Opinion ID: 514825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Property Interest Created by Gryzb Policy

Text: 8 The alleged policy of Mr. Gryzb cannot be said to create a legitimate claim of entitlement to continued employment that will support an action based upon 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983. Property rights are created and their dimensions are defined by existing rules or understandings that stem from an independent source such as state law--rules or understandings that secure certain benefits and that support claims of entitlement to those benefits. Roth, 408 U.S. at 577, 92 S.Ct. at 2709. Even if we assume arguendo that Mr. Gryzb had the authority to promulgate employee policies, see Shlay v. Montgomery, 802 F.2d 918, 922 (7th Cir.1986), a statement that discharge will depend on the frequency and gravity of an employee's infractions hardly amounts to the creation of a legal entitlement to continued employment. It is simply the declaration of a middle-level manager that his response to employee infractions will be tailored to his estimation of the gravity of the infraction. 9 To assert a property interest, Ms. Lee must allege enough facts to show that she  'has a legitimate claim of entitlement not to lose a valuable governmental benefit except for cause.'  Davis v. City of Chicago, 841 F.2d 186, 188 (7th Cir.1988) (citing Begg v. Moffitt, 555 F.Supp. 1344, 1348 (N.D.Ill.1983)). The dismissal of a state employee does not rise to a deprivation of property unless the state earlier conferred upon him a right of continued employment by telling him, in a manner that made it reasonable for the employee to expect the state to stand behind its word, that it would continue to employ him. Patkus v. Sangamon-Cass Consortium, 769 F.2d 1251, 1263 (7th Cir.1985); Smith v. Board of Educ., 708 F.2d 258, 261 (7th Cir.1983). Here, the alleged policy permitted Mr. Gryzb to exercise discretion in evaluating the seriousness of infractions giving rise to discharges. Mr. Gryzb simply exercised that discretion in this case. Thus, even under the explicit terms of the alleged Gryzb-promulgated policy of graduated discipline, the appellant can claim no cognizable property interest. 10 Nevertheless, the appellant refers us to the decision of the Supreme Court of Illinois in Duldulao v. Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center, 115 Ill.2d 482, 106 Ill.Dec. 8, 505 N.E.2d 314 (1987), and submits that this articulation of state contract law bolsters her claim of a protectible property interest. In Duldulao, the state's highest court held that 11 an employee handbook or other policy statement creates enforceable contractual rights if the traditional requirements for contract formation are met. First, the language of the policy statement must contain a promise clear enough that an employee would reasonably believe that an offer has been made. Second, the statement must be disseminated to the employee in such a manner that the employee is aware of its contents and reasonably believes it to be an offer. Third, the employee must accept the offer by commencing or continuing to work after learning of the policy statement. 12 106 Ill.Dec. at 12, 505 N.E.2d at 318. If these conditions are met, the court concluded, an enforceable contract is formed. Id. Duldulao stressed that the policy statement relied upon in that case contained clear, explicit promises. Here, by contrast, the complaint does not allege, nor the policy manifest, any communication of an offer, bargaining, or acceptance. See id. Consequently, we conclude that the principles enunciated in Duldulao do not compel the finding of a contract when applied to the facts of this case. See Levitt v. Gorris, 167 Ill.App.3d 88, 117 Ill.Dec. 818, 820, 520 N.E.2d 1169, 1171 (1987) (applying Duldulao and finding no contract stemming from agency's rule that [i]f the appointee's services have not been satisfactory, he will be discharged). 13