Opinion ID: 170713
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Discrimination Claims Failure to Exhaust

Text: Ms. Dossa testified at length at the AJ hearing about the reasons she was unable to meet the requirements of the PIP, alleging that the PIP was created to ensure her failure so her employer could discharge her because of her gender and national origin. She asserted that she spoke with an accent and her subordinates used that as an excuse not to understand her. In her supporting documents she related her belief that her subordinates' criticism of her management style was really a cultural difference. She also claimed that a rumor was spread that she treated others like a bossy, rich Indian would treat the poor. Aplt.App. at 67-69, 73. In addition, Ms. Dossa proffered the names of two other employees, both males, who she contends were treated more favorably than she, and she maintains that their more favorable treatment establishes discrimination. In Coffman, this court explained the difference between a waiver or abandonment of claims and the situation where a plaintiff presents evidence of discrimination and affirmatively litigates a claim but ultimately loses on the merits. Coffman, 328 F.3d at 623-25. There, the plaintiff described events and motivations for the agency's [employment] decision to contradict the employer's witnesses' testimony. Id. at 625. He also called three witnesses on his own behalf. Id. Moreover, the AJ considered the conflicting evidence, weighed credibility, found facts, and reached legal conclusions. Id. Therefore, without deciding the merits of the employee's claims, we rejected the employer's argument that the federal employee had failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. Id. at 625. Similarly, Ms. Dossa presented evidence about her working conditions and the reasons for her claim that she was discriminated against due to gender and national origin. Although the AJ in Ms. Dossa's case concluded that she had presented no evidence of discrimination, Aplee. Supp. App. at 63, our discussion above demonstrates that Ms. Dossa did present some evidence of discrimination. The AJ was free to find it insufficient, but he was not free to equate insufficiency of evidence with abandonment or waiver. See Coffman, 328 F.3d at 625. Unlike a claimant who failed to comply with the exhaustion requirements, such as cooperating with the investigating agency, see McBride v. CITGO Petroleum Corp., 281 F.3d 1099, 1106 (10th Cir.2002), Ms. Dossa's pursuit of her discrimination claims throughout the administrative process constituted exhaustion. Because Ms. Dossa exhausted her administrative remedies, the district court erred in dismissing her discrimination claims. Therefore, we remand for the district court to consider them. On remand, Ms. Dossa is entitled to a de novo `civil action' equivalent to that enjoyed by private-sector employees on these claims. Chandler v. Roudebush, 425 U.S. 840, 863, 96 S.Ct. 1949, 48 L.Ed.2d 416 (1976); accord Blondo v. Bailar, 548 F.2d 301, 304 (10th Cir.1977). Prior administrative findings made with respect to an employment discrimination claim may, of course, be admitted as evidence at a federal-sector trial de novo.  Chandler, 425 U.S. at 863 n. 39, 96 S.Ct. 1949.