Filed: Sep. 13, 2011
Latest Update: Feb. 22, 2020
Summary: NOT PRECEDENTIAL UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT _ No. 10-4132 _ CHERYL ANDERSON, Appellant v. RADIO ONE, INC. _ On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (D.C. No. 2-09-00194) District Judge: Hon. Mitchell S. Goldberg _ Submitted Under Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a) September 12, 2011 Before: SLOVITER, SCIRICA, and SMITH, Circuit Judges (Filed: September 13, 2011) _ OPINION _ SLOVITER, Circuit Judge. This is an appeal from the Dist
Summary: NOT PRECEDENTIAL UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT _ No. 10-4132 _ CHERYL ANDERSON, Appellant v. RADIO ONE, INC. _ On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (D.C. No. 2-09-00194) District Judge: Hon. Mitchell S. Goldberg _ Submitted Under Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a) September 12, 2011 Before: SLOVITER, SCIRICA, and SMITH, Circuit Judges (Filed: September 13, 2011) _ OPINION _ SLOVITER, Circuit Judge. This is an appeal from the Distr..
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NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
__________
No. 10-4132
__________
CHERYL ANDERSON,
Appellant
v.
RADIO ONE, INC.
_________
On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
(D.C. No. 2-09-00194)
District Judge: Hon. Mitchell S. Goldberg
__________
Submitted Under Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)
September 12, 2011
Before: SLOVITER, SCIRICA, and SMITH, Circuit Judges
(Filed: September 13, 2011)
__________
OPINION
__________
SLOVITER, Circuit Judge.
This is an appeal from the District Court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of
Radio One, Inc. on Cheryl Anderson’s claims that Radio One terminated her employment
in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. § 621
et seq., and the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. We
will affirm. 1
Because we write primarily for the parties, we need not discuss the facts or
procedural history of this case.
With respect to the ADEA claim, Radio One did not dispute that Anderson
established a prima facie case of age discrimination for purposes of the summary
judgment motion and the District Court presumed that she had met this burden. See
Keller v. Orix Credit Alliance, Inc.,
130 F.3d 1101, 1108 (3d Cir. 1997) (en banc) (setting
forth elements of a prima facie claim). The burden thus shifted to Radio One to produce
evidence of a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the adverse action.
Id. Once
Radio One produced such evidence, the burden shifted back to Anderson to provide
sufficient evidence to allow a factfinder to either reject the employer’s nondiscriminatory
explanation, or conclude that an invidious discriminatory reason was more likely than not
1
The District Court had jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331, and we have
jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We exercise plenary review of the District
Court’s grant of summary judgment, and apply the same standard applicable in the
District Court found in Fed. R. Civ. P. 56. See Doe v. C.A.R.S. Prot. Plus, Inc.,
527 F.3d 358, 362 (3d Cir. 2008).
2
a motivating cause of her discharge (pretext).
Id. (citing Fuentes v. Perskie,
32 F.3d 759,
763 (3d Cir. 1994)).
Radio One claims that it terminated Anderson because she failed to satisfy the
demands of the Program Assistant position, including meeting deadlines and accurately
completing assignments. We agree with the District Court’s conclusion that Anderson
did not then produce sufficient evidence of a pretext for age discrimination. 2 Indeed,
Anderson has never meaningfully disputed the substance of Radio One’s repeated
concerns with her job performance. Because Anderson failed to meet her burden to show
pretext, summary judgment is appropriate on her ADEA claim.
Summary judgment is likewise appropriate on Anderson’s ADA claim. We agree
with the District Court that Anderson “is not actually disabled” within the meaning of 42
U.S.C. § 12102(2), and “she was not ‘regarded as’ disabled” within the meaning of 42
U.S.C. § 12102(3) by her employer. Anderson v. Radio One, Inc., No. 09-194,
2010 WL
3719088, at *9-10 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 20, 2010). Even if Anderson could establish that Radio
One regarded her as disabled, as the District Court concluded, she did not meet her
burden to demonstrate pretext for disability discrimination.
We have considered all of Anderson’s arguments, but we find no basis for
reversal. Accordingly, we will affirm the judgment of the District Court in favor of
Radio One.
2
Notably, prior to termination, Radio One offered Anderson a position as a
receptionist, but she rejected the offer.
3