Source: https://m.openjurist.org/98/f3d/107
Timestamp: 2020-08-10 08:42:31
Document Index: 584491077

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 10', '§ 1981', '§ 40', '§ 10', '§ 1983', '§ 1291', '§ 1981', '§ 40']

98 F3d 107 Hampton | OpenJurist
98 F. 3d 107 - Hampton
98 F3d 107 Hampton
98 F.3d 107
72 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas. (BNA) 101,
69 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 44,422
Preston HAMPTON; Carl Bowles, Appellants,
BOROUGH OF TINTON FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT; Ann Y. McNamara,
Mayor, Individually and acting under color of State Law;
Richard Brandstetter, Councilman, Individually and acting
under Color of State Law; Robert Gagliano, Councilman,
Individually and acting under Color of State Law; Richard
Maher, Councilman, Individually and acting under Color of
State Law; Lynn Robinson, Councilwoman, Individually and
acting under Color of State Law; Gabe Tornillo, Councilman,
Individually and acting under Color of State Law, and in his
Capacity as a Member of the Promotional Review Board;
Anthony Muscillo, Individually and acting under Color of
State Law in his Capacity as Borough Administrator, Public
Safety Director and Member of the Promotional Review Board
and Oral Interview Board; LaDean White, Individually and
acting under Color of State Law, and in his Capacity as
Captain of Police and Member of the Promotional Review
Board; Pasquale Menna, Individually and acting under Color
of State Law in his capacity as Borough Prosecutor and
Member of the Promotional Review Board; Lou Napolitano,
Individually and acting under Color of State Law in his
Capacity as Member of the Oral Review Board; Joseph
Torchia, Individually and acting under Color of State Law as
a Member of the Oral Review Board; John Does, (1-100);
Jane Does, (1-100); David Gonzalez.
No. 95-5762.
The scores from the PRB and the ORB were then averaged with each score weighted equally. Turning and Gonzalez were promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and Hampton filed a complaint with the EEOC claiming that he was not promoted because of his race. The complaint was filed at the EEOC office in Newark on April 12, 1995,4 but it was erroneously dated April 13, 1995. This error caused problems because when the Borough's Personnel Administrator (Helen Auringer) saw the incorrect EEOC filing date, she noted that Hampton had been on duty all day on April 13, 1995, and should not have been in Newark visiting the EEOC. As a result, an internal investigation was initiated and on May 2, 1995, Hampton was notified that he was under disciplinary investigation for "[g]oing to Newark on duty time to file a complaint with [the] EEOC" and "[u]sing a department vehicle to travel to Newark for personal business without authorization." App. at 281. The Borough maintains that it soon discovered the typographical error and ended the investigation without any adverse consequences to Hampton. However, it is alleged that on August 28, 1995, without any explanation, Major White told Hampton that he (Hampton) was being removed from the detective bureau and reassigned to road patrol. Brief for Appellants at 12. Hampton claims that he continues on road patrol even though White told him that the reassignment would be temporary. Id.
Hampton asserts several theories of recovery. Counts One to Five allege that defendants' actions in not promoting him violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. § 10:5-1, and 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981 and 1983. Count Six is an "Action in Lieu of Prerogative Writ" alleging that defendants were arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable in violation of N.J.S.A. § 40A:14-129. Count Seven alleges a breach of contract claim based upon the Police Department's alleged failure to comply with the Borough's affirmative action policy that we need not discuss5. Counts Eight to Ten allege that Hampton's reassignment was in retaliation for his EEOC complaint in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. § 10:5-1, and Hampton's free speech rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
The district court's grant of summary judgment is a final order that disposed of all claims, and this court therefore has jurisdiction over this appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Our review of the district court's summary judgment order is plenary, and we apply the same test as the district court. Sempier v. Johnson & Higgins, 45 F.3d 724, 727 (1995); Chipollini v. Spencer Gifts, Inc., 814 F.2d 893, 896 (3d Cir.) (in banc ), cert. dismissed, 483 U.S. 1052, 108 S.Ct. 26, 97 L.Ed.2d 815 (1987). Summary judgment is appropriate when the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law and there is no genuine dispute of material fact. Gottshall v. Consolidated Rail Corp., 56 F.3d 530, 533 (3d Cir.1995) (citing FED. R. CIV. P. 56(c)). In order to defeat "a properly supported summary judgment motion, the party opposing it must present sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find in its favor." Groman v. Township of Manalapan, 47 F.3d 628, 633 (3d Cir.1995) (citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250-52, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511-12, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986)). In essence, the non-moving party must demonstrate a dispute over facts that might affect the outcome of the suit. Id. Moreover, in reviewing the record, we must give the non-moving party the benefit of all reasonable inferences. Josey v. John R. Hollingsworth Corp., 996 F.2d 632, 637 (3d Cir.1993).
"[C]laims that stress 'disparate impact' [by contrast] involve employment practices that are facially neutral in their treatment of different groups but that in fact fall more harshly on one group than another and cannot be justified by business necessity. Proof of discriminatory motive ... is not required under a disparate treatment theory." Teamsters v. United States, 431 U.S. 324, 335 n. 15, 97 S.Ct. 1843, 1854 n. 15, 52 L.Ed.2d 396 (1977) (citation omitted).
Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins, 507 U.S. 604, 608-11, 113 S.Ct. 1701, 1705-06, 123 L.Ed.2d 338, 346 (1993). The district court adequately explained why plaintiffs' disparate impact theory could not survive defendant's motion for summary judgment, and we affirm that part of the district court's decision for the reasons set forth by the district court. See Dist. Ct. Op., App. at 15-17.
Plaintiffs' disparate treatment claim is based upon "pretext."6 Brief for Appellants at 14-15. As this court explained in Waldron v. SL Industries, Inc., 56 F.3d 491 (3d Cir.1995), the burden-shifting analysis established in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973), and more recently refined in St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 113 S.Ct. 2742, 125 L.Ed.2d 407 (1993), is the appropriate analysis for summary judgment motions in cases alleging violations of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Waldron, 56 F.3d at 494, 504.
Under the familiar shifting burdens analysis of McDonnell Douglas, a plaintiff must initially establish a minimal prima facie case--essentially, that he or she is a member of a protected class and was qualified for an employment position, but that he or she was either not hired for that position or was fired from it "under circumstances that give rise to an inference of unlawful discrimination." Texas Dept. of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 253, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 1094, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981). Once the plaintiff establishes his or her prima facie case, the burden shifts to the defendant to articulate one or more legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for its employment decision. If one or more such reasons are proffered, the presumption of discrimination created by establishment of the prima facie case is dispelled, and the plaintiff must prove that the employer's proffered reason or reasons were pretextual--that is, that they are false and that the real reason for the employment decision was discriminatory.
[b]ecause the factfinder may infer from the combination of the plaintiff's prima facie case and its own rejection of the employer's proffered non-discriminatory reasons that the employer unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff and was merely trying to conceal its illegal act with articulated reasons, see Hicks, 509 U.S. at 510-11, 113 S.Ct. at 2749, a plaintiff who has made out a prima facie case may defeat a motion for summary judgment by either (i) discrediting the proffered reasons, either circumstantially or directly, or (ii) adducing evidence, whether circumstantial or direct, that discrimination was more likely than not a motivating or determinative cause of the adverse employment action.
Id. at 495 (quoting Fuentes v. Perskie, 32 F.3d 759, 764 (3d Cir.1994)).
However, the district court did not go far enough. Although the investigation was dropped, Hampton's involuntary transfer remained. App. at 91. Hampton maintains that on August 28, 1995, he was suddenly told by Major White that he was being removed from the detective bureau and reassigned to road patrol. Hampton deems this to be a demotion. No explanation for the transfer was given, and although the transfer was to have been "temporary," the record reflects that it remains in effect. Hampton further claims that when he inquired about the reason for his transfer, Major White told him; "[d]on't worry, if you win this suit, nothing is going to happen anyway." Brief for Appellants at 12.
C. N.J.S.A. § 40a:14-129