Source: http://dc.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20000620_0000086.DDC.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 13:36:20+00:00

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WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY, DEFENDANT.
The opinion of the court was delivered by: Urbina, District Judge.
This matter comes before the court on the defendant Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ("WMATA")'s motion for summary judgment. The plaintiff alleges that WMATA racially discriminated and retaliated against him in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5 et seq., as amended ("Title VII") and the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, D.C.Code § 1-2501 et seq., as amended ("DCHRA").*fn1 Specifically, the plaintiff alleges that on August 4, 1998, WMATA took a disciplinary action against him because of his race and in retaliation for a discrimination charge he had filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") in 1992. See Compl. ¶ 12.
WMATA contends that the court should dismiss both the discrimination and retaliation claims. First, WMATA seeks to dismiss the Title VII discrimination claim on the ground that the plaintiff has shown neither an adverse employment action taken against him nor any racially disparate treatment. See Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. at 6, 8, 10. Second, WMATA seeks to dismiss Mr. Walker's Title VII retaliation claim on the ground that the plaintiff filed the complaint untimely and has failed to exhaust all available administrative remedies. See id. at 14, 15. Lastly, WMATA seeks to dismiss the DCHRA claims on the ground that it is an entity created by interstate compact and so is not subject to DCHRA claims. See id. at 15-17.
For the reasons which follow, the court will grant the motion for summary judgment and will dismiss the complaint in its entirety with prejudice.
Tyrone Lloyd Walker is a 58-year-old African-American man who has been employed by WMATA since June 1970. See Compl. ¶ 11; Def.'s Statement of Material Facts as to Which There is No Genuine Issue ("Def.'s SMF") ¶ 2; Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. at 3. In May 1992, Mr. Walker filed a discrimination charge against WMATA with the EEOC that ultimately ended with a settlement in April 1993.*fn2 See Compl. ¶ 12; Def.'s SMF ¶¶ 7, 25.
The instant action arises out of the events of July 13, 1998, when Mr. Walker was working as Station Manager at the Arlington Cemetery Metrorail Station in Virginia. See Compl. ¶ 5; Def.'s SMF ¶ 4; Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. at 1. On that day, a female patron asked Mr. Walker for directions and, he says, began rubbing his arm. See id. Mr. Walker asked the female patron to stop rubbing his arm, and when she did not stop, Mr. Walker became upset and yelled at her. See Compl. ¶ 13; Def.'s SMF ¶ 3. As related by WMATA, the patron's account of the incident is different; the patron complained that Mr. Walker was rude in response to her request for directions and "tried to embarrass her." See Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. at 3. As a result, WMATA reprimanded Mr. Walker by issuing a Notice of Caution and Reinstruction against him on August 4, 1998. See Compl. ¶ 13; Def.'s SMF ¶ 5. Believing that WMATA had issued the disciplinary notice unlawfully, Mr. Walker filed a discrimination charge with the EEOC on August 25, 1998. See Compl. ¶ 16; Def.'s SMF ¶ 5. One month later, WMATA rescinded the Notice of Caution and Reinstruction on September 24, 1998.*fn3 See Compl. ¶ 17; Def.'s SMF ¶ 10. WMATA states, and Mr. Walker does not contest, that the rescinded Notice can have no effect on his work duties, salary, benefits or opportunities for training or promotion. See Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. at 3-4; Def.'s SMF ¶¶ 8-10.
In his complaint, Mr. Walker alleges that WMATA racially discriminated and retaliated against him in violation of Title VII. See Compl. ¶¶ 14, 15, 16. First, Mr. Walker contends that WMATA issued the disciplinary notice on the basis of his race and gave disparate treatment to a white co-worker in a similar situation.*fn4 Id. ¶¶ 14, 15. Second, Mr. Walker contends that WMATA issued the disciplinary notice in retaliation for his 1992 EEOC charge rather than as a genuine response to the patron's complaint. Id.
Summary judgment is appropriate when "there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." FED. R. CIV. P. 56(c). The substantive law upon which a claim rests determines which facts are "material." See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Skelton v. ACTION, 668 F. Supp. 25, 28 (D.D.C. 1987), aff'd, 1988 WL 156306 (D.C.Cir. 1988). If a fact bears upon an essential element of the legal claim, then it is material; otherwise, it is not. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Skelton, 668 F. Supp. at 28. Only disputes over facts that can establish an element of the claim, and thus might affect its ultimate resolution, can create a "genuine issue" sufficient to preclude summary judgment. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548.
To prevail on a motion for summary judgment, the moving party bears the burden of establishing that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that the nonmoving party has failed to offer sufficient evidence to support a valid legal claim. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Celotex, 477 U.S. at 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548. In ruling on the motion, the court must accept the factual allegations of the nonmoving party as true and must draw all justifiable inferences therefrom in favor of the nonmoving party. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505. It is not sufficient, however, for the nonmoving party to establish "the mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the [nonmoving party's] position . . . there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for the [nonmoving party]." Id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Borgo v. Goldin, 204 F.3d 251, 254 (D.C.Cir. 2000). If the evidence in favor of the nonmoving party "is merely colorable, or is not significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted." Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505 (internal citations omitted).

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