Opinion ID: 2975596
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timeliness of Austion’s Claims

Text: Austion asserted his 1998 demotion claim under both Title VII and the THRA. A plaintiff must comply with specific administrative requirements in order to file a lawsuit under Title VII. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5. The first requirement is that a plaintiff must file a discrimination charge with a state or local agency within 300 days after the occurrence of the “alleged unlawful employment action.” 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1). Austion’s EEOC complaint alleging that his 1998 demotion was discriminatory was not filed until August 2002, well after the 300-day time limit. Nevertheless this 300-day time period for filing a charge with the EEOC may be subject to equitable tolling. Nat’l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101, 113 (2002). The continuingviolations theory is a specific equitable doctrine that tolls this filing period. Kovacevich v. Kent State 7 Univ., 224 F.3d 806, 829 (6th Cir. 2000). The Supreme Court’s decision in Morgan largely curtailed the continuing-violations theory when applied to “discrete discriminatory acts,” see Morgan, 536 U.S. at 114 (rejecting the “serial violations” version of the continuing-violations theory), but we have recognized that the continuing-violations theory still applies to discrete discriminatory acts that are part of a “longstanding and demonstrable policy of discrimination,” see Sharpe v. Cureton, 319 F.3d 259, 268 (6th Cir. 2003) (“The second category of continuing violations, involving a longstanding and demonstrable policy of discrimination, is not implicated by Morgan.”). The district court held as a matter of law that Austion “provided substantial testimonial, statistical, and documentary evidence tending to show that [Clarksville] engaged in a longstanding and demonstrable policy of discrimination,” and therefore found that Austion’s 1998 demotion claim was saved by the continuing-violations theory. We disagree and find that the 1998 demotion claim was not timely filed with the EEOC. To establish a longstanding and demonstrable policy of discrimination, a plaintiff “must demonstrate something more than the existence of discriminatory treatment in his case.” Haithcock v. Frank, 958 F.2d 671, 679 (6th Cir. 1992). A plaintiff must establish that the employer’s “standing operating procedure” included intentional discrimination against the class of which plaintiff was a member. Sharpe, 319 F.3d at 269 (quoting EEOC v. Penton Indus. Publ’g Co., 851 F.2d 835, 838 (6th Cir. 1988)). “Unrelated incidents of discrimination will not suffice to invoke this exception; rather there must be a continuing over-arching policy of discrimination.” LRL Properties v. Portage Metro Hous. Auth., 55 F.3d 1097, 1106 (6th Cir. 1995). Generally this exception is strictly construed and is satisfied only where the defendant has a known policy or rule supporting discrimination. See, e.g., Dixon v. Anderson, 928 F.2d 212, 217 (6th Cir. 1991) (finding an “over-arching policy” of 8 discrimination where that policy appeared plainly in the Ohio Revised Code and administrators openly adhered to the Code); Alexander v. Local 496, Laborers’ Int’l Union, 177 F.3d 394, 408-09 (6th Cir. 1999) (finding a “longstanding and demonstrable policy” where the union’s “working-inthe-calling” rule, which was memorialized in its constitution and bylaws, resulted in the “de facto exclusion” of African Americans from union membership). But see Jackson v. Quanex Corp., 191 F.3d 647, 668 (6th Cir. 1999) (finding “a longstanding and demonstrable policy . . . of tolerating a racially hostile environment in which racial graffiti and slurs and the disparate treatment of AfricanAmerican workers took place regularly”). After thoroughly reviewing the statistical and documentary evidence submitted to the district court, we find that the evidence fails to demonstrate that Clarksville maintained a “standard operating procedure” of discriminating against AfricanAmericans. Accordingly, the district court erred in applying the continuing-violations theory, and we hold that Austion’s 1998 demotion claim was not timely filed under Title VII. Austion also brought his 1998 demotion claim under the THRA. A claim under the THRA must be filed “within one year after the alleged discriminatory practice ceases.” Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-311(d). Austion did not file suit in the district court until September 2003, which is much more than one year after his 1998 demotion. In an attempt to save his claim, Austion again appeals to the continuing-violations theory. The Tennessee Supreme Court has recognized that the plain language of the “THRA’s statute of limitations incorporates the continuing[-]violation exception.” Booker v. Boeing Co., 188 S.W.3d 639, 647 (Tenn. 2006). However, “the THRA’s statute of limitations does not operate to extend the limitations period on discrete acts of discrimination.” Id. (citing Weber v. Moses, 938 S.W.2d 387, 391 (Tenn. 1996)). Because the 1998 demotion is a discrete act of discrimination, the THRA’s statutorily 9 incorporated continuing-violations exception does not extend the limitations period here. Moreover, even if Tennessee courts would extend the THRA limitations period where the employer engages in a “longstanding and demonstrable policy” of discrimination, see id. at 646 n.2 (noting that the Tennessee Supreme Court was not addressing and therefore not expressing an opinion concerning a “pattern-or-practice” claim, which is equivalent to the Sixth Circuit’s “longstanding and demonstrable policy” claim), Austion has failed to establish that such a policy existed in the CPD. Therefore Austion did not timely file his 1998 demotion claim under the THRA. Because Austion did not timely assert his 1998 demotion claim under either Title VII or the THRA, there is no jurisdictional basis for that claim, and the district court erred in refusing to dismiss it.
Austion also asserted his 2001 and 2002 failure-to-promote claims under both Title VII and the THRA. Austion did not explicitly present his 2001 failure-to-promote claim to the EEOC, and he is therefore barred from asserting this claim under Title VII. Austion, however, did include his 2002 failure-to-promote claim in his August 2002 EEOC charge, and the EEOC issued a right-to-sue letter on September 6, 2002. Once the administrative agency notifies the plaintiff of the dismissal of the charge by issuing a right-to-sue letter, the plaintiff has 90 days to file a civil action. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f)(1); Strouss v. Mich. Dep’t of Corr., 250 F.3d 336, 342 (6th Cir. 2001). Austion did not file this lawsuit until September 15, 2003, which is more than a year after he received the right-tosue letter. The district court recognized this procedural deficiency but nevertheless found that Austion’s failure to file within the 90-day time period was cured by the continuing-violations theory. We, 10 however, have expressly held that “[t]he continuing[-]violation doctrine . . . does not relieve a plaintiff of the need to file an action within 90 days of receiving the right-to-sue letter.” Wade v. Knoxville Utils. Bd., 259 F.3d 452, 461 (6th Cir. 2001). The district court thus erred in applying the continuing-violations doctrine to extend the 90-day filing period, and we hold that Austion’s 2001 and 2002 failure-to-promote claims are time-barred under Title VII. These claims are also untimely under the THRA. As previously noted, a claim under the THRA must be filed “within one year after the alleged discriminatory practice ceases.” Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-311(d). Even though Austion’s last promotion denial occurred in May 2002, he did not file suit until September 2003, more than one year later, and we therefore lack jurisdiction under the THRA. Moreover, as discussed above, the statutorily incorporated continuing-violations exception to the THRA’s statute of limitations does not extend the limitations period on “discrete acts of discrimination.” Booker, 188 S.W.3d at 647 (citing Weber, 938 S.W.2d at 391). Because both the 2001 and 2002 promotion denials are discrete acts of discrimination, the continuing-violations theory does not apply. Austion attempts to save his 2001 and 2002 failure-to-promote claims by arguing that he actually brought these claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. While Austion’s complaint did state that Clarksville’s refusal to promote him violated § 1981, we find that he clearly abandoned § 1981 as a basis for these claims. After filing his complaint, Austion did not refer to or in any way invoke § 1981; he did not assert § 1981 in any of his proposed jury instructions or other motions submitted to the district court. We therefore find that he cannot now, having learned of his procedural deficiencies under Title VII and his jurisdictional dilemma under the THRA, appeal to § 1981 — a statutory basis which he has already abandoned — for the sole purpose of saving his 2001 and 2002 11 failure-to-promote claims.5 Because Austion has not timely filed his failure-to-promote claims under Title VII or the THRA, we find that the district court erred in failing to dismiss these claims.
Austion asserted his hostile work environment claim under Title VII. A hostile work environment claim brought under Title VII is “comprised of a series of separate acts that collectively constitute one ‘unlawful employment practice.’” Morgan, 536 U.S. at 117 (quoting 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1)). “It does not matter, for purposes of the statute, that some of the component acts of the hostile work environment fall outside the statutory time period.” Id. “Provided that an act contributing to the claim occurs within the filing period, the entire period of the hostile environment may be considered by a court for the purposes of determining liability.” Id. In Austion’s June 2003 EEOC charge, he alleged that the work environment had become hostile because of incidents that occurred in May 2003. The EEOC issued a right-to-sue-letter on June 23, 2003, and Austion filed suit on September 15, 2003, which is less than 90 days after receipt of the right-to-sue letter. Consequently, his hostile work environment claim was timely filed under Title VII. Moreover, he can rely on past incidents, including the time-barred acts of discrimination, such as the 2001 and 2002 promotion denials and the 1998 demotion, in establishing his hostile work environment claim. See id. at 113, 117. 5 Had Austion truly brought his failure-to-promote claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981, these claims would have been timely. 28 U.S.C. § 1658 establishes a four-year statute of limitations for employment discrimination claims brought under § 1981. Jones v. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., 541 U.S. 369, 382 (2004); Anthony v. BTR Auto. Sealing Sys., 339 F.3d 506, 514 (6th Cir. 2003). Because Austion filed suit on September 15, 2003, a § 1981 claim would have encompassed his 2001 and 2002 failure-to-promote claims, which occurred less than four years prior to his filing of suit. Moreover, we have recognized that discrimination claims which are barred under Title VII’s procedural requirements may nevertheless be asserted under § 1981. See Tartt v. City of Clarksville, 149 F. App’x 456, 463 (6th Cir. 2005) (unpublished case). 12
In Austion’s June 2003 EEOC charge, he complained that CPD retaliated against him in May 2003 for filing his previous EEOC charges. As previously discussed, the EEOC issued a right-tosue-letter on June 23, 2002, and Austion filed suit on September 15, 2003, which is within the 90day filing period. Therefore, like his hostile work environment claim, Austion’s retaliation claim was timely asserted under Title VII.