Opinion ID: 775039
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Rizzo's Claim of Pre-Termination Retaliation

Text: 35 Rizzo's final claim on appeal alleges that she was subjected to various acts of retaliation in violation of Title VII before she was terminated. This claim asserts that each individual allegation she offered as evidence that her termination was an act of retaliation is, in and of itself, a violation of Title VII. Adverse employment actions other than termination can constitute retaliation in violation of Title VII. See Knox v. Ind., 93 F.3d 1327, 1334 (7th Cir. 1996) (There is nothing in the law of retaliation that restricts the type of retaliatory act that might be visited upon an employee who seeks to invoke her rights by filing a complaint. It need only be an adverse employment action . . . .). However, for the reasons explained below, we do not find any of these allegations to be meritorious. 36 Rizzo alleges that her transfer out of the E.M.U. was an act of retaliation, orchestrated by Mahon, which resulted in her being placed in a position that offered significantly less responsibility than her previous position. This claim fails regardless of whether the position to which she was transferred presented such a decline in responsibility that it constituted an adverse employment action because she has failed to establish that the reasons provided for her transfer were a pretext for retaliation. As noted above, the record indicates that Rizzo's transfer was a temporary step taken in connection with the investigation into her educational background. Although Rizzo asserts that her transfer was Mahon's doing, she presents no evidence to support this contention or rebut Sheahan's stated reason for her transfer. Without more, Rizzo cannot prevail on this claim. 37 Rizzo also contends that her suspension without pay was an act of retaliation that violated Title VII. As explained above, however, the only evidence Rizzo provides in support of this allegation is her unsubstantiated statement that three other individuals also under investigation were either allowed to continue working or were suspended with pay. Without affidavits from these individuals, or some other form of evidence corroborating her statements, Rizzo cannot meet her burden to establish a claim of retaliation. 38 Finally, we combine the rest of the allegations Rizzo brings before this court because they all fail for the same reason. Although disconcerting, we find that the threats, phone calls, and inconveniences Rizzo faced at work did not alter[ ] the terms or conditions of her employment such that they can be characterized as adverse employment actions that constitute instances of actionable retaliation in violation of Title VII. See Spearman v. Ford Motor Co., 231 F.3d 1080, 1086 (7th Cir. 2000).