White et al. v. King County Sheriff's Office et al.
2:23-cv-01761
W.D. Wash.
Sep 6, 2024
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Docket
Opinion Summary

Facts

  1. Ghassan Abu Halimeh worked in the seafood department at Jungle Jim's Market, Inc. starting in June 2020 and was terminated on November 16, 2020 [lines="30-38"].
  2. Halimeh previously operated a seafood business for fourteen years, which he closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before being referred to defendant for employment [lines="43-60"].
  3. After Halimeh was hired as a seafood clerk, management expressed disappointment in his job performance and customer interactions [lines="102-115"].
  4. Halimeh suffered a stroke on September 12, 2020, and his hospital stay led to limited communication with the company concerning his return [lines="232-292"].
  5. Halimeh was officially terminated for reportedly failing to contact management after his stroke, which he disputes [lines="326-346"].

Issues

  1. Whether Jungle Jim's Market unlawfully terminated Halimeh based on disability, race/national origin, and religious discrimination under Ohio and federal law [lines="349-352"].
  2. Whether Halimeh established a prima facie case for failure to promote based on race, national origin, and religious discrimination [lines="350-351"].
  3. Whether the termination constituted unlawful retaliation for Halimeh's disability and discrimination complaints [lines="352-354"].

Holdings

  1. The court found genuine issues of material fact regarding Halimeh's claims of unlawful termination, allowing those claims to proceed [lines="633-633"].
  2. The court granted summary judgment in favor of Jungle Jim's Market on Halimeh's claims for failure to promote as he did not provide sufficient evidence of pretext [lines="708-709"].
  3. The court permitted Halimeh's claims for unlawful termination based on discrimination and retaliation to proceed in the case [lines="725-728"].

OPINION

MELISSA WHITE and ROGER WHITE v. KING COUNTY SHERIFF‘S OFFICE, et al.

CASE NO. 2:23-cv-01761-JHC

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT SEATTLE

September 6, 2024

ORDER

This matter comes before the Court on King County Defendants’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(c) Motion to Dismiss. Dkt. # 42. The briefing on the motion addresses the issue of a law enforcement officer‘s “implied license . . . to approach a resident to speak to the occupants.” Dkt. # 42 at 5 (citing ). The briefing does not address, however, the Ninth Circuit‘s discussion in , nor does it discuss the application of RCW § 10.99.030 and RCW § 10.31.100.

In light of and the above statutes, the Court ORDERS supplemental briefing on this issue.

Defendants’ brief must not exceed 2,100 words and must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on September 13, 2024. Plaintiffs’ brief must not exceed 2,100 words and must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on September 20, 2024.

The Court DIRECTS the Clerk to re-note Defendants’ motion to dismiss (Dkt. # 42) for September 20, 2024.

Dated this 6th day of September, 2024.

John H. Chun

United States District Judge