Facts

Plaintiff Aaron Washington, a black male, was employed at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as a maintenance worker the Heating, Venting, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit.

In September 2002, per the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement and LAUSD practice, after plaintiff questioned his assignments, he was reassigned from HVAC to the equipment crew to assist other craft units.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiff filed his lawsuit a year later, alleging that LAUSD improperly "transferred" him in retaliation for having settled an earlier lawsuit and in discrimination based on his race. Plaintiff further alleged that he was working as a truck driver not a maintenance worker, while in HVAC, therefore his "transfer" to Equipment Crew as a maintenance worker was an adverse employment action.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
LAUSD alleged that plaintiff did not establish a prima facie case of either retaliation or discrimination because there was no adverse employment action. Although plaintiff did periodically drive a LAUSD truck as part of his duties as a maintenance worker in HVAC; he was never classified as a truck driver during his employment with LAUSD. Moreover, plaintiff's job title, responsibilities, pay, benefits, employment location, and professional opportunity were unaffected by the reassignment.

Result

Defense verdict.