### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T Fe br uar y 7, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L E RK [ 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

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________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 03 -011 41 -C V -C A P -1 J A M E S R . D O C K E R Y , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s J I M N I C H O L S O N , S e c r e ta ry , D e p a rtm e n t o f V e te r a n s A f

f a ir s , 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 o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 7, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , A N D E R S O N an d D U B IN A , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: J a m e s R . D oc ke ry , aw hi t e m a l e w i th al e g i m pa i rm e nt , appe a l s the gr a ntofThe VAand Dockery dispute whether he was hired on September 27 or 28 of 1998. 1 This fac tual dispute is imm aterial for the pur poses of this holding. 2 s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in f

a v o ro f th e D e p a r tm e n t o f

V e te r a n s A f

f a ir s ( ‘V A ” ) in h is p r o s e a c tio n a lle g in g e m p lo y m e n t d is c r im in a tio n a n d h o s tile w o rke n v ir o n m e n t, br oughtunde rT i t l e V I I , 42 U . S . C . § 2000e - 16; a nd the R e habi l i t a t i on A c t , 29 U . S . C . § 7 91 . O n app ea l , D ockery , pro se, ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourti gn ored e v id e n c e p r e s e n te d b y h im in d is c o v e ry a n d th a t th e V A w a s n o t e n title d to s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t. W e a f f irm th e ju d g m e n t o f

th e d is tr ic t c o u r t. I n S e pt e m be r1998, D oc ke ry w a s hi r e d by the V A a s al oa n s pe c i a l i s ti n the ho m e l oan o ff

i ce for aon e- ye arprob at i on ary per i od . In Janu ary 199 9, D ockery 1 r e s ig n e d a f

te rth e V A p r e s e n te d h im w ith ale tte rp r o p o s in g h is te rm in a tio n . W h ile D ockeryw as em pl oyed atthe V A , the offi ce w as m ov i ng t o a new l ocat i on and as a r es ul tem pl oyee s w er e i nv ol ved w i th m ov i ng and ass em bl i ng furni ture. D ockery s uf f e r e d f r om s e ve r e pa i n i n hi s uppe rl e g a nd gr oi n a nd hi s doc t orpr ovi de d the V A hu m an re source s off i ce w i th a l ett erl i st i ng ce rt ai n p hysi ca l ac t i vi t i es that D o c k e ry s h o u ld n o t p e r f o rm . H e c ont e nds tha tC a r ol y n A nde r s on, hi s s upe rvi s or , i gnor e d the s e ve r i ty of h i s i n j u ry b y r e q u i r i n g h i m t o mo v e a n d a s s e mb l e f u rn i tu r e . H e f

u r th e rc l a i ms tha t , c ontr a ry t o A nde r s on’ s E E O C t e s t i m ony , f urni tur e a s s e m bl y c ont i nue d f or m ore than tw o w ee ks and thathe had t o spend m ore t i m e than the other e m pl oyee s3

a s s e m bl i ng f

urni tur e . I n a ddi t i on, D oc ke ry a l l e ge s i ns t a nc e s of m a l i c i ous be ha vi or on A nde r s on’ s pa rts uc h a s : pul l i ng D oc ke ry t o the f l oorby hi s w r i s tw he n he c om pl a i ne d aboutthe f urni tur e m ovi ng a nd a s s e m bl y ; a nd m a ki ng de m e a ni ng s t a t e m e nt s abouthi s pa i n. H e c ont e nds tha tA nde r s on, w ho i s of B l a c k a nd H is p a n ic d e s c e n t, s u b

je c te d h im to s u c h tr e a tm e n t in p a r t b e c au s e o f h is r a c e . T hus , he a r gue s , the di s tr i c tc our te rr e d w he n i tf ound tha the di d not e s tab lis h ap r im af

a c ie c a s e f

o re ith e rh is h o s tile w o rke n v ir o n m e n t c la im o rh is e m p lo y m e n t d is c r im in a tio n c la im . I. W e r e vi e w adi s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof s um m a ry j udgm e ntde novo. P a tr i c k v. F l oy d M e di c a l C e nt e r , 201 F . 3d 1313, 1315 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . W e c ons true the f a c t s a nd dr a w a l l r e a s onabl e i nf e r e nc e s i n the l i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o the n o n -m o v i n g p arty. H C A H eal th S erv i ces o f G eo rg i a, In c. v . E m p l o yers H eal th In s. C o. , 24 0 F . 3d 98 2, 99 1 (11 th C i r. 20 01 ). F ed. R . C i v. P . 56 (c ) s t at es thatsum m ary j ud gm enti s app ropri at e “ i f the pl ea di ng s, depo si t i on s, answ er s t o i nt errogat ori es a nd a dm i s s i ons on f

i l e , t oge the rw i th the a f

f i da vi t s , i f

a ny , s how tha tthe r e i s no g e n u in e is s u e a s to a n y m a te r ia l f a c t a n d th a t th e m o v in g p a r ty is e n title d to j udgm e nta s am a tt e rof l a w . ” F e d. R . C i v. P . 56( c ) . “ A m e r e ‘ s c i nt i l l a ’ of e vi de nc e s uppor t i ng the oppos i ng pa r ty ’ s pos i t i on w i l l nots uf f i c e ; the r e m us tbeW e n o te th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t f o u n d th a t D o c k e ry f

a ile d to p r o p e r ly c ite to 2 e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d to s u p p o rt h is p o s itio n a n d g r a n te d s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t, in p a rt, f orthi s r e a s on. A l though the V A ur ge s us t o a f f i rm f orthi s r e a s on, w e de c l i ne t o do s o be c aus e i ti s notne c e s s a ry i n l i ghtof D oc ke ry ’ s f

a i l ur e , i n a ny e ve nt , t o pr e s e nt e vi de nc e s uf

f i c i e ntt o 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 tunde rR ul e 56. 4 e nough of

as how i ng tha tthe j ury c oul d r e a s onabl y f i nd f ortha tpa r ty . ” W a l ke rv. D a rb y , 9 1 1 F .2 d 1 5 7 3 , 1 5 7 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) . W h e n f a c e d w ith a“p r o p e r ly s u p p o r t e d mo t i o n f

o rs u mma ry j u d g me n t , [ th e n o n mo v i n g p a r ty ] mu s tc o me forw ar d w i th speci fi c f

ac tual evi dence, pres ent i ng m ore than m er e a l l egat i on s. ” G ar gi ul o v . G . M . S al es , Inc. , 13 1 F . 3d 99 5, 99 9 (11 th C i r. 19 97 ). 2 A . 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 d i sch arg e an y i n d i v i d u al b ecau se o f h i s race. S ee B ass v . B o ard o f C o u n ty C o m ' rs, O r a n g e Co u n ty , Fl a . , 2 5 6 F. 3 d 1 0 9 5 , 1 1 0 3 ( 1 1 th Ci r . 2 0 0 1 ) ; s e e a l s o 4 2 U . S. C. § 2 0 0 0 e - 2 ( a ) . “I n r e v e r s e d is c r im in a tio n s u its , p la in tif f s m u s t e s tab lis h . . . : [ ( ] 1) tha the be l ongs t o ac l a s s ; ( 2) tha the appl i e d f ora nd w a s qua l i f

i e d f oraj ob; ( 3 ) th a t h e w a s r e

je c te d f o rth e jo b ; a n d ( 4 ) th a t th e jo b w a s f ille d b y am in o r ity g r o u p m e m b e r .” S h e a ly v . C ity o f A lb a n y , 8 9 F .3 d 8 0 4 , 8 0 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) . T he U ni t e d S t a t e s i s nota n e m pl oy e rw i thi n the m e a ni ng of the A D A . 42 U .S .C . § 1 2 1 1 1 ( 5 ) ( B ) ( i) . T h e U n ite d S ta te s , th e r e f o r e , is n o t ac o v e r e d e n tity un der the A D A . 42 U . S . C . § 1 21 11 (2). A cc ordi ng l y, the S ec re t ary of the V A m ay5

notbe he l d l i abl e f

oravi ol a t i on of

the A D A . T he S e c r e t a ry c oul d, how e ve r , be he l d l i abl e unde rthe R e habi l i t a t i on A c t . M ul l i ns v. C r ow e l l , 228 F . 3d 1305, 1313 ( 1 1 th C ir . C ir . 2 0 0 ) . W e h a v e o b s e rv e d th a t th e R e h ab ilita tio n A c t e x p r e s s ly a dopt s the s a m e l i abi l i ty s t a nda r ds a s the A D A , a nd, the r e f or e , w he the rthe S e c r e t a ry w oul d be l i abl e unde rthe A D A i s r e l e va ntt o D oc ke ry ’ s R e habi l i t a t i on A c tc l a i m . S e e 29 U . S . C . § 791( g) ; M ul l i ns , 228 F . 3d a t1313. T h e S u p r e m e C o u rt u s e s th e b u r d e n - s h if tin g f r a m e w o rks e t f

o r th in M c D onne l l D ougl a s C orp. v. G r e e n, 411 U . S . 792, 93 S . C t . 1817, 36 L . E d. 2d 668 ( 1973) , t o e va l ua t e c l a i m s of i ndi r e c te vi de nc e of

di s c r i m i na t i on i n e m pl oy m e nt a c t i ons . S e e a l s o C l e ve l a nd v. H om e S hoppi ng N e tw ork, I nc . , 369 F . 3d 1189, 1193 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( appl y i ng the M c D onne l l D ougl a s bur de n- s hi f t i ng t e s tt o a d is ab ility c la im ) . F ir s t, th e p la in tif f c a rr ie s th e b u r d e n o f

e s tab lis h in g ap r im af

a c ie ca se of di sc ri m i nat i on . M cD on nel l D ou gl as C orp. , 41 1 U . S . at80 2, 93 S . C t . at 18 24 . “ O nce apl ai nt i ff has e st abl i shed a pri m a f ac i e c as e, the em pl oyerthen h as an op po rtun i ty t o art i cul at e al egi t i m at e, no n-re t al i at ory r ea son for the chal l enged e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n .” P e n n in g to n v . C ity o f H u n ts v ille , 2 6 1 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 6 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . O n c e th e e m p lo y e rp r o f f e r s ale g itim a te , n o n - d is c r im in a to ry r e a s o n , in or de rt o s urvi ve s um m a ry j udgm e nt , the e m pl oy e e m us t“ pr of f e rs uf f i c i e nt e vi de nc e t o 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 tr e ga r di ng w he the re a c h of the6

d e f e n d a n te m p l o y e r ’ s a rt i c u l a t e d r e a s o n s [ a r e ] p r e t e x tu a l . ” C h ap m a n v . AI T r a ns por t , 229 F . 3d 1012, 1024- 25 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . “ T he ul t i m a t e bur de n of pr ovi ng byapr e ponde r a nc e of the e vi de nc e tha tthe r e a s on pr ovi de d by the em pl oyeri s apret extfor prohi bi t ed, re t al i at ory c on du ctre m ai ns on the pl ai nt i ff . ” P e nni ngt on, 261 F . 3d a t1266. T o est abl i sh the defendant ’ s proff er ed re as on i s pre t extual , the “ pl ai nt i ff m ustshow “ bo th thatthe re as on w as fa l se , and thatdi sc ri m i nat i on w as the re al r e a s on. ” S t . M a ry ' s H onorC tr . v. H i c ks , 509 U . S . 502, 512 n. 4, 113 S . C t . 2742, 2 7 5 0 n .4 , 1 2 5 L .E d .2 d 4 0 7 (1 9 9 3 ). “[T ]h e f ac tfin d er ’s re

jectio n o f th e e m p lo ye r’s l e gi t i m a t e , nondi s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on f ori t s a c t i on doe s notc om pe l j udgm e ntf or the pl a i nt i f

f . ” R e e ve s v. S a nde r s on P l um bi ng P r od. , I nc . , 530 U . S . 133, 146, 120 S . C t . 20 97 , 21 08 , 14 7 L . E d. 2d 10 5 (20 00 ) ( em ph as i s i n o ri gi nal ). T he R ee ves c our tnot e d tha t“ the f

a c t f i nde rm us tbe l i e ve the pl a i nt i f f’ s e xpl a na t i on of i nt e nt i ona l di s c r i m i na t i on, ” but“ i ti s pe rm i s s i bl e f orthe tr i e rof

f a c tt o i nf e rthe u ltim a te f

a c t o f d is c r im in a tio n f

r o m th e f a ls ity o f th e e m p lo y e r ’s e x p la n a tio n . . . . t og ether w i th the el em ent s of the pri m a f ac i e c as e, suff

i ce t o sho w i nt ent i on al di s c r i m i na t i on. ” R e e ve s , 530 U . S . a t147, 120 S . C t . a t2108. U pon r e vi e w of

the r e c or d, a nd c ons i de r a t i on of the pa r t i e s ’ br i e f

s , w e f i nd n o r e v e r s i b l e e rr o r . Ev e n a s s u mi n g a r g u e n d o th a tD o c k e ry e s t ab l i s h e d ap r i ma7

f a c i e c a s e f

ore i the rr a c e ordi s abi l i ty di s c r i m i na t i on, w e f i nd tha the di d nots how th a t th e n o n - d is c r im in a to ry r e a s o n p r o f f e r e d b y th e V A –h is q u e s tio n ab le w o rkp la c e te m p e r a m e n t –w a s f a ls e . W e not e thatw hi l e D ockeryal l eges thatA nd er son m i stre at ed hi m t o force h im to le a v e th e V A , th e e v id e n c e r e v e a ls th a t s h e d id n o t u ltim a te ly d e c id e to t e rm i na t e hi m , a nd, i n f a c t , m e r e l y r e c om m e nde d ar e pr i m a nd. I ns t e a d, A n d e r s o n ’s s u p e r io r s d e c id e d to te rm in a te h is e m p lo y m e n t b e c au s e h is u n p ro fessi o n al co n d u ctatth e w o rkp l ace. A s th e reco rd sh o w s, co l l eag u es, vet er ans and fi nanci al i nst i tut i on s a l l com pl ai ned t o A nd er son thathe w ou l d o ft en behave i n an excess i vel y e m ot i on al and o cc as i on al l y a gg re ss i ve m anner t ow ar d them . S uch b ehavi or pers i st ed even tho ug h A nd er son h ad previ ou sl y a dm on i shed D oc ke ry f

orhi s c onduc t . D oc ke ry of f e r s no e vi de nc e tha tthi s be ha vi ordi d not o c c u r . T he r e f

or e , D oc ke ry f

a i l e d t o pr e s e ntorc i t e t o s uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o s how thatthe V A ’ s l egi t i m at e, no n-di sc ri m i nat ory r ea son for hi s t erm i nat i on w as p r e t e x tu a l , a n d , a c c o r d i n g l y , w e a f f i rm. B . H os t i l e W ork E nvi r onm e nt 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 o rke n v ir o n m e n t. Ed wa r d s v . W a l l a c e Cm ty . Co l l e g e , 4 9 F. 3 d 1 5 1 7 , 1 5 2 1 ( 1 1 th Ci r . 1 9 9 5 ) . To8

est ab l i sh a p ri m a faci e case fo r a h o st i l e w o rken v i ro n m en tcl ai m , a p l ai n t i ff m u st d e m o n s tr a te th a t: ( 1 ) h e b e lo n g s to ap r o te c te d g r o u p ; ( 2 ) h e h a s b e e n s u b je c te d to un w 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 y s 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 y abus 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 rv. K e nw or th of D otha n, 277 F . 3d 12 69 , 12 75 (11th C i r. 20 02 ). T he em pl oyee shou l d p re se ntconcret e e vi dence i n the form of spec i fi c f ac t s, no tj ustconcl usory a l l egat i on s and as se rt i on s. S ee E ar l eyv. C ham pi on Int ernat ’ l C orp. , 90 7 F . 2d 10 77 , 10 81 (11th C i r. 19 90 ). 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 y s 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 y pe 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 em pl oyee ’ s posi t i on w ou l d fi nd ho st i l e or abu si ve. Id. F ou r f ac t ors are im p o rtan t i n an alyz in g w h eth erh ar as sm en t o b jectiv ely a lt er ed an em p lo ye 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 y of

the c onduc t ; ( 2) the s e ve r i ty of

the c onduc t ; ( 3) w he the rthe c onduc tw a s phy s i c a l l y thr e a t e ni ng or9

hu m i l i at i ng , or a m er e off ensi ve ut t er ance ; and (4) w hether the cond uct u n reaso n ab l y i n t erfered w i th th e em p l o yee’ s j o b p erfo rm an ce. Id . C o u rt s m u st c 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 a l i ty of the ci rc um st ance s. Id. at12 42 . T ea si ng , offhand com m ent s, and i sol at ed i n c i d e n t s ( u n l e s s e x tr e me ) w i l l n o ta mo u n tt o d i s c r i mi n a t o ry c h a n g e s i n th e t e rms a nd c ondi t i ons of

e m pl oy m e nt . I d. a t1245. U pon r e vi e w of

the r e c or d, a nd c ons i de r a t i on of D oc ke ry ’ s br i e f

, w e f i nd no r e ve r s i bl e e rr or . A s a n i ni t i a l m a tt e r , a l though the di s tr i c tc our t : ( 1) a s s um e d, im p lic itly , th a t D o c k e ry b e lo n g e d to ap r o te c te d g r o u p , h a d b e e n s u b je c te d to un w el com e har as sm entbase d o n a prot ec t ed chara ct er i st i c, and thatthe V A w as re spon si bl e f

or hi s e nv i ronm ent ; and (2) di d n otspec i fi ca l l y a dd re ss the M endo za f a c t or s w i th r e s pe c tt o the s e ve r i ty of A nde r s on’ s c onduc t , a n e xa m i na t i on of the re cord i nd i ca t es thatsum m ary j ud gm entw as prop er . E vi de nc e s uppor t e d a n i nf e r e nc e tha t : ( 1) f

urni tur e a s s e m bl y w a s r e qui r e d, a nd D oc ke ry s pe ntm or e t i m e a ti ttha n s om e othe re m pl oy e e s ; ( 2) A nde r s on gr abbe d hi s a rm a tone poi nt ; ( 3) A nde r s on w a nt e d t o ge tr i d of hi m ; a nd ( 4) A nde r s on m a de de m e a ni ng c om m e nt s t o hi m r e ga r di ng hi s di s abi l i ty . T he r e i s no i nd i ca t i on ho w these occurre nces i nt er fe re d w i th D ockery ’ s j ob perf orm ance , i f a t a l l . T he e vi de nc e a l s o m a ke s c l e a rtha t , on s e ve r a l oc c a s i ons , A nde r s onDo c kery ’smotion to f ilea reply brie f out o f timeis DENIED. 3 10 i m m edi at el y m ade a dj ustm ent s t o D ockery ’ s w ork space t o acc om m od at e hi s l eg im p airm en t. L o o k in g at th e to tali ty o f th e c ircu m stan ce s, w e f in d th at D o ck er y’s a l l e ga t i ons , e ve n i f

true , do notm e e tthi s C i r c ui t ’ s s t a nda r ds f ore s t abl i s hi ng the e xi s t e nc e of

ahos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e nttha tw a s s uf f i c i e nt l y s e ve r e orpe r s ua s i ve to a lte rth e te rm s a n d c o n d itio n s o f p la in tif f 's e m p lo y m e n t. B ec ause D ockeryhas off er ed no evi dence t o sug gestthatthe V A ’ s proff er ed r e a s on f orhi s t e rm i na t i on i s pr e t e xtua l a nd be c aus e he ha s notr a i s e d age nui ne i s s ue of m a t e r i a l f

a c tc onc e rni ng hi s hos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e ntc l a i m , w e a f f i rm the d e c is io n o f

th e d is tr ic t c o u rt. AF F I RME D. 3