Appellant, who is HIV positive, alleges that his former employer, Southwestern Bell (“SWB”), failed to accommodate him as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. Appellant further alleges that appellee constructively discharged him from the company. The district court found that, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the appellant, there was no triable issue of fact to show: (1) that appellant’s HIV status qualified him as disabled under the ADA; (2) that appellee failed to offer appellant reasonable accommodation; or (3) that appellee constructively discharged appellant. Because we conclude Blanks was not a qualified individual with a disability for purposes of the ADA, we affirm.
I. FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS
SWB employed appellant, Albenjamin Blanks (“Blanks”), from 1977 until June *400 1997. Blanks held several positions in the company, eventually working as a residential customer service representative (“CSR”) from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, Blanks took short-term medical disability for depression and work-related stress. While on leave in November 1996, doctors diagnosed Blanks with HIV and he sought treatment for the disease.
Blanks received a medical release to return to work. In granting the release, the doctor recommended that Blanks not work in CSR because dealing with belligerent customers on a daily basis had contributed to his earlier stress and depression. For several months in early 1997, SWB and Blanks attempted to agree upon an appropriate company position. SWB offered Blanks his earlier position as a supplies attendant, but he could not accept the offer because recent hemorrhoid surgery prevented him from doing the required lifting. Blanks requested an internal CSR position, which he thought would be less stressful. SWB denied his request, but eventually offered Blanks a position as a general clerk at a salary approximately $100 less per week than his previous CSR position. Blanks accepted the job and worked for approximately two weeks in June before submitting a letter of resignation on June 18, 1997, in which he stated that he could not continue to support his family due to the pay cut associated with the clerk position.
Blanks filed a charge of disability discrimination with the Texas Commission on Human Rights (“TCHR”) on September 8, 1997. Blanks received his right-to-sue letter and filed suit in the Northern District of Texas. The court granted summary judgment to SWB. In a well-reasoned memorandum opinion by Judge Fitzwater, the court found that Blanks failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact to show: (1) that he qualified for disability status under the ADA; (2) that SWB failed to accommodate him; or (3) that he was constructively discharged.
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
We review the district court’s summary judgment rulings
de novo,
applying the same standard as the district court.
Wyatt v. Hunt Plywood Co., Inc.,
III. ANALYSIS
A. Blanks’ Status Under the ADA
To establish a
prima facie
case for discrimination under the ADA, a plaintiff must be a qualified individual with a disability.
Mason v. United Air Lines,
1. Actual Disability
In determining whether an individual’s HIV status qualifies as a disability under
*401
the first prong, we examine three factors: (1) whether the HIV infection is a physical impairment; (2) whether appellant relies on a particular major life activity under the ADA; and (3) whether the impairment substantially limits the major life activity.
See Bragdon v. Abbott,
Although we consider Blanks physically impaired by his HIV status,
id.
at 637,
If an individual is not substantially limited with respect to any other major life activity, the Court may consider whether the individual is substantially limited in the major life activity of working.
Dutcher v. Ingalls Shipbuilding,
*402 2. “Record of’ Disability
The second prong of the ADA entitles a plaintiff to protection if he or she can show that both: (1) the plaintiff has a record or history of impairment; and (2) the impairment limits a major life activity.
Dupre v. Charter Behavioral Health Systems of Lafayette, Inc.,
3. “Regarded As” Disabled
An individual may also qualify for protection under the ADA if he or she is “regarded as” disabled by his or her employer. An employee may be “regarded as” disabled if he or she “has an impairment which is not substantially limiting but which the employer perceives as constituting a substantially limiting impairment.”
Bridges v. Bossier,
Blanks failed to allege sufficient facts to allow a reasonable trier of fact to conclude that he may have been “regarded as” disabled by SWB. The only proof he puts forth is a statement by a coordinator of his return to work that Blanks “had a permanent disability that would never allow [Blanks] to work as a customer service representative at Southwestern Bell.”
B. Blanks’ Accommodation and Constructive Discharge Claims
We conclude that Blanks is not entitled to ADA protection, hence, we need not decide whether SWB failed to reasonably accommodate him or whether SWB constructively discharged him.
IV. CONCLUSION
Because plaintiff failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact suggesting that he is qualified as disabled under the ADA as a result of his HIV status, we affirm the judgment of the district court.
