Opinion ID: 771172
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Application of Continuing Violation to Morgan's Title VII Claims

Text: 37 To survive summary judgment after failing to satisfy the limitations period requirement, Morgan must raise a genuine issue of disputed fact as to 1) the existence of a continuing violation -be it serial or systemic, and 2) that the violation continued into the limitations period. See Fielder, 218 F.3d at 983. In applying the first prong, the Fielder court noted, [s]o long as the conduct has the capacity of being considered [a violation], it becomes an issue for the fact finder. Id. at 986. With regard to the second prong, this court looks to see whether the acts during the period involve the same type of discrimination as those committed before the period. We must inquire whether there is a common type of discrimination, such as [racial] harassment, or if there is a common kind of employment action, such as repeated denial of a promotion. Id. 38 Morgan alleges three distinct Title VII claims, each which have different legal elements; consequently,[w]e consider the allegations with respect to each theory separately, in determining whether any of the events underlying these claims occurred within the relevant period of limitations. Draper, 147 F.3d at 1108. Thus, we analyze Morgan's claims of discrimination, hostile environment, and retaliation discretely. 16 In light of the totality of the circumstances, we are satisfied that the pre-limitations conduct at issue in this case is sufficiently related to the post-limitations conduct to invoke the continuing violation doctrine. We hold that the district court erred in granting a partial summary judgment holding that Amtrak could not be liable for conduct occurring prior to May 3, 1994. 39 i) Discrimination 40 To prove racial discrimination, Morgan must show that he 1) belonged to a class protected by Title VII, 2) was qualified for the position in question, and 3) suffered an adverse employment action. See McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802 (1973). The alleged pre-limitations discriminatory conduct which Morgan points to includes: 1) numerous questionable disciplines and counselings (the February 1991 Rule L violation and termination which was eventually reduced to a suspension, the September 1992 counseling for absenteeism, the December 1992 counseling for his failure to pick up tie wraps, the April 1993 counseling for absenteeism, the July 1993 suspension which was later ordered expunged, the October 1993 rule violation, of which Morgan was eventually found not guilty, and the January 1994 improper withholding of pay for failure to produce a doctor's note), and 2) numerous instances in which Amtrak denied him career opportunities (his 1990 hiring as an electrician helper, the 1991 application to Amtrak's apprenticeship program, the May 1993 removal of Morgan's name from training, and the December 1993 cancellation of training). We find that these incidents, taken together with the abundant evidence from other employees and management regarding the racially discriminatory atmosphere at the Yard are sufficiently related to the alleged incidents of discrimination that occurred within the limitations period. These incidents reveal a consistent pattern of similar employment actions (e.g., discipline and denial of professional training) over the entire five year period of employment, perpetrated by the same core group of managers. Such incidents are not discrete or isolated. We are satisfied that the pre-limitations period is closely enough related to the acts occurring during the limitations period to trigger the operation of a continuing violation theory on Morgan's claim of racial discrimination. 41 ii) Hostile Environment 42 A `hostile work environment' occurs when there is a pattern of ongoing and persistent harassment severe enough to alter the conditions of employment. Draper , 147 F.3d at 1108 (citing Meritor Sav. Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 66-67 (1986)). As this court noted in Fielder,[m]ost instances of hostile environments are not capable of facile identification. `[I]nstead, the day-to-day harassment [is ] particularly significant, both as a legal and a practical matter, in its cumulative effect.'  Fielder, 218 F.3d at 985 (quoting Draper, 147 F.3d at 1108). 43 Evidence of the Yard's pre-limitations period hostile environment includes the decision to hire Morgan at a lower grade than others, Morgan's multiple disciplines and denial of training, the use of racially derogatory language, and the overall racially-laden environment. We note that the jury, when commenting on the verdict, stated that it had found evidence of a hostile work environment at the Oakland Yard during May 1994 and February, 1995 but found there was insufficient evidence to establish it was severe and pervasive. This court finds the preand post-limitations period incidents involve the same type of employment actions, occurred relatively frequently, and were perpetrated by the same managers. In light of this, we find sufficient evidence to employ the continuing violation doctrine and allow the jury to consider the whole of Morgan's tenure for purposes of liability on his hostile environment claim. 44 iii) Retaliation 45 To establish a prima facie case for retaliation, plaintiff must show: 1) he has engaged in a protected activity; 2) he has suffered an adverse employment decision; and 3) there was a causal link between the protected activity and the adverse employment decision. See Yartzoff v. Thomas, 809 F.2d 1371, 1375 (9th Cir. 1987). Morgan presented evidence of his numerous complaints to Amtrak's EEO office, as well as the complaints he made to external authorities, regarding the racially hostile environment in the Yard. Further, the evidence reveals that while Morgan often did not receive an official response, an allegedly unrelated discipline was inevitably leveled against him within a short period. Specifically, on October 4, 1991, Morgan filed a complaint with Amtrak's EEO office and on October 16, he received a written counseling for a Rule L violation; in the fall of 1991, Morgan and others met with their congresswoman and discussed concerns about discrimination and in December 1991, a letter of counseling was placed in Morgan's file; in May 1993, he filed arace discrimination complaint with Amtrak's EEO office and within days Morgan asserts that his shift was changed. 46 As was noted above, the same players were involved in each of these incidents, and the incidents demonstrate a regular pattern of potentially retaliatory conduct throughout Morgan's tenure. We find that the pre-limitations conduct is sufficiently related to the conduct within the limitations period and, thus, hold the continuing violation doctrine works to allow a jury to find liability on Morgan's retaliation claim.