Opinion ID: 162537
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Regarded as Substantially Limited

Text: 37 Mr. Rakity next argues he qualifies for protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act because King Soopers regarded him as having a substantial limitation in his major life activities under § 12102(2)(C). The Supreme Court has explained there are two ways an individual may qualify for protection under this subsection: (1) a covered entity mistakenly believes that a person has a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or (2) a covered entity mistakenly believes that an actual nonlimiting impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities. Sutton, 527 U.S. at 489, 119 S.Ct. 2139. These misperceptions often result from stereotypic assumptions not truly indicative of individual ability. Id. (quotation marks, alterations and citations omitted). Nevertheless, an employer is free to decide that some limiting, but not substantially limiting, impairments make individuals less than ideally suited for a job. Id. at 490-91, 119 S.Ct. 2139. Under this rule Mr. Rakity can only survive summary judgment if he presents triable evidence indicating King Soopers regarded him as substantially limited in one or more of his affected major life activities of performing manual tasks, lifting, reaching, or working. 38 Initially, no evidence indicates King Soopers mistakenly believed Mr. Rakity could not perform manual tasks that are centrally important to most people's daily lives. Mr. Rakity presents no evidence regarding King Soopers beliefs with respect to centrally important tasks such as household chores, bathing, or brushing his teeth. 39 Moreover, the undisputed evidence indicates King Soopers regarded Mr. Rakity as impaired in his ability to lift, but only to the extent indicated in his medical and employment records. For instance, Mr. Rakity relies on correspondence between Mr. Brink and Dr. Primack concerning Mr. Rakity's lifting and repetitive motion restrictions. But, in these letters, Mr. Brink was only attempting to clarify whether Dr. Primack's restrictions precluded Mr. Rakity from certain grocery store clerk activities. The focus of these letters is upon Dr. Primack's restrictions, which we have already determined do not show an impairment which rises to a substantial limitation in the activity of lifting. Recognition of Dr. Primack's restrictions does not by itself imply King Soopers regarded Mr. Rakity as substantially limited in his major life activities. There is simply no evidence that suggests Mr. Brink disregarded Dr. Primack's medical evaluation and substituted his own judgment about how much Mr. Rakity could lift. On the contrary, King Soopers' perception of Mr. Rakity was not based on speculation, stereotype or myth, but on the doctor's written evaluations of [Mr. Rakity's] condition. Lusk, 238 F.3d at 1242. 40 Mr. Rakity also points to a confusing passage from the deposition of Mr. Brendlinger, a manager who supervised Mr. Rakity at a King Soopers store location. Mr. Rakity argues Mr. Brendlinger stated he believed Dr. Primack's restrictions precluded Mr. Rakity from lifting any weight at all, even as little as zero to ten pounds. Mr. Rakity's reliance on this statement is misplaced for several reasons. Initially, it is not clear from the record on appeal this is what Mr. Brendlinger intended to say. Mr. Rakity only provides a short excerpt of the deposition transcript in the record on appeal, which limits our ability to determine the context of Mr. Brendlinger's statement. Our rules require a party asserting an issue provide a record sufficient for considering that issue. 10th Cir. Rule 10.3(B). Moreover, Mr. Brendlinger later clarified he merely intended to say Mr. Rakity was not allowed to perform essential job functions listed for some clerk positions which were not within Mr. Rakity's current job classification. Mr. Brendlinger explained, [i]n no way did I state or intend to imply that my testimony in this regard was based on my personal knowledge or belief I had regarding [Mr. Rakity's] physical abilities. Under these circumstances we are not persuaded Mr. Brendlinger's comments raise a genuine issue of material fact. 41 Even if Mr. Brendlinger did believe Mr. Rakity was not capable of any lifting at all, this is immaterial, since Mr. Brendlinger was not responsible for making the decision to deny Mr. Rakity's promotion request. The undisputed evidence indicates Stephanie Bouknight, a labor relations manager, and Marc Gallegos, a risk management manager, made the decision to refuse to promote Mr. Rakity. Mr. Rakity cites no legal authority and makes no factual argument explaining how the views of a non-decision maker, such as Mr. Brendlinger, could prove King Soopers regarded him as disabled for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Cf. Standard v. A.B.E.L. Servs., Inc., 161 F.3d 1318, 1328 (11th Cir.1998) (holding administrative staff member's beliefs regarding plaintiff's back injury were not attributable to employer where staff member had no authority to make employment decisions). In comparison, Ms. Bouknight and Mr. Gallegos refused to promote him because Dr. Primack's lifting restrictions and the essential job functions of the position were incompatible. This decision was made within the employer's freedom to prefer some physical characteristics over others, provided those characteristics do not substantially limit a major life activity. Sutton, 527 U.S. at 490-91, 119 S.Ct. 2139. Since Dr. Primack's restrictions are not so limiting and since the decision to refuse Mr. Rakity's promotion request was based upon those restrictions, the allegedly more severe views of Mr. Brendlinger are not material. 42 With respect to the life activity of reaching, Mr. Rakity again fails to make a specific argument or point to any evidence at all. There is simply no evidence in the record on appeal which would require a trial concerning King Soopers' beliefs about Mr. Rakity's ability to reach. 43 Mr. Rakity does present evidence indicating King Soopers believed Mr. Rakity was impaired in his ability to work. However, King Soopers' belief that [Mr. Rakity] could no longer perform a job that required lifting in excess of [his] capabilities does not mean that [King Soopers] regarded [him] as disabled. Lusk, 238 F.3d at 1241. King Soopers' continuing willingness to employ Mr. Rakity in his current general grocery clerk service desk position amounts to undisputed evidence King Soopers does not regard Mr. Rakity as unable to perform a broad class of grocery clerk jobs. Mr. Rakity's interpretation of the record requires the absurd conclusion King Soopers believes Mr. Rakity is incapable of performing the job which he currently performs. Thus, there is no genuine issue regarding whether King Soopers mistakenly believed Mr. Rakity's impairment rose to a substantial limitation on his ability to work. 44 Therefore, we hold Mr. Rakity has also failed to demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact concerning whether King Soopers mistakenly regarded him as substantially limited in the major life activities of performing manual tasks, lifting, reaching, or working.