James Lawrence, Jr. v. Star Protection Agency LLC

• Court: Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Decided: November 7, 2024
• Docket: 23-35234
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS NOV 7 2024 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

JAMES ANDREW LAWRENCE, Jr., No. 23-35234

Plaintiff-Appellant, D.C. No. 2:21-cv-00299-LK

v. MEMORANDUM* STAR PROTECTION AGENCY LLC,

Defendant-Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington Lauren J. King, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted November 5, 2024** San Francisco, California

Before: GOULD, SUNG, and DE ALBA, Circuit Judges.

James A. Lawrence, Jr. (“Lawrence”) appeals the district court’s grant of

Star Protection Agency LLC’s (“Star Protection”) summary judgment motion.

Lawrence alleges that the district court erred when it determined that Lawrence

had failed to demonstrate a genuine issue for trial for his claims under the

* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Washington Law Against

Discrimination (“WLAD”). He also argues that the district court erred when it

granted summary judgment on his related state law claims for breach of contract

and negligence. We review a grant of summary judgment de novo and view the

evidence in the light most favorable to Lawrence, the non-moving party. Dark v.

Curry Cnty., 451 F.3d 1078, 1082 n.2 (9th Cir. 2006). We have jurisdiction

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and affirm the district court.

1. To prove a failure to accommodate claim under the ADA and WLAD,

a plaintiff must show, inter alia, that he can perform the essential functions of the

employment position he holds. Bates v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 511 F.3d 974,

989 (9th Cir. 2007) (“A qualified individual is an individual with a disability

who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential

functions of the employment position that such individual holds or desires.”

(quotation marks omitted) (quoting 42 U.S.C. § 12111(8))); Davis v. Microsoft

Corp., 70 P.3d 126, 131–32 (Wash. 2003) (en banc). For an interactive process

claim, a plaintiff must show the existence of a facially reasonable accommodation

that would allow him to perform the essential functions of the position. Dark, 451

F.3d at 1088; cf. Gibson v. Costco Wholesale, Inc., 488 P.3d 869, 878 (Wash. Ct.

App. 2021). To be a mobile patrol officer, Lawrence needed to be able to work

mandatory overtime. Lawrence knew this was an essential function of the

2 23-35234 position. However, Lawrence could not perform this essential function even if Star

Protection provided him with a reasonable accommodation.

2. Discrimination and retaliation claims under the ADA and WLAD are

governed by the burden-shifting framework articulated in McDonnell Douglas,

Corp. v. Percy Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). See Curley v. City of N. Las Vegas,

772 F.3d 629, 632 (9th Cir. 2014); Cornwell v. Microsoft Corp., 430 P.3d 229, 234

(Wash. 2018) (en banc). Lawrence’s discrimination and retaliation claims fail

because Star Protection had a legitimate explanation for terminating Lawrence,

namely his multiple violations of company policy. Nothing in the record indicates

that Star Protection’s legitimate explanation for terminating Lawrence was a

pretext for discrimination or retaliation.

3. Both the ADA and WLAD allow for hostile work environment

claims. See Mattioda v. Nelson, 98 F.4th 1164, 1173–74 (9th Cir. 2024); Robel v.

Roundup Corp., 59 P.3d 611, 615–16 (Wash. 2002) (en banc). To prevail on a

hostile work environment claim, a plaintiff must show “that he was subjected to

harassment because of his disability, and that the harassing conduct was

sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of [his] employment and

create an abusive work environment.” Mattioda, 98 F.4th at 1174 (quotation

marks omitted) (quoting Manatt v. Bank of Am., N.A., 339 F.3d 792, 798 (9th Cir.

2003)); see Robel, 59 P.3d at 616. Lawrence fails to demonstrate that he suffered

3 23-35234 from any form of harassment that affected the terms or conditions of his

employment.

4. Lawrence has not stated a cognizable legal theory to support his state

law claims. He has not identified any contract condition that Star Protection

violated or duty the company breached.

AFFIRMED.

4 23-35234