Kratzer v. Rockwell Collins, Inc.

• Decision Date: 22 February 2005
• Docket Number: No. 04-1710.,04-1710.
• Citation: 398 F.3d 1040
• Parties: Nancy M. KRATZER, Appellant, v. ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC., David A. Bellendier, and Eugene R. Nedved, Appellees.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit

398 F.3d 1040

Nancy M. KRATZER, Appellant, v. ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC., David A. Bellendier, and Eugene R. Nedved, Appellees.

No. 04-1710.

United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.

Submitted: November 17, 2004.

Filed: February 22, 2005.

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Counsel who presented argument on behalf of the appellant was David A. O'Brien of Cedar Rapids, IA.

Counsel who presented argument on behalf of the appellee was Wilford H. Stone of Cedar Rapids. Patrick J. O'Connell and Amy L. Reasner of Cedar Rapids also appeared on appellees' brief.

Before SMITH, BEAM, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.

BENTON, Circuit Judge.

Nancy Mae Reddick Kratzer sued Rockwell Collins, Dave Bellendier, and Eugene Nedved for disability discrimination, sex discrimination, and retaliation in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The district court¹ granted summary judgment to the defendants on all claims. Jurisdiction being proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, this court affirms.

This court reviews de novo a grant of summary judgment. Carter v. St. Louis University, 167 F.3d 398, 400 (8th Cir.1999). Viewing the facts most favorably to the non-moving party, summary judgment is appropriate if there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). The moving party bears the initial burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Carter, 167 F.3d at 401. This court may affirm a grant of summary judgment on any ground supported by the record, even if not relied upon by the district court. Habib v. NationsBank, 279 F.3d 563, 566 (8th Cir.2001).

I.

A. Disability Discrimination

In 1994, while employed at Rockwell, Kratzer suffered a workplace injury limiting her ability to use a foot pedal or sit for more than one hour. As an accommodation, Rockwell permitted the use of an adjustable chair, and an electrical cart for her travel between workstations.

Kratzer's job classification was 407B, sheet metal straightener. Membership in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) entitled Kratzer to seek training and testing for the 408B classification. Testing for 408B included a written and a four-part mechanical test — producing sheet metal on four different machines.

In April 2000, Kratzer passed the written test. In May she requested to take the mechanical test. A meeting was held that month to assess potential accommodations. At the meeting, a Rockwell occupational ergonomics therapist suggested modifying a foot pedal to knee level so Kratzer could operate it without using her foot. Kratzer opposed the modification because she had additional physical limitations needing accommodations. Rockwell and Kratzer agreed that she would obtain an updated restrictions evaluation from her doctor before any testing.

On June 6, 2000, defendant Bellendier told Kratzer she had to pick a machine and test that day. She refused. On July 5, 2000, IBEW and a Rockwell human resources manager told her she had 2 options: test for the 408B classification with the accommodations documented in her file, or obtain an updated restrictions evaluation and test accordingly. Kratzer did not provide an updated evaluation until over two years later.

B. Gender Discrimination

Six female Rockwell employees complained of derogatory name-calling, staring, glaring, intimidating speech, or gesturing by male co-employees. After the women's complaints, management verbally warned the harassers. In July 2000, Kratzer learned that a male co-employee had called her vulgar names ("bitch" "whore") and stated that, "they better not give her that labor grade 8." Three other women testified that male co-employees sabotaged women's training and testing by subjecting them to different rules or unfairly altering written tests. A former IBEW business manager believed that vacancy announcements for promotions "disappeared" when the most qualified was a female, but conceded this had never been proved. Finally, six other females stated they experienced unfair treatment: males were allowed to take breaks while females were reprimanded, females were "farmed out" to other departments, and females were refused time on different machines.

C. Retaliation

Kratzer complained to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in September 2000. A company-wide reduction-in-workforce in January 2002 demoted Kratzer two pay grades, out of the sheet metal fabrication department. Kratzer amended her complaint in September 2002 to include a claim for retaliation.

II.

A. ADA

In the absence of evidence of direct discrimination, ADA claims are evaluated by the burden-shifting framework of McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). First, Kratzer must establish a prima facie case of discrimination: an ADA-qualifying disability; qualifications to perform the essential functions of her position with or without a reasonable accommodation; and an adverse action due to her disability. Id. at 802-04, 93 S.Ct. 1817; see also Kincaid v. City of Omaha, 378 F.3d 799, 804 (8th Cir.2004). Once Kratzer makes a prima facie case, Rockwell must proffer a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the adverse employment action. See McDonnell Douglas, 411 at 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817. If Rockwell proffers such a reason, Kratzer must show that it is a pretext. See id. at 803, 93 S.Ct. 1817. The district court held that Kratzer failed to establish a prima facie case, as she could not perform the essential functions of the job. An employee is qualified for a job when she meets the necessary prerequisites for the job — training, education, experience —and can perform the essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation. Cravens v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, 214 F.3d 1011, 1016 (8th Cir.2000). The district court focused on whether Kratzer could perform the essential functions, with or without accommodation. This court finds Kratzer lacked the requisite training. See Habib, 279 F.3d at 566 (summary judgment can be affirmed on any ground supported by the record).

Kratzer does not meet the prerequisites of the 408B job. To satisfy the 408B criteria, Kratzer needed to train on a sheet-metal-producing machine, then demonstrate the training by passing the 408B mechanical test. Kratzer, however, never passed the 408B test. Because she did not satisfy the prerequisites for 408B classification, she was not qualified.

Kratzer claims she did not train or pass the 408B test, because Rockwell impeded the interactive process when Bellendier demanded she take the 408B test on June 6, 2000, without an accommodation. The interactive process is informal and flexible, enabling both employer and employee to identify the employee's limitations and accommodations. 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(o)(3). If the employee needs an accommodation, the employer must engage in an interactive process. Burchett v. Target Corp., 340 F.3d 510, 517 (8th Cir.2003). An employer impedes the process when: the employer knows of the employee's disability; the employee requests accommodations or assistance; the employer does not in good faith assist the employee in seeking accommodations; and the employee could have been reasonably accommodated but for the employer's lack of good faith. Ballard v. Rubin, 284 F.3d 957, 960 (8th Cir.2002), quoting Taylor v. Phoenixville Sch. Dist., 174 F.3d 142, 165 (3d Cir.1999).

Contrary to Kratzer's assertion, the breakdown in the interactive process was due to her failure to provide an updated evaluation, not Rockwell's refusal to provide an accommodation. The "predicate requirement" triggering the interactive process is the employee's request for the accommodation. Id. A mere assertion that an accommodation needed is insufficient; the employee must inform the employer of the accommodation needed. Mole v. Buckhorn Rubber Products, Inc., 165 F.3d 1212, 1217 (8th Cir.1999); see generally 29 C.F.R. § 1630, App. § 1630.9.

Rockwell and Kratzer agreed she would obtain an updated physical evaluation in order to determine the accommodation needed in the testing. Kratzer did schedule an appointment with her doctor, yet failed to go. By not obtaining the evaluation, Kratzer did not request accommodations beyond those documented in her file. Her statement that she wanted to see her doctor was insufficient; she needed to follow-up with the appointment. Without the updated evaluation, Rockwell could not provide an appropriate accommodation. Thus, Kratzer did not test and show her training for 408B, a prerequisite for the classification. An analysis of Rockwell's good faith is unnecessary as Kratzer failed to request an accommodation. See Phoenixville Sch. Dist., 174 F.3d at 165.

Kratzer did not establish a prima facie case of disability discrimination, and summary judgment was thus proper.

B. Sex Discrimination and Harassment

i.

Plaintiffs may prove discrimination in Title VII claims in two ways: with direct evidence as in the Price Waterhouse approach, or with indirect evidence as in the McDonnell Douglas analysis. Griffith v. City of Des Moines, 387 F.3d 733, 736 (8th Cir.2004). Kratzer may proceed under Price Waterhouse if she produces direct evidence of conduct or statements by persons involved in the decision-making process, which indicate a discriminatory attitude was more likely than not a motivating factor in the employer's decision. Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228, 258, 109 S.Ct. 1775, 104 L.Ed.2d 268 (1989). If there is direct evidence of sex discrimination, the burden rests with the employer to show that it more likely than not would have made the same decision without consideration of the illegitimate factor. Id. Evidence of the employer's motives for the action, and whether the presence of a mixed motives defeats the plaintiff's claim, is a trial...