2005 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 5-11-2005 

# Zaff ut o v . W al M ar t S t ores Inc P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 04-2989

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w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " Zaff ut o v . W al M ar t S t or e s Inc " (2005). 2005 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1207. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2005/1207* H on. L oui s H . Pol l ak, Seni orJ udge, U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tforthe

E as t ern D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a, s i t t i ng bydes i gnat i on. 1 NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL U N IT E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT N o. 04- 2989

S T E P HE N J . Z AF F UT O,

A ppel l ant v. W AL- M ART S TORE S , I NC.

O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt

fort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s ey ( D . C . C i vi l N o. 02- cv- 04953) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H on. J os eph H . R odr i guez Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ay9, 2005 B efor e: SL O V I T E R and FI SH E R , C i r cui tJ udges , and

PO L L A K , D i s t r i ctJ udge * ( Fi l ed: M ay11, 2005) OP I NI ON2

SL O V I T E R , C i r cui tJ udge. P ri o r t o h is te rm in a tio n in 2 0 0 2 , S te p h e n J . Z a f f u to w o rk e d f

o r S a m ’s C lu b , a chain of m em bers- on l yw arehou se- sty l e st ores ow ned and op erat ed b yW al -M artS t ores, I nc. ( “W al - M art ”) . Z aff ut o br oughtthi s act i on pur s uantt o N ew J er s ey ’ s C ons ci ent i ous E m pl oy ee Pr ot ect i on A ct( “C E PA ”) , N . J . St at . A nn. §§ 34: 19- 1 ets eq. , cl ai m i ng that W al - M ar tt erm i nat ed hi m forr epea t edl ycompl ai ni ng t o hi s s uper i or s thatthe opt i cal c e n ter s in se v e ra l S a m ’s C lu b sto re s w e re b e in g o p e ra ted in v io latio n o f law . F o r its p a rt, W al - M ar tcl ai m s t hati tdi d nott erm i nat e Zaffut o beca us e of hi s w hi s t l e- bl ow i ng act i vi t i es butr atherbeca us e he borr ow ed moneyfr om hi s s ubor di nat es and bec aus e he l i e d a b o u th i s r e s i d e n c e i n o r d e rt o o b t a i n a h i g h e rc o s t - o f - l i v i n g a d

j u s t m e n tt o h i s s a l a r y. F o llo w in g th e c o n c lu sio n o f d isc o v e ry , the D istric t C o u rt g ra n ted su m m a ryju d g m e n t in f a v o r o f W a l-M a rt. T he D i s t r i ctC our thad j ur i s di ct i on under28 U . S. C . § 1332; thi s cour thas ju risd ictio n p u rsu a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1 . F o r th e re a so n s e x p lain e d b e lo w , w e w ill a f f i r m. I. T he r ecor d s how s t he fol l ow i ng: O n A ugus t29, 2000, Z aff ut o w as hi r ed as the m anage rof the opt i cal cent eri n t he Sam’s C l ub s t or e i n H arr i s bur g, Penns y l vani a and a y ea r l ater, h e w as p rom o ted to the lev el of D istri ct M an ag er. A s D istri ct M an ag er, Z affu t o w as r espon si ble for the S am ’s C l ub op t i cal center s i n several no rtheast ern st at es,3

inclu d ing N ew Jerse y . W al-M art op en ed n ew o p ti ca l cen ters i n three N ew Jerse yS am ’s C lu b s to re s b e tw e e n J u n e 2 0 0 1 a n d A p ri l 2 0 0 2 . E ventual l y , Z aff

ut o came t o bel i eve thatW al - M artw as vi ol at i ng N ew J er s eyl aw by( 1) fai l i ng t o pr ovi de thes e new opt i cal cent er s w i t h t w o pi ece s of l egal l yr equi r ed equi pm entand by( 2) al l ow i ng unl i cens ed empl oy ees atthes e s t or es t o per form act i vi t i es th a t, by l a w , co u ld o n lyb e p e rf o rm e d b ylice n se d o p ticia n s. In F e b ru a ry2 0 0 2 , Z a f f u to r ai s ed thes e conc erns w i t h hi s R egi onal M anage r , C ar ol yn H etr i ck, and hi s R egi onal Per s onnel M anage r , M i chel l e M edl i n. T her eaf t er , Z aff ut o r epea t ed hi s conce r ns and c o m p la in ts o n n u m e ro u s o c c a s io n s to th e s e a n d o th e r h ig h -l e v e l in d iv id u a ls a t W a l- M a rt . A ccor di ng t o Z aff

ut o’ s C om pl ai nt , how ever , W al - M art“w as adamantaboutnotchangi ng the p ract i ces or poli ci es . . . [and w as] m ore con cerned w i t h p otent i al l yhav i ng t o incr ease cos t s r athert han compl y i ng w i t h t he l aw . ” A pp. at179. W hen Zaffut o w as pr om ot ed t o t he D i s t r i ctM anage rpos i t i on i n A ugus t2001, W a l-M a rt p ro v id e d h im w ith a c o m p a n yc re d it ca rd . Z a f f u to q u ick lyf

e ll b e h in d in s ubm i t t i ng t he nec es s arypaperw or k and paym ent s forthe ca r d. A s a r es ul t , H etr i ck met w ith Z a f f u to o n A p ri l 2 2 , 2 0 0 2 f o r a c o rr e c tiv e m e e tin g c a lle d , in W a l- M a rt ’s p a rl a n c e , a “dec i s i on- m aki ng day , ” A pp. at111, atw hi ch H etr i ck pr ovi ded Zaffut o w i t h a form al w r i t t en w arni ng r egar di ng t he cr edi tcar d. She fur t heradvi s ed Zaffut o t hat , cons i s t ent w i th W al - M ar tpol i cy , i f he f ai l ed t o r emedythe s i tuat i on, the nextl evel of corr ect i ve ac ti o n w as term ination . T h ere af ter, Z af fu to ag ree d to m an ag e h is co m p an ycre d itca rd4

ac co u n t i n a p rop er m an n er. I n A ugus t2002, C ol l een Pea r l , one of Zaffut o’ s s upervi s ees , cont act ed H etr i ck and in f o rm e d h e r th a t Z a f

f u to h a d b o rro w e d m o n e yf ro m P e a rl a n d th a t h e h a d f a lse ly r epor t ed hi s r es i dence t o W al - M art . Z aff ut o’ s s uper i or s ther eaf

t eri ni t i at ed an in v e stig a tio n in to th e se a lleg a tio n s. Ja yV o lin sk y , a m a n a g e r in Z a f f u to ’s d istric t, r epor t ed thatZ aff

ut o had borr ow ed moneyfr om hi m t o payoff hi s companycar d. V ol i ns kyfur t hers t at ed thathe had he l ped Zaffut o m ove t o a Penns y l vani a addr es s ear l i er th a t y e a r b u t th a t Z a f

f u to h a d to ld h im th a t h e w a s re p o rtin g a N e w Je rse ya d d re ss to W a lM ar ti n or dert o obt ai n t he hi ghercos t - of- l i vi ng adj us t m entappl i cabl e forN ew J er s ey empl oy ees . O t herw i t nes s es and document s , i ncl udi ng a phone r ecor d of ca l l s pl ace d w ith Z a f f u to ’s c o m p a n yc a llin g c a rd , c o rr o b o ra te d th e s e a lle g a tio n s . U pon r evi ew i ng t he r es ul t s of the i nves t i gat i on, Z aff ut o’ s s uper i or s det erm i ned thatei therchar ge- - bor r ow i ng funds fr om s ubor di nat es orfal s el ycl ai m i ng a N ew J er s ey r es i dence foran i ncr eas ed cos t - of- l i vi ng adj us t m ent - - w oul d be s uffi ci entt o w arr ant t erm i nat i on. T hus , H etr i ck, acc om pani ed byD i s t r i ctL os s Pr event i on Super vi s orC huck M cD ow el l , m etw i t h Z aff ut o on Sept ember3, 2002, atw hi ch t i m e theyi nform ed hi m of the i nform at i on gather ed byt he i nves t i gat i on. A l t hough Z aff ut o deni ed anyw r ongdoi ng, he w as t erm i nat ed. Z aff ut o br oughtt hi s act i on, cl ai m i ng thatW al - M arthad vi ol at ed the C E PA by fi r i ng hi m beca us e of hi s compl ai nt s and agi t at i on r egar di ng i t s purpor t edl yunl aw ful5

a c tiv iti e s. F o llo w in g th e c lo se o f d isc o v e ry , W a l-M a rt m o v e d f o r su m m a ryju d g m e n t, w hi ch the D i s t r i ctC our tgr ant ed. T hi s t i m el yappea l fol l ow ed. II. W e r evi ew a di s t r i ctcourt ’ s gr antof s um m aryj udgm entde novo, appl y i ng the s a m e s ta n d a rd a s d id th e d is tr ic t c o u rt . 

### Hubbar d v. Tayl or , 399 F. 3d 150, 157 n. 12 ( 3d Cir. 20 05 ); U ni on Pac. R . R . C o. v. G r eentr ee Tr ans p. T rucki ng C o. , 293 F. 3d 120, 125 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 2 ). S u m m a ryju d g m e n t is a p p ro p ria te w h e re th e re a re n o g e n u in e iss u e s a s to a n ym a te ri a l f

a c t a n d th e m o v in g p a rt yis e n title d to ju d g m e n t a s a m a tte r o f la w . Sum m aryj udgm ent , how ever , m us tnotbe gr ant ed w her e ther e i s a genui ne di s put e about a mat er i al fac t , “thati s , i f the evi dence i s s uch thata r eas onabl e j urycoul d r eturn a ver di ctfort he nonmovi ng part y . ” A nder s on v. L i ber t yL obby , I nc. , 477 U . S. 242, 248 (19 8 6 ). III . T he N ew J er s eyL egi s l atur e ena ct ed C E PA t o “pr ot ectand enc our age e m pl oy ees to re p o rt ill e g a l o r u n e th ica l w o rk p lac e a c tiv iti e s a n d to d isc o u ra g e p u b lic a n d p riv a te s ect orempl oy er s fr om engagi ng i n s uch conduc t . ” D zw onarv. M cD evi t t , 828 A . 2d 893, 900 ( N . J . 2003) ( i nt ernal ci t at i on and quot at i ons om i t t ed) . A C E PA pl ai nt i ff mustpr ove fou r el em ents :

(1) h e o r she rea so n ab lyb eli ev ed that h is or h er e m p loy er’s conductw as vi ol at i ng ei t hera l aw , rul e, orr egul at i on p ro m u lg a ted p u rsu a n t to law , o r a c lea r m a n d a te o f p u b lic p o l i c y; ( 2 ) h e o rs h e p e r f o r m e d a “ w h i s t l e - b l o w i n g ” a c t i v i t y .6 . . ; (3 ) a n a d v e rse e m p lo ym e n t ac tio n w a s ta k e n a g a in st h im orher ; and ( 4) a ca us al connec t i on exi s t s betw een the w hi s t l e- bl ow i ng act i vi t yand the adve r s e empl oym entact i on. D zw onar , 828 A . 2d at900. Forpurpos es of s um m aryj udgm ent , W al - M artconce des t hat Z aff ut o has pr es ent ed s uffi ci entevi dence fr om w hi ch a r eas onabl e tr i erof fa ctcoul d fi nd th e f ir s t th re e e le m e n ts o f

h is C E P A c la im . 

### T hu s, as is tru e “inm o st C E P Acases,” re soluti onof

Zaff uto’s a pp ea l “ turn[s] o n the fo urth el em ent: evidenceof a c ausa l c onne c t i on. ” Donofry

v. Aut ot ot e Sys . , I nc . , 795 A. 2d 260, 269 (N. J . Supe r . Ct . App. Div. 20 01 ). A C E PA pl ai nt i ff c an pr ove ca us at i on bypr es ent i ng ei t herdi r ectevi dence of r et al i at i on orci r cumst ant i al evi dence thatj us t i fi es an i nfer ence of r et al i at i on. R om ano v. B r ow n & W i l l i amson Tobacco C orp. , 665 A . 2d 1139, 1143 ( N . J . Super . C t . A pp. D i v. 1995) . I n ci r cumst ant i al evi dence cas es , N ew J er s eycour t s appl ythe bur den s hi ft i ng f ra m e w o rk o f

M c D o n n e ll D o u g la s C o rp . v . G re e n , 4 1 1 U .S . 7 9 2 (1 9 7 3 ), a n d its p ro g e n y . Fl emi ng v. C or r . H eal t hcar e Sol ut i ons , I nc. , 751 A . 2d 1035, 1041 ( N . J . 2000) . T her efor e, a pl ai nt i ff i n Z uffa t o’ s pos i t i on m us tfi r s tm ake outa pr i m a fa ci e ca s e of r et al i at i on.

[O ] nce the empl oy ee ha s m ade a pr i m a fa ci e s how i ng of [r et al i at i on] , t he bur den of goi ng forw ar d s hi ft s t o t he empl oy erw ho m ustart i culat e a l egit i m at e, no n[ret al i at ory ] r eason f or the ad verse empl oym entdeci s i on. I f the empl oy erdoes pr oduce e vi dence s how i ng a l egi t i m at e, non[r et al i at ory ] r eas on forthe di s char ge, the bur den of pr oduct i on s hi ft s back t o t he empl oy ee w ho m us ts how t hatt he empl oy er ’ s pr offe r ed expl anat i on i s i ncr edi bl e.7

Fl emi ng, 751 A . 2d at1041. I ti s i m por t antt o not e thatthe bur den of pr oof r emai ns on the pl ai nt i ff thr oughoutt hi s pr oces s . I d. W al - M ar tar gues t hatZ aff ut o has m etnei t herthe pr i m a fa ci e r equi r ementof caus at i on norhi s ul t i m at e bur den of pr oof on the i s s ue. Z aff ut o, i n contr as t , ar gues that he has pr es ent ed s uffi ci entevi dence t o s ur vi ve s um m aryj udgm ent . A s r ecogni zed byt he N e w Je rse yc o u rts, th e p rim a f a c ie e lem e n t o f

c a u sa tio n a n d th e e lem e n t o f c a u sa tio n in the s ubs equentul t i m at e pr oof s t age of the ca s e ar e oft en fa ctual l yi ns epar abl e and th e re f o re a c o u rt m a yre ly o n e v id e n c e p ro v id e d in th e e a rl ie r p h a s e in re s o lv in g th e la tte r. D on of ry , 79 5 A. 2d a t27 0 ( c i t i ng Ree ve s v. Sa nd e r s on Pl umbi ng Pr od s . , I nc . , 53 0 U. S. 133, 147 ( 2000) ) ; s ee a l s o A pp. at16. T hus , a pl ai nt i ff’ s ci r cumst ant i al evi dence of ret al i at i on m ayi nclude ev i den ce t hat “‘ dem on strat e[s] such w eakn esses , i m plausi bil i t i es, in c o n sis ten c ies , inc o h e re n c ies , o r c o n tra d ictio n s in th e e m p lo y e r’s p ro f f e re d leg iti m a te r eas ons fori t s act i on thata r eas onabl e fa ct fi ndercoul d r at i onal l yfi nd them unw or t hyof c r e d e n c e , a n d h e n c e i n f e rt h a tt h e e m p l o ye rd i d n o ta c tf o r[ t h e a s s e r t e d ] n o n - [ r e t a l i a t o r y] r eas ons . ’ ” K ol b v. B ur ns , 727 A . 2d 525, 531 ( N . J . Super . C t . A pp. D i v. 1999) ( quot i ng F u e n te s v . P e rs k ie , 3 2 F .3 d 7 5 9 , 7 6 5 (3 d C ir . 1 9 9 4 )) . W al - M ar thas pr offe r ed tw o l egi t i m at e nonr et al i at oryr eas ons fori t s t erm i nat i on d e c isio n : (1 ) th a t Z a f

f u to b o rro w e d m o n e yf

ro m h is s u b o rd in a tes in o rd e r to p a yh is c o rp o ra te c re d it ca rd b ill a n d (2 ) th a t Z a f f u to f a lse lyre p o rte d a N e w Je rse yre sid e n c e in or dert o obt ai n a hi ghercos t - of- l i vi ng adj us t m entt o hi s s al ary . U pon ourpl enaryr evi ew8

o f th e re c o rd , w e f

in d th a t Z a f

f u to h a s f a iled to ra ise a n ytriab le is su e s o f m a ter ial f

a c t to s u p p o rt a f

in d in g th a t th e s e p ro f

f e re d le g itim a te re a s o n s a re p re te x tu a l. Z aff ut o fi r s tar gues t hatW al - M art ’ s r eas ons forfi r i ng hi m w er e i ncons i s t ent , and thatthi s cas t s doubton i t s pr offe r ed j us t i fi cat i ons fordoi ng s o. H e not es thatatthe “dec i s i on- m aki ng day , ” he w as gi ven a w r i t t en admoni t i on forfai l ur e t o r es ol ve i n a t i m el yfas hi on t he i s s ue of hi s companycr edi tcar d bi l l and w as t ol d t hatthe nexts t ep for fai l ur e t o corr ectt hatpr obl em w oul d be t erm i nat i on. A pp. at111. Z aff ut o poi nt s outt hat al though he r es ol ved the i s s ue and ha d no s ubs equentpr obl ems ordi s ci pl i naryact i ons r egar di ng t he t i m el ypaym entof hi s acc ount , W al - M artfi r ed hi m cl ai m i ng tw o other re a so n s-- m isre p re se n tin g h is re sid e n c e a n d b o rro w in g m o n e yf ro m su b o rd in a tes . Z a f

f u to ar gues t hatbeca us e W al - M artfi r ed hi m forr eas ons ot herthan the one s etfor t h i n t he w r i t t en admoni t i on, i tact ed i ncons i s t ent l yand thatthi s cas tdoubton t he l egi t i m acyof the proffered just i fi cat i on s. H e a lso n o tes th a t H e trick in iti a ted th e c o rre c tiv e p ro c e ss w ith re sp e c t to th e c re d it car d ata “de ci s i on- m aki ng day , ” r atherthan byw ayof a l es s - s ever e “ve rbal ” or“w r i t t en co ac h ing . ” B r. o f A p p ell an t at7 . H e c lai m s tha t th is w as in v iolati o n o f W al-M art’s interna l po li cyan d that W al-M art’s fail u re to f o ll o w it s u su al pro ce ss ad d s to W al-M art’s l a c k o f c r e d i b i l i t y. W e conc l ude thatnei t herof thes e r el at ed r eas ons r ai s es a genui ne i s s ue of mat er i al fac tw i th r es pectt o W al - M ar t ’ s r eas ons forfi r i ng Z aff ut o. T her e i s no r equi r ementthat9

W al-M art’s discipli n aryp roc ed u res m u st be g in at a sp ec ifi c p o int. R athe r, su p erv isors m ayi nvoke more orl es s s ever e l evel s of corr ect i ve pr ot ocol bas ed on the s er i ous nes s of the mi s behavi orati s s ue. See A pp. at49. N ei t herZ aff ut o’ s t erm i nat i on fora r eas on otherthan cont i nued cr edi tcar d t ar di nes s norW al - M art ’ s pr ocee di ng di r ect l yt o a d ec isi o n -m ak ing d ayin ad d ressing the c red itca rd issu es su g g ests that W al-M art’s p ro f f e re d re a so n s f

o r u lti m a telyter m in a tin g h im a re p re tex tu a l. R a th e r, th e re c o rd m e re ly sh o w s w ith o u t con tr ad ict ion that Z af fu to h ad p rob lem s k ee p ing h is co m p an ycre d itca rd p a ym e n ts u p to d a te a n d th a t h is e m p lo y e r d is c ip lin e d h im f o r i t. Z a f f u to ’s n e x t ar g u m e n t is th a t in c o n c lu d in g th a t h e h a d a c ted im p ro p e rly , W a lM a rt b o th re lied o n th e re p o rts o f se v e ra l p e o p le w h o h a d re a so n to b e b ias e d a g a in st h im a n d ig n o re d th e s ta te m e n ts o f o th e rs w h o h a d n o th in g n e g a tiv e to re p o rt . Z aff ut o ar gues t hatPear l , w ho cont act ed H etr i ck t o l odge s ever al compl ai nt s about Z a f f u to , h a d a m o tiv e to lie a b o u t h im b e c a u se sh e w a s n o t p e rf o rm in g h e r jo b a d e q u a tely and w as her s el f i n dangerof t erm i nat i on. H e furt hernot es thathe i nform ed H etr i ck of Pear l ’ s s hor t comi ngs pr i ort o t he i nves t i gat i on and thatH etr i ck s houl d t her efor e have d is c o u n te d P e a rl ’s a lle g a tio n s . Si m i l ar l y , Z aff

ut o di s put es V ol i ns ky ’ s cr edi bi l i t yand ar gues thatV ol i ns ky , w ho had cl ai m ed thatZ aff

ut o had borr ow ed moneyfr om hi m , i n fac tborr ow ed moneyfr om Z aff ut o. Z aff

ut o as s er t s t hatV ol i ns kyhad a mot i ve t o l i e bec aus e Zaffut o knew that V o lin sk yh a d b e e n m isa p p ro p ria tin g W a l-M a rt p ro p e rty . Z a f f u to f u rth e r c laim s th a t h is10

su p e rio rs w e re a w a re o f V o lin sk y ’s m o tiv e to lie b e c a u se Z a f f u to h a d re p o rte d h is m i s d e e d s t o t h e m p r e v i o u s l y. Z aff ut o al s o ar gues t hatW al - M art , as w el l as the D i s t r i ctC our t , i gnor ed evi dence uncover ed i n t he i nt ernal i nves t i gat i on thats uppor t ed hi s pos i t i on, s uch as evi dence t hat anotherSam ’ s C l ub m anage ri n Z aff ut o’ s di s t r i ctt ol d M edl i n t hathe bel i eved that Z aff ut o’ s hom e/ offi ce w as i n N ew J er s ey , r atherthan Penns y l vani a, and thatZ aff ut o had neveras ked t o bor r ow m oneyfr om hi m . Z aff ut o s i m i l ar l ypoi nt s outthattw o other S a m’ s Cl u b ma n a g e r s s t a t e d t h a tZa f f u t o h a d n e v e rs o u g h ta l o a n f r o m th e m. E v e n a c c e p tin g Z a f

f u to ’s a rg u m e n t th a t ce rta in e m p lo y e e s w e re b ias e d a g a in st h im an d v iew ing the e v iden ce in the li g h t m o st fav o rab le t o Z af fu to, th e f

ac ts he p rese n ts are i ns uffi ci entt o al l ow a fa ct fi ndert o concl ude thatW al - M art ’ s pr offe r ed r eas ons for t erm i nati ng Z affu t o are pret extual . T heydo no trai se “such w eakn esses , i m plausi bil i t i es, in c o n sis ten c ies , inc o h e re n c ies , o r c o n tra d ictio n s in th e e m p lo y e r’s p ro f f e re d leg iti m a te r eas ons fori t s act i on thata r eas onabl e fa ct fi ndercoul d r at i onal l yfi nd them unw or t hyof cr edenc e. ” Fuent es , 32 F. 3d at765. Si m i l ar l y , i nform at i on fr om the otherSam ’ s C l ub m a n a g e rs to th e e f

f e c t th a t Z a f

f u to h a d n e v e r b o rro w e d m o n e yf ro m th e m , ev e n tak e n in the l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o Z aff ut o, pr oves onl ythathe neve rs oughta l oan fr om anyof tho se in d ividu als. Itw o u ld h ard lyb e re aso n ab le t o co n clud e f rom this th at W al-M art s houl d have then di s bel i eved a l l ot heri nform at i on thati thad obt ai ned i ndi cat i ng thathe had borr ow ed moneyfr om ot her s , or , m or e i m por t ant l y , thatW al - M art ’ s pr offe r ed11

e x p lan a tio n o f

its ter m in a tio n d e c isio n is p re tex tu a l. A s to Z a f

f u to ’s r e sid e n c e , the re c o rd s o f th e tele p h o n e c a lls c h a rg e d to h is corpor at e ca l l i ng car d acc ounts how thata vas tm aj or i t yof s uch ca l l s had bee n m ade f r om a numberi n Penns y l vani a and thatthe ca l l s fr om Z aff ut o’ s purpor t ed N ew J er s eynum ber w ere u su all ym ad e a t t im es w h en h e w o u ld h av e b ee n tr av eli n g fo r bu sine ss. W al-M art c o n stru e d th e se re c o rd s a s f u rth e r p ro o f

th a t Z a f f u to w a s a c tu a llyliv in g in P e n n sy lv a n ia r athert han N ew J er s ey . Z aff ut o ar gues thatbeca us e W al - M artdi d nots eek hi s s i de of the s to ry, a f a c tf in d e r c o u ld c o n c lu d e th a t W a l- M a rt ’s p ro f f e re d ju s tif

ic a tio n s a re p re te x tu a l. E v e n if , as Z a f f u to c laim s, th e c a lli n g c a rd re c o rd s re f lec t a h ig h n u m b e r o f

c a lls m ade f r om Penns y l vani a bec aus e he ha d gi ven hi s car d t o hi s w i fe w ho m ai nt ai ned a Penns y l vani a r es i dence , W al - M art ’ s fai l ur e t o s eek hi s s i de of the s t oryi s notpr obat i ve on t he i s s ue of pr et ext . O uri nqui r yi s notw hetherW al - M art ’ s j us t i fi cat i on for ter m in a tin g Z a f

f u to w a s b a se d o n a c c u ra te in f o rm a tio n , b u t o n lyw h e th e r a re a so n a b le fa ctfind er c o u ld b eli ev e tha t th e c o m p an yis using the ju sti fica ti o n to h ide a retali atory m ot i ve. T he phone r ecor ds , es peci al l ycons i der ed i n l i ghtof Zaffut o’ s expl anat i on that the addr es s i n N ew J er s eyw her e he pr ofes s ed t o l i ve w as actual l yhi s br other ’ s hom e for w hi ch he pa i d r ent , butw her e he s pentl i t t l e t i m e, gave W al - M arta bas i s t o concl ude that Z a f f u to h a d m isle d it ab o u t th e sta te o f h is re sid e n c e . T h e re is n o b a sis f ro m w h ich to d ra w a re a so n a b le in f

e re n c e th a t W a l-M a rt’s p ro f f e re d re a so n s a re p re tex tu a l. Fi nal l y , Z aff

ut o ar gues t hathi s s uper i or s bl i nd- s i ded hi m atthe Sept ember3, 2002,12

m eet i ng thatended w i t h hi s t erm i nat i on beca us e he ha d no not i ce of the purpos e of the m e e tin g a n d n o a d v a n c e w a rn in g th a t D istric t L o ss P re v e n tio n S u p e rv iso r M c D o w e ll w oul d be pr es ent . H e furt herar gues thatal t hough M cD ow el l and H etr i ck gave hi m an oppor tuni tyt o expl ai n t he s i tuat i on, theydi d notgi ve hi m a cha nce t o m ar s hal evi dence on hi s ow n behal f. Z aff ut o ar gues t hatt hi s r ai s es s us pi ci on abouthi s empl oy er ’ s s t at ed mot i vat i ons forfi r i ng hi m . A l t hough t he fa i l ur e t o pr ovi de Zaffut o w i t h an oppor tuni t yt o pr es ent e v id e n c e o n h is o w n b e h a lf m a yre a so n a b lysu g g e st th a t h is s u p e rio rs h a d d e c id e d to ter m in a te Z a f

f u to p rio r to th e S e p tem b e r 3 , 2 0 0 2 m e e tin g , itd o e s n o t su g g e st th a t W a lM ar t ’ s s t at ed j us t i fi cat i ons fort he fi r i ng ar e pos thoc r at i onal i zat i ons . W hat everthe w i s dom of conduc t i ng t he meet i ng i n t he mannerW al - M artdi d, the i s s ue i s “notw hether the empl oy eri s w i s e, s hr ew d, prudent , orcompet ent , ” Fuent es , 32 F. 3d at765, but w h e th e r i ts p ro f

f e re d re a s o n s f

o r t e rm in a tin g h im a re v u ln e ra b le to a f in d in g o f p re te x t. T her e i s not hi ng i n t he r ecor d r es pect i ng the Sept ember3, 2002 m eet i ng t o s uppor ts uch a concl us i on. I V. I n s um , w e agr ee w i t h t he D i s t r i ctC our tthatZ aff ut o has notr ai s ed a mat er i al i s s ue of tr i abl e fa ctt o s how t hatW al - M ar tt erm i nat ed hi m beca us e of hi s w hi s t l e- bl ow i ng act i vi t i es . W e w i l l t her efor e af fi r m the D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s or dergr ant i ng W al - M art ’ s m ot i on f o r su m m a ryju d g m e n t.