Opinion ID: 520377
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Legal Questions

Text: 11 We review all legal questions de novo. United States v. McConney, 728 F.2d 1195, 1201 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 824, 105 S.Ct. 101, 83 L.Ed.2d 46 (1984).
12 The appellants argue that Title VII is the exclusive remedy for sex discrimination in employment, and therefore, that the district court erred by submitting to the jury Roberts' section 1983 claim based on a denial of equal protection. The Supreme Court has stated generally that Title VII does not deprive aggrieved parties of other remedies. Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, 421 U.S. 454, 461, 95 S.Ct. 1716, 1720, 44 L.Ed.2d 295 (1975). However, in Great Am. Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Novotny, 442 U.S. 366, 378, 99 S.Ct. 2345, 2352, 60 L.Ed.2d 957 (1979), the Court held that section 1985(3) may not be invoked to redress violations of Title VII because section 1985(3) confers no substantive rights. Thus it cannot be invoked when the only right violated is the Title VII right to be free of discrimination in employment. Since Novotny, courts have attempted to determine whether its rule applies to actions under section 1983 as well. 13 The Ninth Circuit has not expressly decided this question but has implicitly recognized that Title VII and section 1983 are not mutually exclusive. See, e.g., Lowe v. City of Monrovia, 775 F.2d 998, 1010-11 (9th Cir.1985), as amended, 784 F.2d 1407 (9th Cir.1986) (Title VII and section 1983 claims of sex and race discrimination both considered without ruling on exclusivity of Title VII remedies); Padway v. Palches, 665 F.2d 965, 968-69 (9th Cir.1982) (Section 1983 claim of denials of due process and equal protection cognizable in case alleging Title VII violations as well). 14 We agree with the reasoning of those courts that have held that Title VII does not preempt an action under section 1983 for a violation of the fourteenth amendment. See Keller, 827 F.2d at 956-63; Ratliff v. City of Milwaukee, 795 F.2d 612, 623-24 (7th Cir.1986) (the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII both grant public sector employees independent rights to be free of employment discrimination; a plaintiff may use section 1983 to escape the comprehensive scheme of Title VII even if the same facts suggest a violation of Title VII); Trigg v. Fort Wayne Community Schools, 766 F.2d 299, 301 (7th Cir.1985); Grano v. Department of Development, 637 F.2d 1073, 1075 (6th Cir.1980) (employee may sue under both Title VII and section 1983 when the section 1983 violation rests on a claim of infringement of rights guaranteed by the Constitution). Both the Fourth and Seventh Circuits distinguish Novotny on the ground that the employer in that case was a private entity, so there was no state action element giving rise to a separate constitutional claim cognizable under section 1985(3).
15 The College and individual appellants argue that Roberts lacked any protectible property interest in continued employment as department chair after only three years in the position on annually renewable contracts. The district court rejected the College's argument that Roberts had no right to due process and held that because the College agreed to give her a hearing the jury could determine that the unreasonable manner of conducting the hearing constituted a deprivation of due process. 16 Roberts argues that her protectible property interest in her continued employment as a department chair arises from mutually explicit understandings. Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593, 601-02, 92 S.Ct. 2694, 2699-2700, 33 L.Ed.2d 570 (1972). The understandings are evidenced by Dr. Stout's statements at the trial. He testified that he could not recommend non-reassignment without good cause and that the Roberts hearing in June 1977 was part of her appeal rights. Roberts says these comments evidence an understanding of her right to continue in the position for which she was originally hired of sufficient magnitude to meet the Perry test. We agree. 17 The appellants argue that Roberts had no property interest in continued employment because the law of California does not create such an expectation of continuation in an administrative position. See Lagos v. Modesto City Schools Dist., 843 F.2d 347, 349-50 (9th Cir.1988), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 309, 102 L.Ed.2d 328; Loehr v. Ventura County Community College Dist., 743 F.2d 1310, 1314-17 (9th Cir.1984). While the appellants are correct in their analysis of state law, they do not address the argument that Dr. Stout's statements reflect a mutual understanding of the nature of Roberts' expectations. The appellants cite out of circuit authority for the proposition that a gratuitous hearing granted as a courtesy and not a right does not have to conform to requirements of due process. E.g. Kilcoyne v. Morgan, 664 F.2d 940, 942 (4th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 928, 102 S.Ct. 1976, 72 L.Ed.2d 444 (1982); Clark v. Whiting, 607 F.2d 634, 642 (4th Cir.1979); Jeffries v. Turkey Run Consolidated School Dist., 492 F.2d 1, 3 (7th Cir.1974). These cases are inapposite where, as here, the right to due process derives from an explicit understanding, as permitted by Perry, 408 U.S. at 601, 92 S.Ct. at 2699. 18 Brady v. Gebbie, 859 F.2d 1543 (9th Cir.1988), is not controlling and may be distinguished because under Oregon law, property rights of state employees must arise solely from statutes or regulations made pursuant to statutory authority. Papadopoulos v. Oregon State Bd. of Higher Educ., 14 Or.App. 130, 511 P.2d 854 (1973), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 919, 94 S.Ct. 2626, 41 L.Ed.2d 224 (1974). In the instant case, there is no expression of California law which excludes tenure by contract and prohibits a Perry v. Sindermann claim.
19 The appellants argue on the authority of Novotny, 442 U.S. at 375-76, 99 S.Ct. at 2350-51; that the district court erred in submitting a retaliation claim cognizable only under Title VII to the jury, thus tainting the section 1983 verdict. The court did not give an instruction on retaliation as an element of Roberts' claim, and thus the issue did not go to the jury. To the extent that the appellants are objecting to the admission of evidence or argument on the retaliation question, they have failed to preserve this issue for review because they made no objections during the trial.
20 Immunity exists to shield government officials when their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known. Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800, 818-19, 102 S.Ct. 2727, 2738-39, 73 L.Ed.2d 396 (1982). Whether the law is well-established is a question of law reviewed de novo. Ward v. County of San Diego, 791 F.2d 1329, 1332-33 (9th Cir.1986), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 107 S.Ct. 3263, 97 L.Ed.2d 762 (1987). Dr. Stout and Dr. Patterson argue that they are entitled to qualified immunity on the due process theory because under California law there is no property interest in a college administrative position that requires a hearing before nonreassignment. However, the right to notice and hearing has long been established in cases where the plaintiff has a legitimate expectation of continued employment. Perry, 408 U.S. at 601, 92 S.Ct. at 2699. Because we have found that the understanding between Roberts and Dr. Stout satisfies the Perry standard, the defendants are not entitled to immunity from liability for the College's failure to provide Roberts the rudiments of due process.