* 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 a nd i s notpr e c e de nt e x c e p t a s p r o v id e db y9 th C ir . R . 3 6 - 3 . ** T he H onor abl e K e vi n T hom a s D uf f y , U ni t e d S t a t e s D i s tr i c tJ udge f orthe S o u th e rn D is tr ic t o f

N e w Y o rk , s ittin g b yd e s ig n a tio n . 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 G E O R G E H . L A R S O N , a n in d iv id u a l, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v . U N I TED N A TU RA L FO O D S W EST I N C. , aCa l i f

o rn i aCo rp o r a t i o n , SY SCO A R I Z O N A I N C . , a n dU N K N O WN P A R T IE S nam ed as Jo h n an dJan e D o es, I - X; B l a c ka n dWh i t e P a rtn e r s h i p s , I - X; a n dAB C C o rp o r a t i o n s , I - X, D efen d an t s - A p p el l ees. N o. 11- 17039 D. C . No . 2 : 1 0 - c v - 0 0 1 8 5 - DG C

ME MO R A N D U M*

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt

f orthe D i s tr i c tof

A r i z ona D a vi d G . C a m pbe l l , D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng

S ubm i tt e d M a y15, 2013 S a n F r a n c is c o , C a lif

o rn ia B ef ore: M C K E O W N and W A T F O R D , C i rc ui tJudg es , and D U F F Y , D i stri ct J udge . ** 1 

# FI LED MA Y17 2 013 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS2

G e or ge L a r s on appe a l s f r om the D i s tr i c tC ourt ’ s gr a ntof s um m a ryj udgm e nt for U ni t ed N atural F oo ds W es tInc. (“ U N F I” ) and S ys co A ri zona Inc. (“ S ys co”) on hi s c l a i m s unde rthe A m e r i c a ns w i th D i s abi l i t i e s A c t( “ A D A ” ) , the F a m i l ya nd M edi ca l L eave A ct(“ F M L A ”) , and com m on -l aw negl i gence. U N F I t erm i nat ed M r . L a r s on, ac om m e r c i a l truc k dr i ve r , a f t e ra n audi tr e ve a l e d tha tM r . L a r s on t es t ed po si t i vel y f

or al coho l w hen h e w as em pl oyed atS ys co, and a subst ance abus e pr of

e s s i ona l ( “ S A P ” ) di a gnos e d hi m w i th a l c ohol de pe nde nc e . F orthe r e a s o n s d is c u s s e db e lo w , w e a f f irm . I . J ur i s di c t i o n T h is c o u rt h a s ju r is d ic tio n p u r s u a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1 . I I . S t a n d a r d o f

R e v i e w T hi s c ourtr e vi e w s adi s tr i c tc ourt ’ s or de rgr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e ntde novo. M i l t on H . G r e e ne A r c hi ve s , I nc . v. M a r i l y n M onr oe L L C , 692 F . 3d 983, 9 9 2 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 1 2 ) . S u m m a ryju d g m e n t is p r o p e rw h e n , v ie w in g th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o r ab le to th e n o n m o v in g p a rty , th e r e is n o g e n u in e d is p u te a s to a n yma t e r i a l f

a c ta n dth e mo v a n ti s e n t i t l e dt o j u d g me n ta s ama tt e ro f l a w . Fe d . R. C iv . P . 5 6 ( a ) ; M ilto n H . G r e e n e A r c h iv e s , I n c ., 6 9 2 F .3 da t 9 9 2 . I I I . FM LA T he D i s tr i c tC ourtpr ope r l ydi s m i s s e d M r . L a r s on’ s F M L A c l a i m on the3

b a s is th a t M r . L a r s o n is n o t a n F M L A - c o v e r e de m p lo y e e . T h e F M L A s p e c if ic a lly excl ud es fr om i t s c ov er age an em pl oyee ata w orksi t e w here the em pl oyerhas f e w e rth a n 5 0 e m p lo y e e s w ith in 7 5 m ile s o f th a t lo c a tio n . 2 9 U .S .C . § 2 6 1 1 ( 2 ) ( B ) ( ii) . F o rtru c kd r iv e r s lik e M r . L a r s o n , “th e irw o rk s ite is th e te rm in a l to w hi ch they are as si gn ed, re po rtfor w ork, depart , and return aft ercom pl et i on of a w o rkassi g n m en t . ” 2 9 C . F . R . § 8 2 5 . 1 1 1 (a)(2 ); see al so B ad er v . N . L i n e L ayers, I nc . , 503 F . 3d 813, 819–20 ( 9th C i r . 2007) . T he R y de ry a r d i n P hoe ni x, A r i z ona w as M r. L ar son’ s w orksi t e bec ause thati s w here M r. L ar son p hysi ca l l y r eport ed f orw ork e a c h da y , r e c e i ve d hi s de l i ve r i e s , r e turne d a tthe e nd of the da y , a nd p u n c h e di n a n do u to f

th e U N FI t i me c l o c k . Th e r e i s n o d i s p u t e th a tU N FI e m pl oy e d f

e w e rtha n 50 pe r s ons w i thi n 75 m i l e s of the R y de ry a r d. B e c aus e the R y d e ry a r dw a s M r . L a r s o n ’s w o rk s ite , M r . L a r s o n is n o t c o v e r e db yth e F M L A . I V . AD A T he A D A pr ohi bi t s c ove r e d e nt i t i e s , s uc h a s e m pl oy e r s , f r om di s c r i m i na t i ng a ga i ns taqua l i f

i e d i ndi vi dua l w i th adi s abi l i tybe c aus e of hi s orhe rdi s abi l i ty . 42 U . S . C . § 12112( a ) . U nde rthe A D A , “ a n e m pl oy e e be a r s the ul t i m a t e bur de n of pr ovi ng tha the i s ( 1) di s abl e d unde rthe A c t , ( 2) aqua l i f i e d i ndi vi dua l w i th a di sabi l i ty, and (3) di sc ri m i nat ed agai nstbecause of the di sabi l i ty. ” B at es v. U ni t ed P a r c e l S e rv. , I nc . , 511 F . 3d 974, 988 ( 9th C i r . 2007) ( e n ba nc ) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons4

o m itte d ) . M r . L a r s o n is n o t aq u a lif ie din d iv id u a l. T o d et erm i ne i f s om eone i s aqu al i fi ed i nd i vi du al , court s c on si der w hether the i ndi vi dua l c a n pe r f

orm the e s s e nt i a l f

unc t i ons of

the i rpos i t i on w i th orw i thout a r ea sonabl e a cc om m od at i on . 42 U . S . C . § 1 21 11 (8); 29 C . F . R . § 1 63 0. 2(m ); se e B a t e s , 511 F . 3d a t989. “ E s s e nt i a l f unc t i ons ” a r e “ f

unda m e nt a l j ob dut i e s of the e m p lo y m e n t p o s itio n . . . n o t in c lu d [ in g ] th e m a r g in a l f u n c tio n s o f

th e p o s itio n .” B a t e s , 511 F . 3d a t989 ( quot i ng 29 C . F . R . § 1630. 2( n) ( 1) ); se e C ri pe v. C i ty of S an J o s e , 2 6 1 F .3 d8 7 7 , 8 8 7 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . I f ad i s ab l e dp e r s o n c a n n o tp e r f o rm a jo b ’s es se n ti al fu n ctio n s, ev en w ith a r ea so n ab le ac co m m o d atio n , th en th e A D A ’s e m p lo y m e n t p r o te c tio n s d o n o t ap p ly . B a te s , 5 1 1 F .3 da t 9 8 9 . B e i ng phy s i c a l l yqua l i f

i e d unde rD O T r e gul a t i ons i s a n e s s e nt i a l j ob funct i on for U N F I’ s c om m er ci al dri vers . M r. L ar son w as no tph ys i ca l l y qual i fi ed to b e ac o m m e r c ia l d r iv e ru n d e rD O T r e g u la tio n s s in c e h e h a dac u rr e n t d ia g n o s is of al coho l i sm . S ee 49 C . F . R . §§ 39 1. 41 (a )( 1)(i ), (b)( 13 ). A nd an i nd ef i ni t e, bu tat l e a s ts i x- m onth l ong, l e a ve of abs e nc e t o pe rm i thi m t o f ul f i l l the S A P ’ s tr e a tm e nt r e c om m e nda t i ons s o tha the m i ghte ve ntua l l ybe phy s i c a l l yqua l i f i e d unde rthe D O T r e g u la tio n s is n o t ar e a s o n ab le a c c o m m o d a tio n . S e e D a rkv . C u rryC n ty ., 45 1 F . 3d 10 78 , 10 90 (9th C i r. 20 06 ) ( “ re coveryt i m e of unspeci fi ed du ra t i on m ay no tbe a r ea sonabl e a cc om m od at i on ”) , ce rt . deni ed, 549 U . S . 1205 ( 2007) ; W ood v.5

G r e e n, 323 F . 3d 1309, 1314 ( 11th C i r . 2003) ( r e que s t i ng a n i nde f i ni t e l e a ve of abse nce i s unrea sonabl e a s am att erof l aw ), ce rt . deni ed, 54 0 U . S . 98 2 (20 03 ); H ud son v . M C I T el ec om m s. C orp. , 87 F . 3d 11 67 , 11 69 (10th C i r. 19 96 ) ( for a r e que s t e d a c c om m oda t i on t o be r e a s onabl e , the pl a i nt i f f m us tpr e s e nte vi de nc e of th e im p a irm e n t’s e x p e c te dd u r a tio n , a n dn o t th e d u r a tio n o f th e le a v e r e q u e s t) . M r . L a r s o n a ls o a r g u e s th a t U N F I v io la te dth e A D A w h e n it r e q u ir e dh im to u n d e r g o aS A P e v a lu a tio n . H o w e v e r , M r . L ar s o n d idn o t p le a dth is in h is A m e nde d C om pl a i nta nd i s f or e c l os e d f

r om r a i s i ng i tnow . S e e D a nj a q L L C v. S on y C orp. , 26 3 F . 3d 94 2, 95 3 (9th C i r. 20 01 ). V . N egl i gen ce T o pr ove ne gl i ge nc e unde rA r i z onal a w , “ the pl a i nt i f f m us tpr ove the e xi s t e nc e of

aduty , abr e a c h of

tha tduty , c aus a t i on, a nd dam a ge s . ” S e i s i nge rv. S i ebel , 20 3 P . 3d 48 3, 49 2 (A ri z. 20 09 ). E ven ass um i ng w i tho utdeci di ng that S ysco h ad a d u ty t o p ro v i d e tru th fu l i n fo rm at i o n , th ere w as n o b reach b ecau se S y s c o r e s p o n d e dtru th f

u llyto th e q u e s tio n s p o s e d . M r. L ar son’ s c hi ef

com pl ai nti s thatthe confi rm at ory t es t(the se cond on e, at 0. 032 B A C ) , r a the rtha n the s c r e e ni ng t e s t( the f i r s tone , a t0. 040 B A C ) , i s the r e le v a n t m e tr ic f

o rw h a t c o n s titu te s aD O T a lc o h o l v io la tio n , s e e 4 9 C .F .R . § 4 0 .2 8 5 ( b ) ( “F o rp u rp o s e s o f th is s u b p a rt . . . aD O T a lc o h o l te s t w ith ar e s u lt6

i ndi c a t i ng a n a l c ohol c onc e ntr a t i on of 0. 04 orgr e a t e r. . . c ons t i tut e s aD O T drug a n da lc o h o l r e g u la tio n v io la tio n .” ) , a n dS y s c o o n lyr e p o rte dth e s c r e e n in g te s t to U N F I . H ow e ve r , the f

orm tha tS y s c o’ s e m pl oy e e , M a rt i n B e a n, f i l l e d outdi d not d if f e r e n tia te b e tw e e n as c r e e n in g te s t a n dac o n f irm a to ryte s t. M r . B e a n a c c u r a te ly a nd truthf

ul l yi ndi c a t e d on the f

orm tha tM r . L a r s on “ ha d a n a l c ohol t e s tw i th a r e s ul tof 0. 04 orhi ghe ra l c ohol c onc e ntr a t i on. ” M or e ove r , D O T r e gul a t i ons r e qui r e pr e vi ous e m pl oy e r s t o i nf orm pr os pe c t i ve e m pl oy e r s of dr i ve r s ’ “ [ a ] l c ohol t e s t s w i th ar e s ul tof

0. 04 orhi ghe ra l c ohol c onc e ntr a t i on, ” w i thoutdi f f e r e nt i a t i ng b e tw e e n s c r e e n in g a n dc o n f irm a to ryte s ts . 4 9 C .F .R . § 4 0 .2 5 ( b ) ( 1 ) . M r. L ar son al so ar gu es thatS ys co’ s e m pl oyee s f al se l y r eport ed thathe had been t erm i nat ed, bu tS ys co’ s e m pl oyee s’ st at em ent s w er e a cc urat e gi ven thatM r. L arso n resi g n ed u n d er th reato f t erm i n at i o n . S ee F en d l er v . P h o en i x N ew sp ap ers, I nc . , 636 P . 2d 1257, 1261 ( A r i z . C t . A pp. 1981) ( “ S l i ghti na c c ur a c i e s of e xpr e s s i on a r e im m a te r ia l p r o v id e dth a t th e d e f a m a to ryc h a r g e is tru e in s u b s ta n c e .” ) . V I . C on c l u s i on W e a f f i rm the D i s tr i c tC ourt ’ s gr a nt s of s um m a ryj udgm e ntt o U N F I a nd S ys co. M r. L ar son’ s w orksi t e w as no tF M L A -qual i fi ed, he i s nota qual i fi ed in d iv id u a l u n d e rth e A D A , a n dS y s c o b r e a c h e dn o d u tyto h im . A F F I R M E D .