9th Cir.;
14-35506

The court of appeals affirmed a district court judgment. The court held that a former city employee failed to establish that the city's refusal to rehire her was retaliatory.

Janell Howard served as the finance director for the City of Coos Bay from 1998 through 2008. On September 16, 2008, she was terminated from such position for cause. Howard sued the city for wrongful termination, arguing that the alleged reason for her firing was pretextual. She prevailed, and was awarded economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. While her complaint was pending, however, the city finance director position became vacant. She applied for the position, and received a letter from the city manager advising her that the city would not consider her application because she had been fired for cause.