Opinion ID: 780165
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The federal and state retaliation claims

Text: 10 We review de novo the district court's grant of summary judgment on Treglia's retaliation claims, construing the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. See Tenenbaum v. Williams, 193 F.3d 581, 593 (2d Cir.1999), cert. denied sub nom. City of New York v. Tenenbaum, 529 U.S. 1098, 120 S.Ct. 1832, 146 L.Ed.2d 776 (2000). In doing so, we must resolve all ambiguities and draw all factual inferences in favor of the non-movant. Brown v. Henderson, 257 F.3d 246, 251 (2d Cir.2001). Summary judgment is not appropriate where a review of the record reveals sufficient evidence for a rational trier of fact to find in the plaintiff's favor. See Maresco v. Evans Chemetics, 964 F.2d 106, 110 (2d Cir.1992). 11 The ADA makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against any individual because such individual has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter or because such individual made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter. 42 U.S.C. § 12203(a). The Rehabilitation Act and NYHRL contain similar provisions against retaliation and are governed in this respect by the same standards as the ADA. See 29 U.S.C. § 794(d); N.Y. Exec. Law § 296(7); Weixel v. Board of Educ. of the City of New York, 287 F.3d 138, 148-49 (2d Cir.2002) (elements of a retaliation claim under Rehabilitation Act are same as the ADA); Weissman v. Dawn Joy Fashions, Inc., 214 F.3d 224, 234 (2d Cir.2000) (applying ADA analysis to plaintiff's retaliation claim under both ADA and NYHRL). 12 At the outset, we note that Treglia's decision not to appeal his federal discrimination claim does not affect his ability to pursue his federal retaliation claim. See Cifra v. Gen. Elec. Co., 252 F.3d 205, 218 (2d Cir.2001) (affirming the district court's dismissal of plaintiff's discrimination claim but vacating dismissal of retaliation claim); Quinn v. Green Tree Credit Corp., 159 F.3d 759, 770 (2d Cir.1998) (same). A plaintiff may prevail on a claim for retaliation even when the underlying conduct complained of was not in fact unlawful so long as he can establish that he possessed a good faith, reasonable belief that the underlying challenged actions of the employer violated [the] law. Sarno v. Douglas Elliman-Gibbons & Ives, Inc., 183 F.3d 155, 159 (2d Cir.1999) (internal quotation marks omitted). The Town has not argued that Treglia's belief that it had discriminated against him was either held in bad faith or unreasonable. In any event, it is clear from the record that Treglia has produced sufficient evidence to create at least a genuine issue of material fact in that regard. 13 Claims for retaliation are analyzed under the same burden-shifting framework established for Title VII cases. See Weixel, 287 F.3d at 148 (stating the elements of a retaliation claim under Rehabilitation Act and ADA); Lovejoy-Wilson v. NOCO Motor Fuel, Inc., 263 F.3d 208, 223 (2d Cir.2001) (We analyze a retaliation claim under the ADA using the same framework employed in Title VII cases.). In order to establish a prima facie case of retaliation, Treglia must show that: (1) he engaged in an activity protected by the ADA; (2) the employer was aware of this activity; (3) the employer took adverse employment action against him; and (4) a causal connection exists between the alleged adverse action and the protected activity. See Cifra, 252 F.3d at 216. A plaintiff's burden at this prima facie stage is de minimis. See Richardson v. New York State Dept. of Correctional Serv., 180 F.3d 426, 444 (2d Cir.1999). 14 Treglia filed his retaliation charges with the appropriate agencies in March 1999. However, his claims of retaliation are sufficiently related to his April 1997 discrimination charge that we may review all evidence of the events claimed in that earlier charge. See Owens v. New York City Housing Authority, 934 F.2d 405, 410-11 (2d Cir.1991) ([W]hen an employee brings a claim alleging retaliation for filing a complaint with the EEOC, the retaliation claim is deemed `reasonably related' to the original EEOC filing.). 15 It is clear that Treglia established the first two elements of a prima facie case. Treglia's attempts to assert his rights against discrimination are protected activities, including his alleged complaints to then-Sergeant Barry in November 1996, his ultimate filing of federal and state administrative charges in April 1997, and his efforts with the NYDHR to investigate his claims in February 1998. See Cruz v. Coach Stores, Inc., 202 F.3d 560, 566 (2d Cir.2000) (stating that the law is clear that opposition to a Title VII violation need not rise to the level of a formal complaint in order to receive statutory protection); Sumner v. United States Postal Serv., 899 F.2d 203, 209 (2d Cir.1990) (protected activities include making complaints to management). The Town does not claim that Treglia failed to establish the first element of his prima facie case. Nor does the Town dispute that it knew of his activities, the second element of a prima facie case. 16 As to the third element, the district court correctly stated the standard for adverse employment action as a materially adverse change in the terms, privileges, duration and conditions of employment. However, the court erred in finding that Treglia failed to establish any adverse employment action because he was still a member of the Manlius Police Department. Treglia's claim of discriminatory failure to promote falls within the core activities encompassed by the term adverse actions. See Morris v. Lindau, 196 F.3d 102, 110 (2d Cir.1999) (defining adverse action to include discharge, refusal to hire, refusal to promote, demotion, reduction in pay, and reprimand). Moreover, we have made clear that adverse employment actions are not limited to pecuniary emoluments. Preda v. Nissho Iwai Am. Corp., 128 F.3d 789, 791 (2d Cir.1997) (internal quotation marks omitted). Lesser actions such as negative employment evaluation letters may also be considered adverse. Morris, 196 F.3d at 110. Therefore, if sufficiently linked to retaliatory animus, many of the actions taken by the Town could be considered unlawful under this broad definition of adverse action. 17 In order to establish the last element of a prima facie case of retaliation, Treglia must show that the allegedly adverse actions occurred in circumstances from which a reasonable jury could infer retaliatory intent. We have held that a close temporal relationship between a plaintiff's participation in protected activity and an employer's adverse actions can be sufficient to establish causation. See, e.g., Cifra, 252 F.3d at 217 (The causal connection needed for proof of a retaliation claim can be established indirectly by showing that the protected activity was closely followed in time by the adverse action. (internal quotation marks omitted)). In this case, many of the alleged adverse employment actions took place within a few months of Treglia's alleged complaints to then-Sergeant Barry that the department was discriminating against him. 5 See Quinn v. Green Tree Credit Corp., 159 F.3d 759, 769 (2d Cir.1998) (two months between protected activity and allegedly adverse action sufficient to establish causation). The Town argues that the first allegedly retaliatory action after Treglia filed his administrative charges in April 1997 did not occur until almost a full year later in March 1998. That argument, however, ignores Treglia's protected activity between those two dates. For example, Treglia asserts that in February 1998 the NYDHR requested that he submit a list of witnesses who could corroborate his charges of discrimination, after which he told several members of the department that they might be contacted as part of the NYDHR investigation. The temporal proximity between this protected activity in February 1998 and the allegedly adverse employment actions in March 1998 is sufficient to establish the required causal link for a prima facie case. See Richardson, 180 F.3d at 435, 446-47 (holding one month between service of deposition notices in plaintiff's Title VII lawsuit and the employer's abusive acts sufficient to establish a causal link between the lawsuit and the adverse actions). 18 Once a plaintiff establishes a prima facie case of retaliation, the burden shifts to the defendant to articulate a legitimate, non-retaliatory reason for the challenged employment decision. If a defendant meets this burden, the plaintiff must point to evidence that would be sufficient to permit a rational factfinder to conclude that the employer's explanation is merely a pretext for impermissible retaliation. Cifra, 252 F.3d at 216. 19 There is no dispute that the Town has articulated legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons for each of the alleged adverse employment actions taken against Treglia. For example, the Town claims that the promotions about which Treglia complained were given to officers who were more qualified for management than Treglia. Although Treglia scored well on civil service exams, the Town alleges that he had difficulty working with other officers. It further claims that several of the internal investigations against Treglia were initiated by outside parties and that Treglia's actions had warranted the discipline he received. As for Treglia's other examples of adverse action, the Town argues that they were routine employment decisions necessary to meet the department's needs and made in conformance with departmental policies. 20 The issue is whether Treglia produced sufficient evidence of pretext. In granting summary judgment to the Town, the district court credited the Town's reasons, holding that [p]laintiff has proffered no admissible evidence that defendant's stated explanations are pretextual. The continuing retaliatory actions alleged by plaintiff appear to be nothing more than decisions concerning work assignments, administrative matters and Departmental procedures. However, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, we conclude that a reasonable jury could find that the non-retaliatory reasons given by the Town were pretextual explanations meant to hide its unlawful motive. 21 Treglia points to a number of statements attributable to the Town that tend to show pretext and retaliatory motive. According to Treglia, when he was first passed over for promotion in February 1997, he approached Chief Carbery to find out what he could do to improve his chances for a promotion in the future. The Chief allegedly responded that Treglia had always done a good job but that he would not receive a promotion to sergeant now or ever. While the Chief denies making the statement, this factual dispute is an issue of credibility for the jury. Similarly, Treglia claims that when the Chief heard about Treglia's discrimination charges the Chief told PBA President Mark Buzzard that if [Treglia] wants to play hard ball, we can swing the bat back and play hard ball too. The Town does not deny that the Chief made such a statement in reference to Treglia. However, it argues that the statement was made in the context of settling a grievance Treglia had filed concerning discipline he received. Even if we assume that the statement was made in the context the Town claims, it could still be evidence of retaliatory intent given Treglia's claim that the manner in which the discipline was brought and settled was itself retaliatory. 22 The record also contains evidence that could refute the Town's reasons for failing to promote Treglia. The Town claims that Treglia was passed over for promotion to sergeant because he had difficulty working with other police officers. It argues that Chief Carbery was well aware of Treglia's problems from his experience as Chief of Police in the Village of Chittenango, where plaintiff was previously employed. In its 2001 Opinion, the district court credited the Town's version of events, stating, The Chief was aware of plaintiff's exceptional technical skills, but also knew that he frequently had difficulty following police procedures and orders, not encouraging characteristics for someone becoming a member of a management team. However, Treglia points out that Chief Carbery had promoted him to the position of sergeant in the Village of Chittenango. The Chief also provided glowing letters of recommendation for Treglia to attend law school, to enter a highly selective law enforcement program of the National Academy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and as part of Treglia's application for the position of Chief of Police in Chittenango. The Town's response is that the Chittenango promotion to sergeant was not deserved on the merits but was merely an attempt to assist plaintiff in obtaining the cooperation of his co-workers and that the letters of recommendation were nothing more than puffery. Treglia also points to his employment evaluations by the department from March and September 1996, only five months before Treglia was passed over for promotion in February 1997, indicating that he was an important team player and that he works well with others. 23 In sum, it seems clear to us that a jury could reasonably believe that the Town's non-retaliatory reasons for the above actions were pretext meant to hide its true retaliatory motive. We hold that on his retaliation claims Treglia has raised genuine issues as to material facts, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c), that only a jury — not the district court — could properly decide. We reiterate that in reviewing the district court's grant of summary judgment we have construed the evidence in the light most favorable to Treglia. Our decision therefore does not suggest any view as to how the jury ought to ultimately resolve these issues.