16-004126 Kurt Shannon vs. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Status: Closed Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, October 25, 2016.

STAT E O F FLORID A

COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N RELATION S

KUR T SHANNO N EEO C Cas e No . NON E

Petitioner , FCH R Cas e No . 2016-0060 8

v . DOA H Cas e No . 16-412 6

HILLSBOROUG H ARE A REGIONA L FCH R Orde r No . 17-00 8

TRANSIT ,

Respondent .

/

FINA L ORDE R DISMISSIN G PETITIO N FO R

RELIE F FRO M A N UNLAWFU L EMPLOYMEN T PRACTIC E

Preliminar y Matter s

Petitione r Kur t Shanno n file d f t o a complain discriminatio n pursuan t t o th e Florid a

Civi l - 760.0 s Section , 1992 1 o t Ac s Right f 760.11 , a Florid Statute s (2014) , allegin g tha t

Responden t Hillsboroug h n a d committe t Transi l Regiona a Are unlawfu l employmen t

practic e o n th e basi s o f Petitioner' s e rac ) (Black an d o n th e s basi o f retaliatio n b y

terminatin g Petitione r fro m employmen t a s a Bu s Operator .

Th e allegation s se t fort h n o , wer n i th investigated , and e t complain e Jun e 16 , 2016 ,

th e Executiv e Directo r issue d a determinatio n g findin o n s wa e ther t tha reasonabl e caus e

t o believ e tha t a n l unlawfu employmen t practic e ha d occurred .

Petitione r file d a Petitio n fo r Relie f m fro a n Unlawfu l Employmen t Practice , an d

th e cas e th d t o e s wa transmitte Divisio n f o Administrativ e Hearing s fo r t o f th e conduc a

forma l proceeding .

Th e matte r wa s assigne d t o e Administrativ La w Judg e J . Bruc e Culpepper .

Prio r t o a n evidentiar y e n th g hearin i , case Judg e Culpeppe r considere d th e issu e

raise d i n th e Orde r t o Sho w Cause date , d Septembe r 30 , 2016 , th namel y whethe r e

Petitio n fo r Relie f shoul d lac b e f o k r fo d dismisse t matte r subjec jurisdictio n becaus e th e

complain t o f discriminatio n wa s untimely .

Upo n considerin g th e parties ' response s th t Orde r o e t Sho w o Cause , Judg e

Culpeppe r issue d a n Orde r Closin g e Fil an d Relinquishin g Jurisdiction , 25 date d Octobe r ,

2016 , findin g y d t Responden tha Petitione o terminate n r Januar t 14 , 2014 , tha th an d t e

complain t o f discriminatio n wa s file d o n Januar y , 16 2016 , s day 5 36 mor tha e n fro m th e

dat e o f termination . Judg e n Petitio s "Petitioner' t tha concluded therefore , fo r Culpeppe , r

Relie f i n r matte t subjec f o k lac r fo d dismisse e b t mus r matte s thi jurisdiction. " See ,

Sectio n 760.11(1) , Florid a Statute s (2016) .

FCH R Orde r No . 17-00 8

Pag e 2

Th e Commissio n pane l designate d belo w d considere th e recor d o f thi s matte r an d

determine d e actio o t n b e take n o n th e Orde e Fil g Closin r an d th Relinquishin g

Jurisdiction .

Finding s o f Fac t

W e find La e w e th Administrativ Judge' s d e th n i containe s fac f o Orde finding t r

Closin g e b o n Jurisdictio t Relinquishin d an e Fil g supporte d b y competen t substantia l

evidence .

W e adop t w e La e th Administrativ Judge' s fact findings o f .

Conclusion s o f La w

W e find La e w e th Administrativ Judge' s w e th o t la f th o n applicatio e fact s se a s t

ou t e th g includin , Jurisdiction g Relinquishin d an e Fil g Closin r Orde e th n i conclusio n

tha t "Petitioner' s Petitio n fo r Relie f i n thi s r matte mus t b e dismisse d fo r lac k o f subjec t

matte r jurisdiction, " t o b e correct .

W e adop t w e La e th Administrativ Judge' s conclusion s law o f .

Exception s

Neithe r o f th e partie s filed exception s o e t th w La e Administrativ Judge' s Orde r

Closin g Fil e an d Relinquishin g Jurisdiction .

Dismissa l

Th e f o t d an Complain Relie r fo n Petitio f Discriminatio n ar e DISMISSE D wit h

prejudice .

Th e partie s hav e t o th e righ t k see judicia l Commissio revie w o f Th thi s Order . e n

an d th e appropriat e Distric t Cour t o f Appea l mus t receiv e notic e o f appea l withi n 3 0 day s

o f th e dat e i r s s thi Orde filed wit h . e th f o n Explanatio Commission e th f o k Cler righ th e t

t o appea l i s foun d i n Sectio n 120.68 , a Florid Statutes , an d i n th e Florid a Rule s o f

Appellat e Procedur e 9.110 .

DON E AN D ORDERE D thi s £ jf da y o f \\MjVM , 2017 .

FO R TH E FLORID A COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N LATIONS :

Commissione r Rebecc a Steele , Pane l Chairperson ;

Commissione r Deric k Daniel ; an d

Commissione r Gilber t M . Singe r

FCH R Orde r No . 17-00 8

Pag e 3

File d thi s da y o f , 2017 ,

i n Tallahassee , Florida v

Cler k (

Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s

407 5 Esplanad e Way , Roo m 11 0

Tallahassee , F L 3239 9

(850 ) 488-708 2

Copie s furnishe d to :

Kur t Shanno n

375 1 Benerai d St .

Lan d O Lakes , F L 3463 8

Hillsboroug h Are a Regiona l Transi t

c/ o Michae l H . Bowling , Esq .

Bel l & Roper , P.A .

270 7 E . Jefferso n St .

Orlando , F L 3280 3

J . Bruc e Culpepper , Administrativ e La w Judge , DOA H

Jame s Mallue , Lega l Adviso r fo r Commissio n Pane l

I HEREB Y CERTIF Y tha t a copyo f g foregoin th e ha s bee n maile d t o th e abov e

By : y ^M /?7 /?ty KM^WU

Cler k o f th e Co n imissio n

Florid a Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s