Martin v. District of Columbia Government

78 F. Supp. 3d 279, 31 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7593
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedJanuary 23, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 2011-1069
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 78 F. Supp. 3d 279 (Martin v. District of Columbia Government) 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
Martin v. District of Columbia Government, 78 F. Supp. 3d 279, 31 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7593 (D.D.C. 2015).

Opinion

Re Document Nos.: 118, 131

MEMORANDUM OPINION

GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS AND FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT; DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SANCTIONS AND TO STRIKE EXHIBITS

RUDOLPH CONTRERAS United States District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

Felicia Martin, an employee of the District of Columbia Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, brought this action against the District and her current and former superiors, asserting statutory and common-law claims arising out of alleged *285 gender, disability, and age discrimination and retaliation. Before the Court are the defendants’ motion to dismiss and for summary judgment (ECF No. 118), and Martin’s motion for sanctions and to strike exhibits in support of the defendants’ motion (ECF No. 131). Having reviewed the parties’ filings, the Court grants in part and denies in part the defendants’ motion to dismiss and for summary judgment, and denies Martin’s motion for sanctions and to strike exhibits.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND 1

Martin is a female aged forty-five at all times relevant to this case. See Am. Compl. ¶ 2, ECF No. 38; Defs.’ Statement of Facts ¶ 2, ECF No. 118-2. 2 Since 2007, she has served as an Investigator in the Enforcement Division of the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (“AJBRA”). See Pl.’s Am. Statement of Facts ¶1, ECF No. 129; Martin Aff. ¶2, Pl.’s Ex. 74, ECF No. 128-74. ABRA is ^•an independent agency of the District of Columbia (“District” or “D.C.”) that assists the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (“ABC Board”) in the administration and enforcement of the District’s alcohol regulations. See D.C. Code §§ 25-201(c), 25-202. In furtherance of this mission, ABRA Investigators inspect, train, and advise establishments licensed to provide alcoholic beverages and prepare reports on potential regulatory violations for submission to the ABC Board. See Investigator job description, PL’s Ex. 62, ECF 128-62.

A. Special Evaluation of ABRA by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General

In 2007 and 2008, several complaints surfaced alleging that ABRA management improperly interfered with or altered investigative reports. See, e.g., Webb complaint, PL’s Ex. 6, ECF No. 128-6; Anonymous complaint, PL’s Ex. 9, ECF No. 128-9. In response, then-Director of ABRA Maria Delaney (“Delaney”) requested that the D.C. Office of the Inspector General (“DCOIG”) conduct a special evaluation of ABRA. See DCOIG Report Executive Summary 2, Defs.’ Ex. A, ECF No. 118-4. This evaluation commenced in June 2008 and concluded in April 2009. Id.

Shortly after Delaney announced the forthcoming evaluation, she received an email from Martin asking for “ABRA’s contact person responsible for scheduling *286 interviews with OIG.” Martin-Delaney emails of June 20, 2008, Pl.’s Ex. 18, ECF No. 128-18. Delaney replied, explaining that DCOIG would initiate any necessary interview scheduling. Delaney then forwarded her email exchange with Martin to ABRA Chief of Enforcement Johnnie E. Jackson (“Jackson”) with the note “Fyi.” Id.

In late June 2008, a DCOIG Special Agent interviewed Martin to gather information regarding allegations that Delaney and Jackson had instructed ABRA staff to destroy evidence relevant to the DCOIG evaluation. Martin denied having been instructed to destroy documents. However, she reported that on several occasions in the past, Delaney had asked her to change reports citing certain licensees for infractions, and as proof, provided a draft report with Delaney’s comments. Martin alleged that Delaney was motivated by a personal association with the licensees that she sought to protect. See DCOIG Memorandum of Interview, Pl.’s Ex. 20, ECF No. 128-20. Additionally, Martin claimed that Delaney’s favoritism affected not only her reports, but those of all Investigators, who were expected to follow an “unwritten rule in ABRA” that certain licensees should be treated more leniently. Id.

B. Denial of Promotion to Supervisory Investigator

In July 2008, Martin sought a promotion to Supervisory Investigator, applying for one of two vacant positions. See Martin Aff. ¶ 7, PL’s Ex. 74; PL’s Am. Statement of Facts ¶ 34. In late October 2008, several Supervisory Investigator candidates were interviewed, but Martin was not among them. See Interview notes, PL’s Ex. 39, ECF No. 128-39. Days later, having heard about the interviews, Martin approached Jackson and asked why she had not been chosen. See Jackson email of Oct. 27, 2008, PL’s Ex. 40, ECF No. 128-40. He explained that because Martin had been promoted in May 2008 to a permanent Investigator position at the G-12 pay grade, Martin Aff. ¶ 3, PL’s Ex. 74, she did not have one year’s “time in grade” and was thus ineligible for the promotion, id. ¶ 16; Jackson Aff. ¶ 3, Defs.’ Ex. I, ECF No. 118-12.

Jackson claims that in finding Martin to be ineligible, he relied on advice from the D.C. Department of Human Resources (“DCHR”). See Jackson Aff. ¶3, Defs.’ Ex. I. In late October 2008, the DCHR generated a Selection Certificate listing three individuals deemed eligible, and Martin’s name does not appear on that Certificate. See Selection Certificate, Defs.’ Ex. J, ECF No. 118-13. However, on at least one past occasion, ABRA management had attempted to fill a vacancy by first identifying the candidate it wished to hire, and then asking DCHR to place that candidate’s name on a Selection Certificate. See Farouk email of Feb. 15, 2008, PL’s Ex. 30, ECF No. 128-30.

Among the candidates interviewed for the promotion in October 2008 were male Investigators Jermaine Matthews (“Matthews”) and Gregory Price (“Price”), whose names appeared on the Selection Certificate. See Interview notes, PL’s Ex. 39; Selection Certificate, Defs.’ Ex. J. Both Matthews and Price had less than one year’s time in grade: Matthews had been promoted in May 2008 to a full-time, DS-11 position, see Jackson email of May 21, 2008, PL’s Ex. 32, ECF No. 128-32, whereas Price had been employed with ABRA since February 2008, at the DS-11 pay grade, see Price appointment form, PL’s Ex. 31, ECF No. 128-31.

In November 2008, Jackson announced that Price had been selected for the promotion to Supervisory Investigator, leaving only one position vacant. See Jackson email of Nov. 7, 2008, PL’s Ex. 41, ECF *287 No. 128-41. Martin did not apply for the second position because Jackson had led her to believe that her first application would be considered for the other vacancy. See PL’s Am. Statement of Facts ¶ 46; Jackson email of Dec. 12, 2008, Pl.’s Ex. 43, ECF No. 128-43; Jackson Aff. ¶ 4, Defs.’ Ex. I.

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78 F. Supp. 3d 279, 31 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-district-of-columbia-government-dcd-2015.