Opinion ID: 181765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Count 2: Retaliation

Text: Without determining whether the settlement agreement entitled Munoz to VLS training, we now consider whether the Navy's denial of his requests was retaliatory in nature. In a Title VII retaliation action, plaintiff bears the ultimate burden of showing defendant's stated reasons to be merely pretextual, once defendant has given legitimate, non-retaliatory grounds for its actions. McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802-04, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). Plaintiff can satisfy this burden by producing either direct evidence, such as clearly sexist, racist, or similarly discriminatory statements or actions by the employer, Coghlan v. Am. Seafoods Co., 413 F.3d 1090, 1095 (9th Cir.2005), or circumstantial evidence supporting an inference of retaliatory or discriminatory motive, so long as such evidence is specific and substantial, Godwin v. Hunt Wesson, Inc., 150 F.3d 1217, 1222 (9th Cir. 1998) (internal quotation marks omitted). Merely denying the credibility of the employer's proffered reasons is insufficient to withstand summary judgment. Lindsey v. Shalmy, 29 F.3d 1382, 1385 (9th Cir.1994). Here, the Navy produced legitimate, non-retaliatory, and non-discriminatory reasons for denying Munoz VLS training, consistent with the reasons repeatedly given at the time of Munoz's requests and prior to commencement of litigation. First, the only authorized VLS billet was already filled by a certified SMT, and no other VLS billets were available or would soon become available; second, even with the classroom training he sought, Munoz would still be unqualified to fill a VLS billet, which requires not only SMT certification but also ten years of on-the-job experience; and third, training Munoz would be cost-prohibitive. Munoz is unable to produce more than mere allegations of retaliatory or discriminatory motives. In response to the Navy's legitimate explanation that no vacant VLS position was available, Munoz argues that the Navy acknowledged a need for more VLS technicians and had the ability to add new VLS billets. Even if the Navy could have created a new billet, Munoz fails to show any retaliatory motive behind its decision not to exercise that authority. He has no better response to the Navy's second proffered reason, simply alleging, without evidence, that his supervisor revised the VLS position description intentionally to preclude him from qualifying, and that others lacking the new qualification requirements were allowed to fill the slot. The assertion is undermined by evidence showing that Ship Repair imposed the ten-year requirement before Munoz filed his first complaint or requested VLS training, and therefore before Ship Repair even had notice that Munoz wanted VLS training. Unsubstantiated assertions of retaliatory intent, without more, are insufficient to overcome the Navy's proffered neutral reasons. Tarin v. County of Los Angeles, 123 F.3d 1259, 1265 (9th Cir. 1997), superseded by statute on other grounds as stated in Leisek v. Brightwood Corp., 278 F.3d 895, 899 n. 2 (9th Cir.2002). Finally, Munoz claims that the credibility of the Navy's third ground for denial, budgetary constraints, is undermined by the fact that the Navy paid the same per diem and travel expenses to send him to other training sessions, such as the three-month MK 45 training. The district court, however, correctly concluded that this evidence is not sufficiently specific and substantial to support an inference of retaliatory intent where it is the employer's prerogative to determine how best to allocate its limited training funds. Because Munoz was unable to produce evidence undermining the credibility or validity of the Navy's proffered reasons for denying VLS training, summary judgment on the retaliation claim was proper. AFFIRMED in part, VACATED in part, and REMANDED for proceedings consistent with this Opinion. Each party to bear its own costs on appeal.