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 and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by9th C i r . R . 36- 3.

T he H on orabl e M ark W . B ennett , D i stri ctJudg e f or the U . S . D i stri ct ** C ourtf orN orthe rn I ow a , s i tt i ng byde s i gna t i on.

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 C HR I S T I NE NG UY E N, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. Q U A L C O M M , I N C ., D ef

endant- A pp el l ee . N o. 11- 55580 D. C . No . 3 : 0 9 - c v - 0 1 9 2 5 - MM AWVG 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 S o u th e rn D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia M i c ha e l M . A ne l l o, 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 O c t obe r9, 2012

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

o rn ia Be f o r e : PR EGER SON a n d W . FL ET CHER , Ci r c u i tJ u d g e s , a n d BE NN ET T, D i stri ctJudg e. ** C hr i s t i ne N guy e n ( “ N guy e n” ) appe a l s : ( a ) the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s de t e rm i na t i on tha ts he di d note xhaus the ra dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s ; ( b) the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof 

# FI LED DE C 24 2012 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSP age 2 of 7

s um m a ryj udgm e nti n f

a vorof Q ua l c om m I nc orpor a t e d ( “ Q ua l c om m ” ) on N gu ye n’ s e m pl oym entdi sc ri m i nat i on and h ar as sm entcl ai m s pursuantt o T i t l e V II of the C i vi l R i ght s A c tof 1964, 42 U . S . C . § 2000e - 2; ( c ) the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a nt of sum m ary j ud gm enti n favor of Q ual com m on her s t at e t ortas saul tand b att ery cl ai m s; and (d) the di stri ctcourt ’ s deni al of her m ot i on t o reopen d i sc ov ery p u r s u a n t to F e d e r a l R u le o f C iv il P r o c e d u r e 5 6 ( d ) . W e r e v ie w d e n o v o th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s d e c is io n s r e g a r d in g b o th a d m in is tr a tiv e e x h au s tio n a n d s u m m a ryju d g m e n t. G re atB asi n Mi ne W atch v. H anki ns , 45 6 F . 3d 95 5, 96 1 (9th C i r. 20 06 ); W arr e n v . C i t

yof Car l s bad , 58 F . 3d 4 3 9 , 4 4 1 ( 9 th C ir . 1 9 9 5 ) . W e hol d tha tN guy e n e xhaus t e d a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s . W e r e ve r s e the gr a ntof s um m a ryj udgm e nton the T i t l e V I I di s c r i m i na t i on c l a i m a nd r e m a nd f or tr ia l. W e a f

f irm th e g r a n t o f

s u m m a ryju d g m e n t o n th e T itle V I I h a r a s s m e n t c la im a nd the s t a t e t orta s s aul ta nd ba tt e ryc l a i m s . F i na l l y , w e hol d tha tN guy e n’ s m ot i on to r e o p e n d is c o v e ryis m o o t. T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt w ill s e t an e w d is c o v e rys c h e d u le in p r e p a r a tio n f

o rtr ia l. I . A dm i ni s tr a t i ve E xhaus t i on W h ile the di s tr i c tc ourtc orr e c t l yf ound tha tN guy e n’ s c om pl a i ntw i th the E q u a l E m p lo y m e n t O p p o rtu n ityC o m m is s io n ( “E E O C ” ) w a s tim e lyf ile d , itP age 3 of 7

e rr o n e o u s lyc o n c lu d e d th a t N g u y e n ’s T itle V I I c la im w a s tim e - b a rr e d n o n e th e le s s . T he di s tr i c tc ourtc onf

i rm e d tha tN guy e n’ s O c t obe r24, 2008 di s c r i m i na t i on c ha r ge w i th the D e pa rtm e ntof

F a i rE m pl oy m e nta nd H ous i ng ( “ D F E H ” ) “ w a s ba s e d on grou nd s of r ac e, col or, nat i on al ori gi n and se x. ” T he di stri ctcourtal so expl ai ned th a t b e c au s e o f

w o rk s h a r in g b e tw e e n th e D F E H a n d th e E E O C , N g u y e n tim e ly f ile d h e rE E O C c h a r g e , a n d th a t s h e w a s e n title d to f ile s u it in f

e d e r a l d is tr ic t c o u rt: P l a i nt i f f’ s D F E H c ha r ge s a t i s f

i e d the r e qui r e m e ntt o f i l e ac ha r ge w i th the E E O C . T h e D F E H h a s aw o rk s h a r in g a g r e e m e n t w ith th e E E O C , w h e r e in th e D F E H is th e a g e n t o f th e E E O C f

o rth e ‘p u rp o s e o f

r e c e iv in g . . . ch ar g es .’ St ei

f el , 6 2 4 F. 3 d a t1 2 4 4 ; 4 2 U . S. C. § 2 0 0 0 e - 8 ( b ) . Pl a i n t i f f b e c a me ‘e n title d ’ to a n E E O C r ig h t- to - s u e le tte r1 8 0 d a y s la te r , o n M a y6 , 2 0 0 8 . T h e r e a f te r , P la in tif

f h a d 9 0 d a y s , u n til A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 0 9 , to f ile s u it. N gu ye n w as supp osed t o rec ei ve a r i gh t -t o-sue l ett eron M ay6, 20 08 , af t er w hi c h s he w oul d have ha d 90 da y s t o f i l e s ui ti n f

e de r a l c ourt . T he l e tt e rdi d not a rr iv e u n til A u g u s t 1 4 , 2 0 0 8 ; th u s , s h e w a s u n ab le to f ile w ith in th e 9 0 - d a yp e r io d . W e f i nd tha ti n thi s m a tt e r , “ the 90- da yf i l i ng pe r i od i s as t a tut e of l i m i t a t i ons subj ec tt o equ i t abl e t ol l i ng . . . . ” St i e f e l v . B e c hte l

C or p. , 624 F . 3d 1240, 1245 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 1 0 ) ( a lte r a tio n , c ita tio n a n d q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . I n V al enzuela v. Kraf

t , Inc. , 80 1 F . 2d 11 70 , 11 75 (9th C i r. 19 86 ), thi s c ou rt e q u itab lyto lle d th e s ta tu te o f lim ita tio n s w h e r e V a le n z u e lam is ta k e n lyf ile d in s t a t e c ourta nd w a s a w a i t i ng the out c om e of the s t a t e c ourtpr oc e e di ng w he n theP age 4 of 7

t i me t o f i l e s u i tw i th th e EEO C e x p i r e d . I n th a tc a s e , th e c o u rtt o l l e d th e t i me peri od for f

i l i ng sui tun t i l the i nd i vi du al re ce i ved n ot i ce thatthe st at e c l ai m w as di s m i s s e d bythe s t a t e c ourt . S i m i l a r l y , N guy e n he r e m i s t a ke nl yf i l e d ac ha r ge w ith th e E E O C a n d w a s a w a itin g th a t c h ar g e to b e r e s o lv e d w h e n h e rtim e to f ile su i tex p i red . W e t o l l N g u yen ’ s 9 0 -d ay p eri o d u n t i l N g u yen recei v ed th e fi rst n o tic e th a t h e rE E O C c h a r g e w a s u n tim e ly–o n A u g u s t 1 4 , 2 0 0 9 . A s ar e s u lt, N g u yen ’ s fi l i n g o f su i to n S ep t em b er 2 w as t i m el y. I I . Ti t l e V I I Cl a i m T i t l e V I I of

the C i vi l R i ght s A c tpr ohi bi t s e m pl oy m e ntdi s c r i m i na t i on on the ba s i s of apr ot e c t e d s t a tus . A n i l l e ga l e m pl oy m e ntpr a c t i c e i s e s t abl i s he d by s how i ng tha tr a c e , c ol or , r e l i gi on, s e x, orna t i ona l or i gi n w a s a“ m ot i va t i ng f a c t or f ora nye m pl oy m e ntpr a c t i c e , e ve n though othe rf a c t or s a l s o m ot i va t e d the prac t i ce . ” T i t l e V II , § 7 03 (m ), 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-2(m ), a s a m e n d e d b yth e C iv il R i gh t s A ctof 19 91 . In her s w orn d ec l ar at i on , N gu ye n al l eges thather s up ervi sor, S t a nt on, s t a t e d i n he rpr e s e nc e tha t“ I be hi r e d be c aus e I a m V i e tna m e s e a nd he w o u l d n o th av e t o p ay m e as m u ch as an A m eri can . ” In h er d ep o si t i o n t est i m o n y, N guy e n e xpl a i ne d tha tw he n s he c om pl a i ne d t o S t a nt on tha ts he w a s m i s tr e a t e d by o th e rw o rk e r s , h e r e p lie d , “Y o u a r e aw o m a n V ie tn a m e s e , y o u h a v e to lis te n to m e . D on ’ tcom pl ai n anythi ng , j ustcom e t o w ork and fi ni sh your proj ec t . ”P age 5 of 7

N guy e n’ s de c l a r a t i on a nd de pos i t i on t e s t i m ony pr e s e ntdi r e c te vi de nc e of d is c r im in a to rya n im u s . Se e Co g h la n v . Am . Se a f o o d s Co . LLC , 413 F . 3d 1090, 1 0 9 4 - 9 5 ( 9 th C ir . W a s h . 2 0 0 5 ) ; se e al so G odw i n v. H

un t W es son, Inc. , 150 F . 3d 1217, 1221 ( 9th C i r . 1998) ( “ W he n the pl a i nt i f f of f e r s di r e c te vi de nc e of d is c r im in a to rym o tiv e , atr iab le is s u e a s to th e a c tu a l m o tiv a tio n o f th e e m p lo y e ris c r e a te d e v e n if

th e e v id e n c e is n o t s u b s ta n tia l.” ) . T h i s C o u rth as “ rep eat ed l y h el d th ata si n g l e d i scri m i n at o ry co m m en tb y a pl a i nt i f f’ s s upe rvi s ororde c i s i onm a ke ri s s uf f i c i e ntt o pr e c l ude s um m a ryj udgm e nt for the em pl oyer . ” D om i ng uez- C urryv. N ev . T ransp. D ep’t , 424 F . 3d 1027, 1039 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . S ta n to n w a s N g u y e n ’s d ir e c t s u p e rv is o r . S ta n to n ’s c o m m e n ts to N guy e n c r e a t e age nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c ton w he the rN guy e n’ s ge nde ra nd V ie tn a m e s e n a tio n a l o r ig in w e r e “m o tiv a tin g f a c to r [ s ]” in h e rte rm in a tio n . T itle V II , § 7 03 (m ), 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-2(m ), a s a m e nde d bythe C i vi l R i ght s A c tof 1 9 9 1 . T hi s ge nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c tde f e a t s s um m a ryj udgm e nt ; the McD o n n el l

D o u g la ss fr am ew ork i s i napp l i cabl e her e bec ause N gu ye n p re se nt ed d ir e c t e v id e n c e o f

d is c r im in a tio n . See T

r ans W or ld A i r l i nes , I

nc . v . T hurs ton , 469 U . S . 111, 121 ( 1985) ( “ [ T ] he M c D onne l l D ougl a s t e s ti s i nappl i c abl e w he r e the p la in tif f p r e s e n ts d ir e c t e v id e n c e o f d is c r im in a tio n .” ) .P age 6 of 7

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 o n N g u y e n ’s T itle V II hara ss m entcl ai m . H erevi dence fa l l s s ho rtof es t abl i shi ng thather “ w orkp l ac e is p e rm e a te d w ith d is c r im in a to ryin tim id a tio n , r id ic u le , a n d in s u lt th a t is 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 c ondi t i ons of . . . e m pl oy m e nta nd cr ea t e an abu si ve w orki ng envi ronm ent . ” H a rr is v . Fo rklift S

ys ., Inc. , 510 U . S . 17, 2 1 ( 1 9 9 3 ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n s a n d c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . I I I . A s s au l ta n d Ba tt e ryCl a i ms N g u ye n ’s state- law as sa u ltan d b attery claim s a re p re em p ted b y C alifo rn ia’s w orke r s ’ c om pe ns a t i on l a w , a nd w e the r e f or e a f f i rm the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof s u m m a ryju d g m e n t to Q u a lc o m m o n N g u y e n ’s a s s au lt a n d b a tte ryc la im s . See T o rres v. P a rkh o u se T

i re , 26 C al . 4th 9 95 , 10 09 (200 1). C onc l us i on T he di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s or de rgr a nt i ng s um m a ryj udgm e ntt o Q ua l c om m on N guy e n’ s T i t l e V I I e m pl oy m e ntdi s c r i m i na t i on c l a i m i s R E V E R S E D a nd R E M A N D E D f

o rp r o c e e d in g s c o n s is te n t w ith th is d is p o s itio n . T h e d istrict co u rt’s or de rgr a nt i ng s um m a ryj udgm e nton N guy e n’ s T i t l e V I I ha r a s s m e ntc l a i m a nd N guy e n’ s a s s aul ta nd ba tt e ryc l a i m i s A F F I R M E D . N guy e n’ s appe a l f r om the d is tr ic t c o u rt’s d is c o v e ryo r d e ris D E N I E D a s m o o t.P age 7 of 7

E a c h p a rtys h a ll b e a rits o w n c o s ts o n ap p e a l.