Opinion ID: 42481
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dean

Text: A “decisionmaker” is someone “who has the power to make official decisions and, thus, be held individually liable.” Quinn v. Monroe County, 330 F.3d 1320, 1326 (11th Cir. 2003) (emphasis in original). A “decisionmaker” may often be identified by a rule or by examining the statutory authority of the official alleged to have made the decision. Id. at 1328. In the termination context, a “decisionmaker” has the power to terminate an employee, not merely the power to recommend termination. Id. Kamensky concedes Dean’s reorganization proposal had to be reviewed by the County’s Human Resources Director, the Assistant County Administrator, the County Civil Service Board (County Board), and Dan Kleman, the County Administrator. She further concedes county policy and procedure deemed Kleman the decisionmaker regarding the elimination of Kamensky’s position. Thus, the evidence indisputably shows Dean had no power to terminate Kamensky, but rather only had the power to recommend her termination. Dean was not the “official decisionmaker,” and thus cannot be held individually liable. See id. 3 Nonetheless, Kamensky asks us to create a “rubber stamp” exception to Quinn’s “decisionmaker” inquiry. In doing so, she cites cases dealing with governmental, not individual, liability. See Holloman ex. rel. Holloman v. Harland, 370 F.3d 1252, 1290–94 (11th Cir. 2004); Matthews v. Columbia County, 294 F.3d 1294, 1296–98 (11th Cir. 2002). We have not extended this line of cases to individual liability, and refrain from doing so here.