Godofredo Hernandez v. Spacelabs Medical Inc., a Delaware Corporation

Plaintiff Godofredo “Freddy” Hernandez brings this employment discrimination suit against his employer, Spacelabs Medical, Inc. (“Spacelabs”), under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., and the Washington Law Against Discrimination (“WLAD”), R.C.W. § 49.60.010 et seq. He alleges that he was (1) denied promotions because of his national origin and (2) fired in retaliation for a sexual harassment complaint he made about his supervisor on behalf of another employee. The district court granted Spacelabs’s motion for summary judgment. We affirm the grant of summary judgment on the denial of promotions claims because none of the instances of alleged discrimination occurred within the limitations period. However, we reverse on the retaliatory firing claims because there is sufficient evidence in the record to allow a reasonable jury to infer that Hernandez was fired in retaliation for his complaint.

I. Background

The factual narrative that follows is based on evidence in the record, taken in the light most favorable to Hernandez, the nonmoving party. Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 149-50 , 120 S.Ct. 2097 , 147…