JONES v. EDUCATION AFFILIATES INCORPORATED (2018)

Former employee Lawanda Jones claimed that Education Affiliates, Incorporated, terminated her in violation of the anti-retaliation provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Jones claims that two fellow employees told her they felt they were being discriminated against. The company had an internal investigation during which Jones was interviewed. She claims that after reporting the conversations with the two employees, she started receiving negative treatment at work.

Jones was terminated, allegedly for making divisive and racial comments on the job. She filed an EEOC complaint asserting that she was fired for being a witness in an internal discrimination investigation. Eventually she sued in state court, and the case was removed.

The district court granted summary judgment for the employer. The court concluded that Jones had not engaged in protected activity because “[a]ll of Jones’ purported ‘protected activity’ was either her responsibility, as part of her job duties, or nothing more than uncorroborated allegations.” The court added that the case should not advance beyond the summary judgment stage because “Jones has failed to present precise evidence in the record and articulate the exact manner in which that evidence supports her claims.”

We have reviewed the briefs, pertinent parts of the record, and the applicable law. We agree with the reasoning in the Memorandum Opinion and Order entered December 21, 2017. The summary judgment is AFFIRMED, essentially for the reasons given by the district court.

FOOTNOTES

FOOTNOTE.  

PER CURIAM: * FN* Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.