r lys itu a te d in a ll r e le v a n t r e s p e c ts . . . it is n e c e s s a ryto consi der w hether the em pl oyee s are i nv ol ved i n o r a cc used of the sa m e or s i m i l ar c o n d u c ta n d a r e d i s c i p l i n e d i n d i f f e r e n tway s . ” Kn i g h t , 3 3 0 F . 3 d a t1 3 1 6 . An em pl oyee w ho com m i tt ed m ul t i pl e i nfra ct i on s i s notsi m i l ar l y s i tuat ed t o an e m p lo y e e w h o c o m m itte d o n e in f r a c tio n . S ilv e r av . O r an g e C o u n tyS c h o o l B d ., 24 4 F . 3d 12 53 , 12 59 (11th C i r. 20 01 ). “ A pri m a f

ac i e c as e of di sc ri m i nat i on ra i se s the i nfer ence that di s c r i m i na t ory i nt e ntm ot i va t e d the a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on. ” C outu, 47 F . 3d a t1073. “ T he e m pl oy e rm a y r e butthi s i nf e r e nc e by‘ c l e a r l ya rt i c ul a t i ng i n a5

reaso n ab l y sp eci fi c m an n er a l eg i t i m at e n o n -d i scri m i n at o ry reaso n ’ fo r th e ad v erse a c tio n .” I d . q u o tin g C o n n e rv . F o rt G o r d o n B u s C o ., 7 6 1 F .2 d 1 4 9 5 , 1 4 9 9 ( 1 1 th C i r. 19 85 ). “ T he heartof the pret exti nq ui ryi s notw hether the em pl oyee agre es w i th the r e a s ons tha tthe e m pl oy e rgi ve s f orthe di s c ha r ge , butw he the rthe e m p lo y e rr e a llyw a s m o tiv a te d b y th o s e r e a s o n s .” S ta n d a r d v . A .B .E .L . S e rv s ,, I n c ., 1 6 1 F .3 d 1 3 1 8 , 1 3 3 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) . “O n c e th e e m p lo y e rs a tis f ie s th is bu rden of prod uct i on , the pl ai nt i ff then h as the bu rden of persuadi ng the courtthat the pr of f e r e d r e a s on i s apr e t e xtf orthe true di s c r i m i na t oryr e a s on. ” C outu, 47 F . 3d at10 73 . “ If

the pl ai nt i ff

do es no tproffe r s uffi ci entevi dence t o cre at e a g en u in e iss u e o f m ater ial fac t reg ar d in g w h eth erea ch o f th e d ef en d an t em p lo ye r’s a rt i c ul a t e d r e a s ons i s pr e t e xtua l , the e m pl oy e ri s e nt i t l e d t o s um m a ryj udgm e nton th e p la in tif

f’s c la im .” C h ap m a n v . A I T r a n s p ., 2 2 9 F .3 d 1 0 1 2 , 1 0 2 4 , 1 0 2 5 ( 1 1 th C i r. 20 00 ) ( en banc). Up o n r e v i e w o f

th e r e c o r d a n d u p o n c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e p a rt i e s ’ b r i e f

s , we fi nd no re vers i bl e e rr or. Th e d i s tr i c tc o u rtd i d n o te rri n g r a n t i n g s u mma ryj u d g me n tf o rEESI b e c au s e A b b e s d id n o t p r e s e n t ap r im af a c ie c a s e o f

n a tio n a l o r ig in d is c r im in a tio n . E E S I c on ce des thatA bb es , a T un i si an, i s am em ber of aprot ec t ed cl as s and that h e w a s te rm in a te d . F u rth e r , A b b e s w a s q u a lif ie d f o ra n e n g in e e r in g p o s itio n w ith6

E E S I. H ow e ve r , A bbe s c a nnotde m ons tr a t e tha the w a s r e pl a c e d upon t e rm i na t i on o rth a t E E S I tr e a te d h im le s s f a v o r ab lyth an s o m e o n e o u ts id e o f h is p r o te c te d c la s s . A bbe s doe s nota l l e ge tha tE E S I r e pl a c e d hi m upon t e rm i na t i on. A bbe s doe s a r gue th a t E E S I tr e a te d ag r o u p o f B r a z ilia n s m o r e f

a v o r ab lya n d r e w a r d e d th e m w ith prom ot i on s, despi t e l i tt l e e xp er i ence . T hi s e vi dence does notshow , ho w ever , that E E S I di sc i pl i ned em pl oyee s out si de of A bb es ’ s prot ec t ed cl as s, w i th si m i l ar p e r f o rm a n c e o rb e h a v io r a l is s u e s , d if f e r e n tlyth a n it d is c ip lin e d A b b e s . A bb es al so cl ai m s thatE E S I transfe rr ed other e ng i neer s t o the i nt er i ors g r o u p , b u t d id n o t f

ir e th e m d e s p ite th e irin c o m p e te n c e . H o w e v e r , h e d o e s n o t pres entany e vi dence of these engi neer s’ i ncom pet ence , no r i s there evi dence that E E S I dem ot ed, bu tdi d n otfi re , B ra zi l i ans. B ec ause A bb es pres ent s no evi dence thatE E S I tre at ed si m i l ar l y s i tuat ed engi neer s out si de of hi s prot ec t ed cl as s m ore f a v o r ab lyth a n h im , A b b e s c a n n o t p r o v e ap r im af a c ie c a s e o f

n a tio n a l o r ig in d is c r im in a tio n . A s s u m in g th a t A b b e s c o u ld e s tab lis h ap r im af a c ie c a s e o f

n a tio n a l o r ig in di s c r i m i na t i on, E E S I i s s t i l l e nt i t l e d t o s um m a ryj udgm e ntbe c aus e A bbe s c a nnot r e b u tEESI ’ s l e g i t i ma t e , n o n - d i s c r i mi n a t o ryp u rp o s e f o rt e rmi n a t i n g h i m. EESI a s s e rts th a t it te rm in a te d A b b e s b e c au s e o f h is c o n s ta n t d is a g r e e m e n ts w ith h is7

su p erv i so rs. A b b es d o es n o tad d u ce an y fact s t o p ro v e th atth i s reaso n w as a pret extfor E E S I’ s di sc ri m i nat i on agai nsthi m , and h e a dm i tt ed thathi s s up ervi sors bel i eved i n the val i di ty of thei r c ri t i ci sm s of hi m . D es pi t e A bb es ’ s a ss ert i on s that hi s “ perf orm ance w as perf

ec t , ” he pres ent ed no evi dence t o cre at e am at er i al d is p u te o f

f a c t th a t E E S I ’s r e a s o n s f o rte rm in a tin g h im w e r e p r e te x tu a l. A cc ordi ng l y, the di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr i n g rant i ng E E S I’ s m ot i on for s um m ary ju d g m e n t a s to A b b e s ’s c la im s o f n a tio n a l o r ig in d is c r im in a tio n . B . N a t i ona l O r i gi n H a r a s s m e nt A b b es al so arg u es o n ap p eal th atE E S I h arassed h i m b y creat i n g a “ h arsh w o rke n v ir o n m e n t” , tr a n s f e rr in g h im to th e in te r io r s g r o u p , r e s tr ic tin g h is a c c e s s to i m port a ntc om put e rpr ogr a m s , pr e s s ur i ng hi m t o c om pl e t e w ork, a nd m a i nt a i ni ng a col d w ork area . T i t l e V I I of

the C i vi l R i ght s A c tof 1964 pr ohi bi t s e m pl oy e r s f r om d i scri m i n at i n g “ ag ai n stan y i n d i v i d u al w i th resp ectt o h i s co m p en sat i o n , t erm s, cond i t i on s, or pri vi l eges of em pl oym ent , because of s uch i nd i vi du al ' s r ac e, col or, re l i gi on , se x, or nat i on al ori gi n. ” 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-2(a) (1). A ho st i l e w ork e n v ir o n m e n t c la im u n d e rT itle V I I is e s tab lis h e d u p o n p r o o f th a t “th e w o rkp la c e is p e rm e a te d w ith d is c r im in a to ry in tim id a tio n , r id ic u le , a n d in s u lt, th a t is s u f f ic ie n tly8

se vere or pervas i ve t o al t erthe cond i t i on s of the vi ct i m ' s e m pl oym entand creat e an abus i ve w orki ng e nvi r onm e nt . ” M i l l e rv. K e nw orth of D otha n, I nc . , 277 F . 3d 1 2 6 9 , 1 2 7 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . T h e e m p lo y e e h a s th e b u r d e n o f p r o v in g ah o s tile w ork e nvi r onm e nt . E dw a r ds v. W a l l a c e C om m uni tyC ol l e ge , 49 F . 3d 1517, 1521 (1 1 th C i r. 1 9 9 5 ). T o est ab l i sh a h o st i l e w o rken v i ro n m en t , a p l ai n t i ff m u st dem on stra t e f

i ve thi ng s, that : (1) he bel on gs t o a prot ec t ed grou p; (2) he has been subj ec t ed t o u nw el com e har as sm ent ; (3) the haras sm entw as base d o n the prot ec t ed c ha r a c t e r i s t i c ; ( 4) the ha r a s s m e ntw a s s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o a l t e rthe t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nta nd thus c r e a t e adi s c r i m i na t or i l yabus i ve w ork env i ronm ent ; and (5) the em pl oyeri s r es po nsi bl e f or thatenvi ronm entun der athe ory of

e i the rdi r e c torvi c a r i ous l i abi l i ty . M i l l e r , 277 F . 3d a t1275. E s t abl i s hi ng tha tthe ha r a s s i ng c onduc tw a s s uf f i c i e nt l ys e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o a l t e rthe t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e ntha s s ubj e c t i ve a nd obj e c t i ve com po nent s. M endo zav. B orden, Inc. , 19 5 F . 3d 12 38 , 12 46 (11th C i r. 19 99 ) ( en ba nc ) . T he e m pl oy e e m us tpe r s ona l l ype r c e i ve the ha r a s s m e nta s s e ve r e or pe rva s i ve . I d. A ddi t i ona l l y , the e nvi r onm e ntm us tbe one tha tar e a s onabl e pe r s on i n the e m pl oy e e ’ s pos i t i on w oul d f i nd hos t i l e orabus i ve . I d. F o u rf a c to r s a r e im p o rta n t in a n a ly z in g w h e th e rh a r a s s m e n t o b je c tiv e ly a l t e r e d a n e m pl oy e e ’ s t e rm s orc ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nt : ( 1) the f

r e que nc yof

the9

c o n d u c t; ( 2 ) th e s e v e r ityo f th e c o n d u c t; ( 3 ) w h e th e rth e c o n d u c t w a s p h y s ic a lly thr e a t e ni ng orhum i l i a t i ng, oram e r e of f e ns i ve utt e r a nc e ; a nd ( 4) w he the rthe c o n d u c t u n r e a s o n ab lyin te r f e r e d w ith th e e m p lo y e e ’s jo b p e r f o rm a n c e . I d . W e m us tc ons i de rthe a l l e ge d c onduc ti n c ont e xta nd c um ul a t i ve l y , l ooki ng a tthe t ot al i ty of the ci rc um st ance s. Id. at12 42 . H ow ever , m er e utt er ance of an epi thet w hi c h e nge nde r s of

f e ns i ve f e e l i ngs i n ae m pl oy e e doe s nots uf f i c i e nt l ya f

f e c tthe c o n d itio n s o f

e m p lo y m e n t to im p lic a te T itle V I I . H a rr is v . F o rk lif t S y s te m s , I n c ., 51 0 U . S . 17 , 21 , 11 4 S . C t . 36 7, 37 1, 12 6 L . E d. 2d 19 5 (19 93 ). A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d a n d th e p a rtie s ’ b r ie f s , w e f in d n o r e v e r s ib le error. T he di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr i n g rant i ng E E S I’ s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm entbecause A bb es cann otprov e thatany a l l eged haras sm entw as so se vere thati tal t er ed the t erm s and cond i t i on s of hi s e m pl oym ent . E ven i f the ac t s A bb es com pl ai ns of qu al i fi ed as un w el com e har as sm ent , A bb es pres ent s no evi dence that E E S I ’s m a n a g e m e n t to o kth e s e a c tio n s b e c au s e o f h is T u n is ian b a c k g r o u n d . A b b e s a ls o p r e s e n te d a n a f f id a v it w h ic h d e ta ile d d is c r im in a to rys ta te m e n ts m a de by one e m pl oy e e t ow a r ds a nothe rof L e ba ne s e or i gi n. H ow e ve r , the r e i s no e v id e n c e th a t A b b e s w a s p r iv y to th is s ta te m e n t s o h e c o u ld n o t s u b je c tiv e ly pe r c e i ve the s e s t a t e m e nt s a s hos t i l e . F urthe r , s uc h i s ol a t e d e pi the t s do not10

su ffi ci en t l y affect th e co n d i t i o n s o f em p l o ym en tt o i m p l i cat e T i t l e V II. F i n al l y, A bbe s c a nnotpr ove tha tthe a l l e ge d i nc i de nt s a l t e r e d the t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of h is em p lo ym en t. T h er ef o re , A b b es ca n n o t p ro v e th at E E S I a n d it s e m p lo ye e’s c onduc tunr e a s onabl y i nt e r f e r e d w i th hi s j ob pe r f

orm a nc e . A s am e r e s c i nt i l l aof e v i d e n c e i s n o te n o u g h t o d e f e a ts u m m a ryj u d g m e n t , Ab b e s c a n n o ts h o w a m a te r ia l d is p u te o f

f a c t in o r d e rto d e f

e a t s u m m a ryju d g m e n t. A c c o r d in g ly , w e a f

f irm th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s g r a n t o f s u m m a ryju d g m e n t in f a v o ro f E E S I . AF F I RME D.