Brian Bond v. City of Bethlehem ( 2012 )


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  •                                                                NOT PRECEDENTIAL
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
    ____________
    No. 11-4291
    ____________
    BRIAN BOND,
    Appellant
    v.
    CITY OF BETHLEHEM
    ____________
    On Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    (D.C. No. 5-10-cv-06739)
    District Judge: Honorable Luis Felipe Restrepo
    ____________
    Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)
    November 16, 2012
    Before: SCIRICA, FISHER and JORDAN, Circuit Judges.
    (Filed: November 21, 2012)
    ____________
    OPINION OF THE COURT
    ____________
    FISHER, Circuit Judge.
    Brian Bond appeals the District Court’s grant of summary judgment to the City of
    Bethlehem. For the reasons stated below, we will affirm.
    I.
    We write principally for the parties, who are familiar with the factual context and
    legal history of this case. Therefore, we will set forth only those facts necessary to our
    analysis.
    Bond worked for the City of Bethlehem for nearly 14 years. He dated a fellow
    City employee, Gina Bullard. Bond and Bullard ended their relationship on August 18,
    2008, which led to a torrent of churlish behavior by Bond. For example, Bond sent text
    messages that referred to Bullard as a “whore.” In response, Bond received life-
    threatening phone calls from Bullard’s new boyfriend. Eventually a court in Carbon
    County granted Bullard a protection from abuse order, which Bond ignored on at least
    two occasions, including once in the parking lot of City Hall. He was suspended from
    work while the City began its investigation of the incident.
    The City’s violence in the workplace policy prohibits “behaviors such as direct
    threats, threatening behavior, harassing by phone, email or personal interaction.”
    Violation of this policy “may lead to disciplinary action, demotion, reassignment,
    suspension, dismissal, arrest or prosecution.” In addition, the City’s sexual harassment
    policy prohibits excessively offensive remarks and inappropriate use of sexually explicit
    or offensive language. On the basis of these policies and the City’s code of ethics, the
    City’s investigation concluded that Bond could be terminated for just cause. However,
    because Bond had worked for the City for 13 years without disciplinary problems, the
    2
    City offered him a “last chance” agreement. The agreement provided that Bond could
    avoid termination if he agreed to a 20-day suspension without pay, random drug testing,
    and mandatory counseling. In addition, if Bond were to be convicted of a criminal
    charge in connection with the incident that occurred in the City Hall parking lot, then the
    City would immediately terminate him. Bond’s union president advised him to refuse the
    agreement. Bond refused and was subsequently terminated. Six months following his
    termination, he pled guilty to harassment and stalking. Bond sued the City of Bethlehem
    in the District Court alleging gender discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil
    Rights Act of 1964 and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, 43 Pa. Const. Stat. Ann.
    §§ 951-963. In addition, he alleged that he was terminated without procedural due
    process in violation of 
    42 U.S.C. § 1983
    . The District Court granted the City’s motion
    for summary judgment, which Bond now appeals.
    II.
    The District Court had subject matter jurisdiction over the Title VII claim and
    § 1983 claim pursuant to 
    28 U.S.C. § 1331
     and supplemental jurisdiction over the
    Pennsylvania Human Relations claim under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1367
    . This Court has
    jurisdiction over this appeal pursuant to 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
    . Our review of an order
    granting summary judgment is plenary. Callison v. City of Phila., 
    430 F.3d 117
    , 119 (3d
    Cir. 2005). Summary judgment is proper where no genuine issue of material fact exists
    3
    and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett,
    
    477 U.S. 317
    , 322-23 (1986).
    III.
    Bond submits that the District Court erred in granting summary judgment to the
    City because (A) he established a prima facie case of gender discrimination, (B) the
    lower court based its decision upon an incomplete record, and (C) he was denied due
    process with respect to his termination. We address each of these assertions in turn.
    A.
    First, Bond claims that he established a prima facie case of gender discrimination
    in violation of Title VII and the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act (“PHRA”). Because
    Pennsylvania courts have construed the protections of the two statutes interchangeably,
    the analysis is identical. See Weston v. Pennsylvania, 
    251 F.3d 420
    , 425 n.3 (3d Cir.
    2001). Under either statute, a plaintiff must establish that (1) he is a member of a
    protected minority, (2) he is qualified for the position in question, (3) he has suffered an
    adverse employment action despite being qualified, and (4) the circumstances raise an
    inference of unlawful discrimination. McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 
    411 U.S. 792
    ,
    802 (1973); see, e.g., Jones v. Sch. Dist. of Phila., 
    198 F.3d 403
    , 410-11 (3d Cir. 1999).
    Only then does the burden shift to the defendant to “articulate some legitimate, non-
    discriminatory reason” for its action. McDonnell Douglas, 
    411 U.S. at 802
    .
    4
    With respect to claims of reverse discrimination – where a plaintiff cannot
    demonstrate membership in a protected minority – the plaintiff must instead address the
    first prong by presenting sufficient evidence “to allow a fact finder to conclude that the
    employer is treating some people less favorably than others based upon a trait that is
    protected under Title VII.” Iadimarco v. Runyon, 
    190 F.3d 151
    , 161 (3d Cir. 1999).
    Plaintiffs who demonstrate less favorable treatment based upon a trait that is protected
    under Title VII can show that the circumstances raise an inference of unlawful
    discrimination by “presenting sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable fact finder to
    conclude (given the totality of the circumstances) that the defendant treated plaintiff ‘less
    favorably than others because of [his] . . . sex’” 
    Id. at 163
     (quoting Furnco Const. Corp.
    v. Waters, 
    438 U.S. 567
    , 577 (1978)).
    Bond has failed to present sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case of
    gender discrimination. Specifically, Bond has not demonstrated that the City refused to
    terminate similarly situated female employees, i.e., female employees that violated the
    City’s violence in the workplace policy, sexual harassment policy, and code of ethics. As
    evidence of less favorable treatment, Bond submits that the City terminated him, but did
    not terminate Bullard. On its face, contends Bond, this disparity in treatment
    demonstrates that the City has discriminated on the basis of gender. However, Bond was
    subject to multiple protection from abuse orders, he admitted to sending text messages
    during work hours that were designed to annoy and alarm Bullard, and was charged with
    5
    – and ultimately pled guilty to – harassment. As the District Court acknowledged, the
    record does not show that Bullard engaged in similar conduct. 1 Bond and Bullard were
    therefore not similarly situated. Bond has not demonstrated that the City refused to
    terminate similarly situated female employees. As a result, Bond has not established a
    prima facie case of gender discrimination.
    B.
    Bond now notes on appeal that the District Court ordered the deposition of
    Bullard, which was never taken. Critically, Bond contends, he has not been “given a
    reasonable opportunity to present all the material that is pertinent to the motion,” contrary
    to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(d). As a result, according to Bond, the District
    Court based its decision upon an incomplete record.
    However, Title VII and the PHRA place the burden upon Bond to establish a
    prima facie case of discrimination. McDonnell Douglas, 
    411 U.S. at 802
    ; Weston, 
    251 F.3d at
    425 n.3. Bond could have deposed Bullard or any other City employee within the
    discovery period. He did not. Bond incorrectly alleges that the District Court
    erroneously based its decision upon an incomplete record. Actually, the District Court
    1
    Bond notes that the record reveals that Bullard used a City fax machine and City
    computer during her working hours to file complaints against Bond. He also submitted
    evidence to the District Court that Bullard brought a handgun into City Hall in violation
    of City policies. Nonetheless, Bond admitted that he intended to annoy, alarm and
    frighten Bullard. Bullard alleges that she brought a handgun for protection. Although
    Bullard was not charged with a crime, Bond was charged with harassment. We agree
    therefore with the District Court that Bond and Bullard did not engage in similar conduct.
    6
    based its decision upon the fact that Bond had failed to meet his burden under Title VII
    and the PHRA.
    C.
    Lastly, Bond submits that he was denied procedural due process with respect to his
    termination in violation of 
    42 U.S.C. § 1983
    . A plaintiff establishes a claim for
    deprivation of procedural due process rights by proving that “(1) he was deprived of an
    individual interest that is encompassed within the Fourteenth Amendment’s protection of
    life, liberty, or property, and (2) the procedures available to him did not provide due
    process of law.” Hill v. Borough of Kurtztown, 
    455 F.3d 225
    , 233-34 (3d Cir. 2006)
    (internal quotation omitted). The City does not contest that Bond has a property interest
    in his continued employment, and we therefore focus on whether Bond could avail
    himself of procedures consistent with § 1983.
    The guiding principle of procedural due process is that any deprivation of property
    should be preceded by notice and opportunity to be heard. Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v.
    Loudermill, 
    477 U.S. 532
    , 542 (1985). Public employees are entitled to “notice of the
    charges against [them], an explanation of the employer’s evidence, and an opportunity to
    present [their] side of the story” before their employment is terminated. 
    Id. at 546
    . The
    “root requirement” of procedural due process under Loudermill is “that an individual be
    given an opportunity for a hearing before he is deprived of any significant property
    interest.” 470 U.S. at 542.
    7
    Bond contends that his Loudermill hearing applied to the suspension of his
    employment and not his termination. Thus, according to Bond, his due process rights
    were violated because he was not given a second Loudermill hearing before his
    termination. He is mistaken. Bond was given notice of possible termination in a pre-
    deprivation hearing. His suspension and termination derive from the same events. At the
    hearing, Bond had an opportunity to present his side of the story and admitted that he had
    sent the harassing text messages. Thus Bond’s termination was preceded by notice and
    explanation of the underlying charges against him and an opportunity to respond to those
    charges. A second hearing was not required. See id. at 546.
    IV.
    For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the order of the District Court.
    8