Opinion ID: 771751
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Contreras's Claims of Retaliatory Firing Under Title VII and the ADA

Text: 20 Contreras argues that his termination by Suncast constitutes an act of retaliation, prohibited by both Title VII and the ADA. Specifically, Contreras puts forth that the only reason he was terminated was because Suncast wished to punish him for requesting accommodations and filing an EEOC complaint. Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against an employee because he has opposed any practice made an unlawful employment practice by this subchapter, or because he has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this subchapter. 42 U.S.C. sec. 2000e-3(a). Similarly, the ADA provides that [n]o person shall discriminate against any individual because such individual has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter or because such individual made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter. 42 U.S.C. sec. 12203. 21 In order to prevail on a claim of retaliation, a plaintiff must either offer direct evidence of retaliation, or proceed under a burden-shifting method. See Smart v. Ball State Univ., 89 F.3d 437, 440 (7th Cir. 1996). Since Contreras has offered no direct evidence of retaliation, he must make the prima facie case for discriminatory retaliation. Under both Title VII and the ADA, the prima facie case requires that Contreras prove (1) that he engaged in statutorily protected activity; (2) that he suffered an adverse employment action; and (3) that there is a causal connection between the two events. Id. Once the prima facie case is established, the burden shifts to Suncast to articulate a legitimate and nondiscriminatory reason for its actions which Contreras must show to be a pretext for unlawful retaliation. Rennie v. Dalton, 3 F.3d 1100, 1108-09 (7th Cir. 1993). 22 Contreras claims that he was terminated on February 13, 1996 in retaliation for filing his EEOC charge on January 18, 1996. In that charge, Contreras claimed that defendants harassed him on the basis of his national origin and denied him reasonable accommodations. Yet, Contreras has presented nothing more than temporal proximity in support of his causal connection argument. Timing may be an important clue to causation, but does not eliminate the need to show causation. Bermudez v. TRC Holdings, Inc., 138 F.3d 1176, 1179 (7th Cir. 1998) (internal citation omitted). We have held that absent other evidence of retaliation, a temporal relation is insufficient evidence to survive summary judgment. Gleason v. Mesirow Financial, Inc., 118 F.3d 1134, 1136 (7th Cir. 1997). The evidence shows that Contreras was terminated after a series of unexcused absences and acts of insubordination. He has done nothing to establish that his filing of an EEOC charge or request for accommodations even factored into Suncast's decision to dismiss him. In fact, the pattern of events suggests that the complaint and request for accommodations were non-factors in his dismissal. Therefore, we agree with the district court that Contreras has failed to make the prima facie case for retaliation for both Title VII and ADA purposes.