Opinion ID: 2234742
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reprisal

Text: Finally, we consider whether Hoover's reprisal claim can withstand Norwest's motion for summary judgment. It is an unfair discriminatory practice to engage in reprisal against any person because that person opposed a practice prohibited by the MHRA. Minn.Stat. § 363.03, subd. 7(1). A reprisal claim is analyzed under the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting test. Fletcher v. St. Paul Pioneer Press, 589 N.W.2d 96, 101 (Minn.1999). The prima facie case for reprisal consists of: (1) statutorily-protected conduct by the employee; (2) adverse employment action by the employer; and (3) a causal connection between the two. Hubbard v. United Press Int'l, Inc., 330 N.W.2d 428, 444 (Minn.1983). Hoover claims that by requesting the reasonable accommodation of more loan processing support she engaged in statutorily protected activity and that, because of this activity, she was fired. She contends that she was terminated because she told McCullough, on February 7, 1996, that she was going to the human resources department to talk about her need for accommodation and about the lack of support she was receiving. Two days after this conversation with McCullough, Hoover called Norwest's personnel department and left a message. Later that morning, her employment was terminated. Standing alone, a request for assistance in performing one's job may not constitute protected activity, but when the employee specifically ties a request for work assistance to a disability, the employee engages in protected activity under the MHRA. Moreover, beyond her statements to McCullough on February 7, Hoover supports her contention that she sought help by asserting that she went to Eich with her individualized complaints regarding her need for processor support and its relation to her health and asked him if she should go to personnel for help. Hoover also alleges that she told McCullough on at least eight occasions that she needed processor support because of her fibromyalgia. Viewed in the light most favorable to Hoover, the record establishes that Hoover engaged in protected activity under the MHRA when she sought accommodation specifically for her fibromyalgia, satisfying the first element of her prima facie case. There is no dispute her termination constituted adverse employment action, the second element. Finally, given the events leading up to Hoover's termination, the timing of her termination, and the fact that no other similarly situated employee suffered the same fate, a reasonable fact finder could infer that there was a causal connection between the first two elements, satisfying the third element. We therefore conclude that Hoover has made out a prima facie case for reprisal. The second and third steps of the McDonnell Douglas analysis for Hoover's reprisal claim involve facts and analysis almost identical to those we have already addressed in considering Hoover's disability discrimination claim, and the same result obtains. Norwest has produced sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable trier of fact to conclude that there was a legitimate reason for the discharge, not based on reprisal. See Feges, 483 N.W.2d at 711. However, through evidence of her previously favorable performance reviews and the coincidence of her request for assistance based on her medical condition with the adverse employment action, Hoover has established a material issue of fact regarding whether Norwest's proffered reason is a pretext for reprisal. As with the disability discrimination claim, there are genuine issues of material fact that a fact finder could resolve in favor of Hoover, allowing her to prove that her termination was in reprisal for seeking a reasonable accommodation. Therefore, we reverse the court of appeals on this issue. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded to the district court for further proceedings.