Opinion ID: 886362
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: issues

Text: ¶ 68 Did the District Court err when it determined that DNRC did not retaliate against Beaver for filing a claim of discrimination when it assigned her to a six-month rather than an eight-month position? ¶ 69 Beaver alleged in the District Court that her assignment to the six-month firefighting position instead of one of the eight-month positions is evidence of retaliation against her for filing her discrimination complaint against DNRC with the Human Rights Commission. The District Court disagreed, concluding that Ahner's decision to place Beaver in the six-month position was not made because of her complaint. Beaver contends that the evidence demonstrates otherwise, arguing that, before the job restructuring, Beaver, Tovey and Kroll all worked the same amount of time each year, and that it was only after she filed her complaint with the Human Rights Commission that DNRC reduced her hours from nine months to six months per year while Tovey and Kroll continued to work eight months. ¶ 70 Beaver also points to Grady's friendship with Ness and the fact that Grady knew that something had happened between Beaver and Ness in White Sulphur Springs and also knew that, as a result of that event, Ness no longer worked for DNRC. Beaver does not allege, however, that Grady had actual knowledge that Beaver had indeed filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, and, in fact, the evidence indicates otherwise. However, Beaver maintains that the ultimate decision regarding who received which firefighting position rested with Ahner, and notes that Ahner did have actual knowledge that Beaver had filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. ¶ 71 A plaintiff bringing an action for retaliation under Title VII must first establish a prima facie case of retaliation by showing that she engaged in a protected activity, that she was thereafter subjected to adverse employment action by her employer, and that there was a causal link between the two. Wrighten v. Metropolitan Hosps., Inc. (9th Cir.1984), 726 F.2d 1346, 1354 (citation omitted). Beaver argues that the first two elements were satisfied by virtue of filing her initial complaint with the Human Rights Commission, thereby engaging in a protected activity, and by demonstrating that DNRC thereafter restructured her position differently than her co-workers, thereby suffering an adverse employment decision by DNRC. ¶ 72 She argues that the third Wrighten element, that there was a causal link between the protected activity and the adverse employment decision, is evidenced by the temporal connection between the filing of her complaint and her assignment to the six-month position along with the fact that Grady, although not knowing that Beaver had filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, was aware that something had happened in White Sulphur Springs and that the result of that event is that Ness no longer worked at DNRC. Beaver also points out that Grady and Ness were friends, that Grady sat next to Ness during the trial, and, further, that Ahner, the person who made the final decision regarding Tovey, Kroll and Beaver's employment, did know that Beaver had filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and, in fact, was the person who prepared the response on behalf of DNRC. ¶ 73 The District Court concluded that neither the second nor third element was satisfied, finding that, rather than suffering an adverse employment decision, Beaver received a better position, yet less favorable than either Kroll or Tovey, both of whom had more firefighting experience than Beaver. The District Court concluded that the decision to assign Beaver to a six-month position was based on the employees' relative firefighting experience, and not because she had filed a complaint against DNRC. ¶ 74 The District Court's findings are supported by substantial evidence. As noted by the District Court, the evidence indicated that the three employees had different training in the various areas pertinent to the job. Beaver had more training than Kroll as a strike team leader, in fire suppression tactics and advanced fire behavior and helicopter operations, but that training was not required for the eight-month position. Both Kroll and Beaver began their employment at DNRC in 1990, Beaver beginning in an entry level position and having no previous firefighting experience, and Kroll having previously been trained for wildland fires, having been a volunteer for the Baxendale Fire Department and working fighting fires in the 1980's. ¶ 75 The evidence also supports the District Court's finding that Beaver was better off after receiving the assignment to the six-month position than before her assignment, which the Court noted in concluding that the job assignment was not retaliatory. As a seasonal firefighter, Beaver was guaranteed only between sixty-five and seventy-one days of work each year, with all additional time being discretionary, depending on available funding, the fire season and other factors. However, Beaver, Tovey and Kroll had each worked both early and late in the fire season at the discretion of DNRC. It is only in these discretionary hours that Beaver claims a cut in work hours. Beaver's guaranteed core hours increased from approximately 568 hours per year to 1056 hours per year when Beaver was assigned to the six-month position. Further, Beaver admitted in her testimony that neither Ahner, Morris nor Grady was upset with her for filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. ¶ 76 We emphasize that Beaver's receipt of a better position than she formerly held does not, of itself, eliminate the possibility that she may have been retaliated against in the process of assigning the newly created, improved positions. However, based upon consideration of all the evidence presented, we hold that substantial evidence supported the District Court's conclusion that the DNRC had legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons for assigning Beaver to the six-month position instead of the eight-month position. Its decision is affirmed accordingly.