Opinion ID: 3200854
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Retaliation for Complaint

Text: To establish a prima facie case for Title VII retaliation, a plaintiff must show: (1) that she engaged in a protected activity, which can include “informal protests of discriminatory employment practices” such as making complaints to management; (2) adverse action taken “by the employer either after or contemporaneous with the employee’s protected activity;” and (3) a causal connection between the protected activity and the adverse action. See Daniels v. Sch. Dist. of Phila., 776 F.3d 181, 193 (3d Cir. 2015). The District Court correctly concluded that Menekse could not demonstrate a causal link between her complaints and termination. The time period between Menekse’s most recent complaint (March or April 2011) and her termination (July 2011) does not, on its own, raise an inference of causation. See Farrell v. Planters Lifesavers Co., 206 F.3d 271, 280 (3d Cir. 2000). Further, Menekse presented little to show that the evidence as a whole raises an inference of causation. As the District Court noted, Menekse did not “depose any decisionmakers or witnesses or provide documents that adequately support her claim.” J.A. 11. Menekse argues that the District Court failed to consider evidence showing that between 2010 and 2011 she received no disciplinary action, but then after complaining in March 2011 she was repeatedly the subject of discipline. Menekse contends that the uptick in disciplinary action after her complaint, when contrasted with her previous good 5 conduct is sufficient to raise an inference of causation. However, the record demonstrates that Menekse received discipline from 2007 (the year she started at Harrah’s) to and throughout 2009. While the record suggests that Menekse was not formally disciplined4 in 2010 and for some months in 2011, such evidence alone, especially in the context of Menekse’s complete disciplinary record, is insufficient to establish a causal relationship.5 Thus, the District Court properly found that Menekse failed to establish a prima facie case of retaliation under Title VII.