Opinion ID: 2982419
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Post-Termination and Discovery Evidence

Text: Lee investigated Montell’s claims by interviewing Day and Blair. R. 64-1 (Lee Dep. at 52–53) (Page ID ##1859–60). Day denied that he had made the comments, and Blair confirmed that Montell had made the same accusations after the October 2010 DASH presentation. R. 34-4 (Ex. 35) (Page ID #901). Lee decided that the accusations against Day did not warrant any further action. R. 64-1 (Lee Dep. at 52–53, 64, 67) (Page ID ##1859–60, 1871, 1874). 2 In her appellate brief, Montell asserts that it was at this point that Day “began a mission to either fire Montell or force her resignation.” Appellant Br. at 6–7. For example, Montell points out that Day asked Patience McLaughlin, an employee under the supervision and management of Montell, to send weekly emails secretly reporting when Montell arrived at FRMC. R. 34-5 (Ex. 49 at 11–13) (Page ID ##1044–46). Montell, however, has failed to present a complete argument that Blair’s sharing of Montell’s grievance was protected conduct and an impetus for retaliation, thus forfeiting any argument that Day’s increased scrutiny of her was retaliatory. She also failed to make this argument below. Instead she has argued that the protected activity which motivated retaliation against her was her May 19, 2011, complaint to HR. No. 13-6186 Montell v. Diversified Clinical Servs. et al. Page 6 During his deposition, Day testified that before Montell’s resignation he had no plans to fire Montell even though the amended final warning document stated that the next step would be termination. R. 69-1 (Day Dep. at 161–62, 203–04) (Page ID ##2434, 2444). Similarly, Lee stated that DCS had no plan to terminate Montell. R. 64-1 (Lee Dep. at 68) (Page ID #1875). According to Day, the warnings were intended to motivate Montell. R. 69-1 (Day Dep. at 161– 62, 203–04) (Page ID ##2434, 2444). Montell stated that she viewed the goals on the warning sheets as motivation. R. 66-1 (Montell Dep. at 171–73, 192–93) (Page ID ##2124–26, 2145–46). And Montell never told Day that she was planning to resign. R. 69-1 (Day Dep. at 229) (Page ID #2451).