Gentry v. Wilkie

CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedMarch 1, 2022
DocketCivil Action No. 2018-2138
StatusPublished

This text of Gentry v. Wilkie (Gentry v. Wilkie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gentry v. Wilkie, (D.D.C. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

DENISE GENTRY,

Plaintiff,

v. Civil Action No. 18-2138 (RDM)

DENIS R. MCDONOUGH, 1

Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Plaintiff Denise Gentry, a police officer with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center here in

Washington, D.C. (“Medical Center”), brings this action against the Secretary of Veterans

Affairs (“Secretary”) asserting two counts, the first under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of

1964 (“Title VII”), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., and the second under the Age Discrimination in

Employment Act (“ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. § 633a. Dkt. 1. She alleges, in particular, that the

Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) discriminated against her on the basis of her sex and age

when the agency selected three male candidates, at least one of whom was younger than her, for

a captain position in 2017. Dkt. 1 at 5 (Compl. ¶ 14). The Secretary moves for summary

judgment on two grounds. First, he argues that Gentry never applied for the positions at issue

and, therefore, a cannot establish a prima facie case of sex (Count I) or age (Count II)

discrimination. Second, he maintains that, even had Gentry applied for the positions, no

reasonable jury could find that she was a victim of age (Count II) discrimination.

1 The Court automatically substitutes the current Secretary of the VA into the case caption. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(d) (providing that “when a public officer . . . ceases to hold office while the action is pending . . [t]he officer’s successor is automatically substituted as a party”). For the reasons explained below, the Court rejects the Secretary’s first argument but

accepts his second argument. The Court, accordingly, will GRANT in part and DENY in part

the Secretary’s motion for summary judgment and will enter summary judgment in the

Secretary’s favor on Count II of the complaint, which alleges the Gentry was denied promotion

on the basis of her age.

I. BACKGROUND

For purposes of resolving the Secretary’s motion for summary judgment, the Court takes

“the facts in the record and all reasonable inferences derived therefrom in a light most favorable”

to Gentry. Coleman v. Duke, 867 F.3d 204, 209 (D.C. Cir. 2017) (quoting Al-Saffy v. Vilsack,

827 F.3d 85, 89 (D.C. Cir. 2016)).

A. Factual Background

Gentry has served as a member of the VA’s police and security service since 2000. Dkt.

25-2 at 1 (Def.’s SUMF ¶ 1); see also Dkt. 28-1 at 1 (Pl.’s Response ¶ 1). In this suit, she

alleges that the VA unlawfully discriminated against her based on her sex and age when it failed

to promote her to a supervising police officer/captain position in May and June 2017. Dkt. 1 at

6–9 (Compl. ¶¶ 16–27); see also Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 2, Gentry Dep. at 20). At the time, Gentry was a

56-year-old sergeant working the night shift at the Medical Center. Dkt. 25-2 at 1 (Def.’s SUMF

¶¶ 2–3); see also Dkt. 28-1 at 1 (Pl.’s SUMF ¶¶ 2–3). Gentry had sought a promotion to

captain—also known as watch commander supervisor—beginning as early as 2012, when she

unsuccessfully applied for an opening. Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 2, Gentry Dep. at 22–23).

On Friday, May 26, 2017—the Friday before Memorial Day weekend—the Medical

Center’s Police Service posted an announcement for two supervisory police officer/captain

positions. Dkt. 25-2 at 2 (Def.’s SUMF ¶¶ 6–7); Dkt. 28-2 at 123 (Ex. H at 5). Those positions

2 were posted on USAJobs, an online website, where applicants could search for open positions

and submit applications. Dkt. 25-2 at 2–3 (Def.’s SUMF ¶¶ 6, 15–16); see also Dkt. 25-3 (Ex.

10, Coburn Dep. at 15). Because the positions were “non-bargaining” positions, the Medical

Center was required to leave the postings open for at least seven days or until at least fifty

applications were received. Dkt. 25-2 at 2 (Def.’s SUMF ¶ 7); see also Dkt. 28-1 (Pl.’s

Response ¶ 7). The vacancies closed on May 31, 2017, after fifty applications were received.

Dkt. 25-2 at 2 (Def.’s SUMF ¶ 7); see also Dkt. 28-1 (Pl.’s Response ¶ 7).

Gentry did not learn about the vacancies until after May 31, 2017, and thus she never

applied. Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 2, Gentry Dep. at 32, 37). According to one of Gentry’s co-workers,

Luis Rodriguez-Soto, the interim acting chief of police, Tony Hebert, told certain officers that

the VA was “opening up three positions for captains,” and he encouraged Rodriguez-Soto to

apply. Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 4, Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 13). According to Rodriguez-Soto, Hebert

indicated that he “had already made up his mind who he was going to give positions to,” and

Hebert was “basically telling us [to] apply, that the position is going to come available,” and,

“[i]f you make the cert list, he is the selecting official.” Id. (Ex. 4, Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 14).

Rodriguez-Soto did not learn that the vacancy was actually posted, however, until another officer

(who was on the night shift) called to tell him that “they just posted these positions.” Id. (Ex. 4,

Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 11). Rodriguez-Soto talked to Hebert about the short turnaround and

lack of notice, stressing that he would not have been able to apply if “someone hadn’t called”

him. Id. (Ex. 4, Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 17). Hebert responded, “[W]ell, you know about it now.

So apply.” Id. Rodriguez-Soto then applied. Id.

The only officers that Hebert told to apply were those who worked the day shift, id. (Ex.

4, Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 13, 17), and at the time Gentry worked the night shift, Dkt. 28-2 at

3 123 (Ex. H at 5). When Rodriguez-Soto subsequently “confronted” Hebert about the difficulties

some officers might have learning about the position over the holiday weekend, Hebert

responded, “If they can’t apply, that’s their problem, that’s not my problem.” Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 4,

Rodriguez-Soto Dep. at 16–17). Because no one informed Gentry of the opening, she believes

“she was not afforded the opportunity to apply.” Dkt. 28-2 at 123 (Ex. H at 5). Had she known

that the position was available, Gentry maintains that she would have applied, as evidenced by

her prior interest and the fact that at the time she was working in that exact role—that is, as a

captain (or supervisory officer)—on an interim basis. Id. at 122–23 (Ex. H at 4–5); see also Dkt.

25-3 (Ex. 2, Gentry Dep. at 29–30).

Chief Hebert ultimately selected three men for the positions: Luis Rodriguez-Soto, who

was 57 years old at the time; Alford Coburn, who was approximately 45 years old; and Aaron

Bradford, whose age is not included in the record. Dkt. 25-2 at 4 (Def.’s SUMF ¶¶ 23–25).

B. Procedural History

Gentry filed an administrative complaint with the VA’s Office of Resolution

Management on September 6, 2017. Dkt. 25-3 (Ex. 1 at 1). That office accepted the following

claim for investigation on December 27, 2017: whether Gentry “was discriminated against based

on age and sex (female)” when Chief Hebert “notified only the day shift of the Supervisory

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