Opinion ID: 714045
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Credible Reasons for Wolf's Dismissal

Text: 15 Buss America first contends that its decision to terminate Wolf was partially justified in light of Wolf's dissatisfaction with the conditions at Buss America and Wolf's ensuing complaints to Buss America's parent company, Buss AG. More particularly, Buss America averred that Wolf reported directly to certain individuals at Buss AG and made unfavorable comparisons between Buss America and Buss AG's respective operations. Wolf admits that he contacted Buss AG on at least two occasions, but he asserts that his criticisms were constructive, and that both contacts resulted in favorable changes at Buss America. 16 By claiming that his suggested changes were ultimately beneficial, however, Wolf misses the point. Buss America does not claim that it was particularly troubled by the content of Wolf's communications to Buss AG. Rather, Buss America alleges that it was the occurrence of these communications which it found troubling. The fact that Wolf conducted these communications indicated, in Buss America's view, that Wolf had failed to adequately sever his ties with Buss AG--this situation, in turn, allegedly hindered Wolf's ability to adapt to the new environment of Buss America. 17 Wolf further adds that he was not criticized at the time he made his suggestions--approximately nineteen months before his dismissal. Buss America does not argue, however, that Wolf's actions were so opprobrious as to call for his immediate dismissal. Rather, Buss America asserts that it was only after an economic downturn--a development which Wolf does not dispute--forced it to fire one of its three service engineers that it dismissed Wolf as the least desirable of the three. Therefore, we conclude that Wolf has failed to raise an issue of material fact regarding this reason. 18
19 Buss America also asserts that Wolf failed to complete his required service reports in a timely fashion. Wolf wholly denies this allegation, claiming that he completed his service reports on a daily basis. The district court, however, found that Wolf had failed to show pretext on the issue of the propriety of his service reports in light of Wolf's admitted practice of completing his reports in German instead of in English. In making this finding, however, the district court went beyond the face of Buss America's motion for summary judgment and Local Rule 12(m) statement of material facts, and looked to the deposition testimony of Frank Rauch, Buss America's service manager. In his deposition, Rauch testified that Wolf's German-language reports were largely useless to Buss America and that he had asked Wolf many times to write his reports in English. Wolf argues that the district court erred by looking beyond the parties' pleadings to the record of the case in this fashion. 20 As Buss America correctly argues, however, Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure does not limit a district court's consideration of a summary judgment motion to the content of the parties' pleadings. Rather, Rule 56(c) directs the court to examine the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any. See also Board of Nat'l Missions of Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Smith, 182 F.2d 362, 364-65 (7th Cir.1950) (The fact that the [summary] judgment was granted on a reason different from that assigned by the defendant is immaterial, where, as here, the motion was properly granted on the undisputed facts shown and on an issue presented by plaintiff's complaint.); Wilder v. Prokop, 846 F.2d 613, 626 (10th Cir.1988). 2 21 Rauch's deposition, which the district court was privileged to consider, indicates that Wolf's practice of writing his reports in German was viewed as problematical by Buss America, and that this concern was communicated to Wolf. Wolf has admitted to writing his reports in German, at least initially. It seems clear to us that the completion of Wolf's reports in an unacceptable language would adversely impact the timeliness of those reports as they would not be immediately comprehensible to most of Buss America's other employees. Consequently, we conclude that Wolf has failed to show pretext on this issue. 22