Opinion ID: 767001
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Prima facie case analysis

Text: 31 Citing our decisions in Sheridan v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., 100 F.3d 1061 (3d Cir. 1996) (en banc), and Waldron v. S.L. Industries, Inc., 56 F.3d 491 (3d Cir. 1995), the district court stated that a prima facie case is established when a plaintiff shows the following: (1) that he is a member of a protected class; (2) that he is qualified for the position; (3) that he was either not hired or fired from that position; (4) under circumstances that give rise to an inference of unlawful discrimination such as might occur when the position is filled by a person not of the protected class. Jones, 19 F. Supp.2d at 418 (emphasis added). The district court stated that elements one, two and four arguably were satisfied, but that element three was not because the record reflected that Jones resigned and thus was not fired. Id. at 418-19. From that conclusion, the district court stated that it was required to determine whether or not [Jones's] resignation amounted to a constructive discharge, and proceeded to an analysis of that point, holding that it did not. Id. at 419-20 (internal quotation marks omitted). 32 The court then went on to hold that even assuming arguendo, that [Jones] has made out a prima facie case, he has produced no evidence to rebut or show that the reasons articulated by the School District for his termination are a pretext for discrimination. Id. at 420. Consequently, the court determined that on this ground as well as Jones's failure to make a prima facie case, the school district was entitled to summary judgment. 33 Jones asserts that the district court's analysis oversimplified the matter, as the court did not recognize that his complaint asserted claims against the school district based on adverse employment decisions during his employment rather than merely on his termination. Jones contends that these claims are distinct from his claim of constructive discharge in 1995. 34 We agree with Jones's position on this point, as the complaint clearly delineated the factual basis for his Title VII and PHRA claims, and a review of that pleading confirms that he did not predicate his claims solely on the alleged constructive discharge. Indeed, Jones pleaded the constructive discharge claim only under 42 U.S.C. S 1981. In fact, Jones's complaint challenged not only the purported constructive discharge, but also the transfers and the denial of the assignment to him of the physics roster at GWHS. 35 The district court's error seems to have stemmed from its borrowing of language from cases which recited the necessary elements of a prima facie case where the challenged employment decision is a termination. See Sheridan, 100 F.3d at 1066 n.5 (noting elements which are required to establish a prima facie case of discriminatory discharge); Waldron, 56 F.3d at 494 (same). Rather than considering the possibility that the constructive discharge claim was but one of Jones's claims arising out of his employment relationship with the school district, the court turned its attention to the constructive discharge analysis because Jones admittedly had not been terminated directly so as to satisfy the third element of a prima facie case as articulated in Sheridan and Waldron. Compare Sheridan, 100 F.3d at 1063, 1072-75 (count I of plaintiff 's complaint alleged a failure to promote claim under Title VII and count III alleged a claim of constructive discharge; court considered sufficiency of evidence presented on each claim separately). 36 We often have remarked that the elements of a prima facie case depend on the facts of the particular case. See, e.g., Pivirotto v. Innovative Sys. Inc., 191 F.3d 344, 352 (3d Cir. 1999); Torre v. Casio, Inc., 42 F.3d 825, 830 (3d Cir. 1994). Thus, a prima facie case cannot be established on a one-size-fits-all basis. In fact, the relevant question with respect to Jones's Title VII and PHRA claims is whether he suffered some form of adverse employment action sufficient to evoke the protection of Title VII and the PHRA. See Connors v. Chrysler Fin. Corp., 160 F.3d 971, 974 (3d Cir. 1998) (stating that third element of prima facie case in disparate treatment ADEA case is that plaintiff suffered an adverse employment action); Deane, 142 F.3d at 142 (same under ADA); Simpson v. Kay Jewelers, 142 F.3d 639, 644 n.5 (3d Cir. 1998) (same under ADEA); Lawrence v. National Westminster Bank, 98 F.3d 61, 66 (3d Cir. 1996) (same). Obviously, something less than a discharge could be an adverse employment action. 37 We have held that employment decisions such as transfers and demotions may suffice to establish the third element of a plaintiff 's prima facie case. See, e.g., Torre, 42 F.3d at 831 n.7 (recognizing that a job transfer, even without loss of pay or benefits, may, in some circumstances, constitute an adverse job action); see also McGrenaghan v. St. Denis Sch., 979 F. Supp. 323, 326 (E.D. Pa. 1997) (same). Here, Jones challenges both administrative transfers and the denial of the physics roster. As a result of the first transfer, he lost his opportunity to teach physics, which clearly was the subject he sought most to teach. After Jones chose to remain at GWHS because of the possibility that he would be awarded the physics roster, he learned that he was passed over for that position. Instead, the administration assigned Jones to teach what he regarded as less desirable science classes. 38 Moreover, the transfer from GWHS to Edison landed Jones in a placement which had a reputation of being a difficult school. Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to Jones, they suffice to demonstrate that Jones was subjected to sufficient adverse employment actions such that his Title VII and PHRA claims should have survived the initial stage of the McDonnell Douglas analysis. See Torre, 42 F.3d at 831 n.7 (plaintiff 's transfer to dead- end job was sufficient to support plaintiff 's prima facie case); see also DiIenno v. Goodwill Indus., 162 F.3d 235, 236 (3d Cir. 1998) (holding in context of retaliation claim that transfer could constitute adverse employment action as viewed from plaintiff 's perspective). 39 Finally, we conclude that the district court erred in granting summary judgment to the school district on Jones's constructive discharge claim under section 1981 on its theory that he failed to establish a prima facie case. In Goss v. Exxon Office Systems Co., 747 F.2d 885 (3d Cir. 1984), we recognized that an involuntary transfer to a less desirable position could support a claim of constructive discharge, especially where the surrounding circumstances indicate a pattern of discriminatory treatment. Id. at 888- 89. Thus, we affirmed the trial court's findings that the plaintiff had been constructively discharged where she presented evidence that she was involuntarily transferred after her supervisor questioned her ability to combine a career with motherhood. At the prima facie case stage of the analysis, we merely determine whether a plaintiff has presented sufficient evidence so that we should consider a defendant's proffered reasons for its decision and, if the defendant has presented reasons, the plaintiff 's evidence of pretext. Viewed under that lens and in the light most favorable to Jones, he should have withstood summary judgment on that aspect of his constructive discharge claim, because his involuntary transfer to two schools and the second school's failure to assign him the physics roster despite his qualifications, was sufficient to establish a prima facie case under section 1981.