Opinion ID: 579075
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Summary Judgment on the Race Discrimination Claim.

Text: 23 Evans argues that YNC terminated him on account of his race in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981, 42 U.S.C. § 2000-d (Title VI), and 29 U.S.C. § 1577. 6 The district court granted summary judgment in favor of all defendants on all of these claims. 24 The district court held that the Supreme Court's decision in Patterson v. McClean Credit Union, 485 U.S. 164, 176 (1989) barred Evans's § 1981 claim because it involved conduct occurring after contract formation. This holding is problematic for two reasons. First, Congress expressly has overruled Patterson in the Civil Rights Act of 1991 which became effective November 21, 1991. Some courts have held that the Act applies retroactively to claims pending when it was passed. See Graham v. Bodine Elec. Co., 1992 WL 14033 (N.D.Ill. Jan. 23, 1992); Saltarikos v. Charter Mfg. Co., 1992 WL 18789 (E.D.Wis. Jan. 8, 1992); Stender v. Lucky Stores, Inc., 1992 WL 2904 (N.D.Cal. Jan. 7, 1992); Mojica v. Gannett Co., 779 F.Supp. 94 (N.D.Ill.1991). But see Doe v. Board of County Comm'rs, 1992 WL 19749 (S.D.Fla. Jan. 30, 1992); Burchfield v. Derwinski, 1992 WL 17827 (D.Colo. Jan. 29, 1992); Khandelwal v. Compuadd Corp., 1992 WL 5953 (E.D.Va. Jan. 15, 1992). Second, Patterson did not address the question of whether § 1981 applies to employees terminated for discriminatory reasons. We avoid both of these questions by finding that even if Evans has a valid § 1981 claim, it cannot survive summary judgment. The standards for a prima facie cause under § 1981 are the same as those under Title VII or Title VI. Gay v. Waiters' & Dairy Lunchmen's Union, 694 F.2d 531, 538-39 (9th Cir.1982). As discussed below, Evans's claim fails under these standards. 25 Summary judgment in favor of the Yuma County JTPA Administrator and SER was proper because neither defendant had control or authority over the employment relationship between Evans and YNC, and thus they cannot be held liable either directly or under the principles of respondeat superior for YNC's manager's decision to discharge Evans. See Allen v. Denver Public School Bd., 928 F.2d 978, 983 (10th Cir.1991) (liability must be predicated on affirmative link between actor and discriminatory conduct); Watson v. Fraternal Order of Eagles, 915 F.2d 235, 244 (6th Cir.1990) (lack of close relationship between club's discriminatory actions and club's governing body preclude liability). The employment contract was between YNC and Evans, and SER and the Yuma County JTPA administration were not parties to this contract. 7 26 Summary judgment in favor of the remaining defendants is appropriate if the nonmoving party fails to establish a genuine issue of material fact on an essential element of its case on which it will bear the burden of proof at trial. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317 (1986). Moreover, if the facts suggest that the nonmoving party's claim is implausible, that party must come forward with more persuasive evidence than would otherwise be necessary to demonstrate that there is a genuine issue of material fact. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574 (1986); see also California Arch. Bldg. Prods., Inc. v. Franciscan Ceramics, Inc., 818 F.2d 1466, 1468 (9th Cir.1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 1006 (1988). 27 In this case, summary judgment is appropriate because Evans has failed to make out a prima facie case of race discrimination, a burden that he would have at trial. The plaintiff's burdens of production and persuasion in disparate treatment employment discrimination cases brought under Title VII apply to similar claims brought under Title VI. NAACP v. Medical Center, Inc., 657 F.2d 1322 (3d Cir.1981); cf. Smith v. Barton, 914 F.2d 1330, 1336 (9th Cir.1990) (courts look to Title VII to determine appropriate rules under Title VI), cert. denied, 111 S.Ct. 2825 (1991). In Title VII cases, the plaintiff has several burdens. First, the plaintiff must establish a prima facie case of deliberate discrimination. Second, if the plaintiff proves a prima facie case, the defendant must articulate some legitimate, nondiscriminatory business reason for its action. If the defendant does this, the plaintiff must show that the legitimate reasons offered by the defendant were not its true reasons, but were actually a pretext for illegal discrimination. The ultimate burden of persuasion remains at all times with the plaintiff. Texas Dep't of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 252-56 (1981). 28 In this case, Evans failed to prove a prima facie case of racial discrimination. In this circuit, the plaintiff makes out a prima facie case by demonstrating three elements: (1) that he was within a protected class; (2) that he was doing his job well enough to rule out the possibility that he was fired for inadequate performance; and (3) that his employer sought a replacement with qualifications similar to his own, thus demonstrating a continued need for the same services and skills. Sengupta v. Morrison-Knudsen Co., 804 F.2d 1072, 1075 (9th Cir.1986). Evans obviously meets the first element, and his own affidavit substantiates the second. He has not, however, proven the third element, namely that he was replaced by someone with similar qualifications. 8 29 Moreover, even if Evans could make out a prima facie case, the evidence is insufficient as a matter of law to permit a reasonable jury that he was discharged for racially discriminatory reasons. See Palucki v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 879 F.2d 1568, 1570 (7th Cir.1989). Schmid discharged Evans because he believed, based on Holtz's report, that Evans was sleeping on the job. Schmid found that Holtz was a trusted employee whose report he gave credibility. Perhaps it would have been more prudent for Schmid to take other disciplinary action rather than dismissing Evans or to allow Evans to confront Holtz about the allegation, 9 but his actions do not smack of racial discrimination. Nolan v. Cleland, 686 F.2d 806, 812 (9th Cir.1982) (subjective decision not discriminatory absent probative evidence creating an issue of material fact). Schmid believed, perhaps erroneously, that Evans was a probationary employee whom he could discharge for any reason and that the employees manual also give him the authority to discharge an employee for sleeping. Hearn v. R.R. Donnelly & Sons Co., 739 F.2d 304, 308 (7th Cir.1984) (court will not speculate about employer's motives where no discernible evidence of discrimination exists), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1223 (1985). There is no evidence of racial animus in the record. Schmid hired Evans and gave him positive work evaluations. One would therefore assume, without contrary evidence, that Schmid was not racially prejudiced. See Harris v. Group Health Ass'n, Inc., 662 F.2d 869, 872 (D.C.Cir.1981). One cannot infer that an employer discriminated against a black employee merely because the employer is white. Gay, 694 F.2d at 554 n. 18. Evan's only evidence of racial discrimination is that he is black. 10 Evans would have the burden of proving at trial that the reason for his discharge was a pretext for discrimination, and with the evidence he presented he would be unable to do so. 30