2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 11-17-2009 

# T yr a C ole m an v

. B lo ck bu s t e r Inc P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-4056

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

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w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " T yr a C o le m an v

. B lock bus t e r Inc " (2009). 2009 D e cisio n s . P ape r 248. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/248NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT N o. 08- 4056 T Y R A C O L E M A N ; R A S H E E D A H G A R N E R ; S H E IL A L O V E ; M A R K T E R R Y ; C H R IS T IA N B L A C K W E L L -M U R R A Y ;

ERI C O LI PHA NT; CRA I G W EST

v. BLOCKBUS TE R, I NC. T yr a C ol eman, A ppel l ant APP EAL F ROM THE UNI TE D ST ATE S DI S TRI CT C OURT F O R T H E E A S T E R N D IS T R IC T O F P E N N S Y L V A N IA

( D . C . C i vi l N o. 05- cv- 04506) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e Eduar do C . R obr eno Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

Sept ember21, 2009 B efor e: B A R R Y , FI SH E R and J O R D A N , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on Fi l ed: N ovember17, 2009)

OP I NI ON

B A R R Y , C i r cui tJ udgeSom e of the otherpl ai nt i ffs fi l ed not i ces of appe al , butC ol eman i s the onl yone w ho 1 h a s p re s s e d a n a p p e a l.

- 2- Pl ai nt i ff Tyr a C ol eman, al ong w i t h other s , br oughtthi s act i on i n t he U . S. D i s t r i ct C our tforthe East ern D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a aga i ns therempl oy er , B l ockbus t er , I nc. (“ B lo c k b u ste r” ), alle g in g d isc rim in a to rytra in in g a n d ter m in a tio n o f h e r e m p lo ym e n t in v io la tio n o f

T itle V II o f

th e C iv il R ig h ts A c t o f 1 9 6 4 (“ T itle V II ” ) a n d 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 8 1 . T h e D istric t C o u rt, af

ter c o n c lu d in g th a t C o lem a n w a s u n a b le to e sta b lish a p rim a f a c ie cas e of di s cr i m i nat i on, gr ant ed B l ockbus t er ’ s m ot i on fors um m aryj udgm ent , and C o le m a n a p p e a le d . W e w ill a f f ir m . 1 I . BA CKGROUND O n Sept ember8, 2003, T yr a C ol eman w as hi r ed as a B l ockbus t ers t or e manager tr ai nee bydi s t r i ctm anage rC ar i - A nn U rbanek. She w as pr om ot ed t o s t or e manageratt he G r ay s Ferry , Phi l adel phi a B l ockbus t ers t or e a f ew m ont hs l at er . A ft era s er i es of di s ci pl i naryi nfr act i ons dur i ng herni ne mont hs w i t h B l ockbus t er , herempl oym entw as t erm i nat ed on J une 22, 2004.

A . B l ockbus t er ’ s Pr ogr es s i ve D i s ci pl i ne Pol i cy B lo c k b u ste r’s d isc ip lin a ryp o licie s a im to p ro v id e c o n sis ten c yw h e n d e a lin g w ith e m p lo y e e p e rf

o rm a n c e iss u e s a n d , at th e sa m e tim e , reta in e n o u g h f lex ib ili tyto tak e “ in to cons i der at i on t he natur e of the pol i cyvi ol at i on as w el l as pr evi ous di s ci pl i naryact i ons for eac h i ndi vi dual . ” ( A pp . at331. ) B l ockbus t er ’ s E m pl oy ee H andbook makes cl earthat- 3-

w h e re th e re h a s b e e n a p e rf o rm a n c e v io latio n , “th e se rio u sn e ss a n d h isto ryo f [ th a t] vi ol at i on m us tbe t aken i nt o acc ount . ” (Id . ) C orr ect i ve ac t i on us ual l ypr ogr es s es as fol l ow s : verbal w arni ng, w r i t t en w arni ng, fi nal w arni ng, and ul t i m at el y , t erm i nat i on. T he H andbook i s expl i ci tt hatan empl oy ee’ s s t atus i s “at - w i l l ” and thatdi s ci pl i narym eas ur es m a yb e a c c e le ra te d . V i olat i on s prom pti ng corr ect i ve acti on are br oad l ycl assi fi ed int o thr ee cat ego ri es, a n d w h ile th e “ lis t o f

v io la tio n s is n o t m e a n t to b e a ll- in c lu s iv e ,” it is in s tru c tiv e . (I d. ) M or eover , anycorr ect i ve ac t i on ul t i m at el y“w i l l depend on the exa ctnatur e of the offe ns e. ” (I

d. at332. ) C l as s A vi ol at i ons , orgr os s vi ol at i ons , ar e “ve r ys er i ous and may be gr ounds fori m m edi at e t erm i nat i on. ” (I d. ) E xampl es of C l as s A vi ol at i ons i ncl ude b o rro w in g m o n e yf

ro m th e c a sh d ra w e r, d isre g a rd in g B lo c k b u ste r’s p o licie s, e n g a g in g in h a ra ss in g b e h a v io r, an d m a k in g ra c ial s lu rs. “ [ G ]ro ss n e g lig e n c e th a t en d a n g e rs p e o p le orpr oper ty ” i s al s o a vi ol at i on, and empl oy ees ar e pr ohi bi t ed fr om “[a ] l l ow i ng anynonB l ockbus t erper s onnel . . . i nt o t he s t or e orot herB l ockbus t erfac i l i t yout s i de of norm al bus i nes s hour s ori nt o unauthor i zed a r eas dur i ng nor m al bus i nes s hour s . ” (I d. at 33 5 . ) C l as s B vi ol at i ons , orm aj orvi ol at i ons , i ncl ude negl i gentconductthatcoul d endange r other s and thatput s “B l ockbus t eri n a pos i t i on of pos s i bl e l egal l i abi l i t y . ” (I d. ) “O peni ng st ore l at e and / or cl osi ng st ore earl yw i t ho ut D i stri ctL eader’s perm i ssi on ” i s al so p u n is h a b le a s a C la s s B o f f e n s e . (Id . at33 6. ) W hen an em ploy ee com m i t s hi s or herfi rs t C las s B o f

f e n se , “th e e m p lo y e e m a yre c e iv e a f in a l w ritten w a rn in g a n d b e a d v ise d th a t aC o lem an w as a w are o f th e O p era ti n g P roc ed u res. ( A p p . at 76 4 . ) 2

- 4- r ecurr ence m aybe gr ounds fort erm i nat i on. ” (I d. ) B l ockbus t er ’ s St andar d O per at i ng Pr ocedur es ( “O per at i ng Pr ocedur es ”) al s o m ake c l earthati f an “ empl oy ee i s al r eadyon Pr ogr es s i ve D i s ci pl i ne att he t i m e anothervi ol at i on i s comm i t t ed, he ors he maybe s ubj ectt o m or e s t r i ngentpenal t i es even though the l at ervi ol at i on i s a di ffe r enttype fr om the ea r l i erone . ” (I

d. at345. ) Fi nal l y , C l as s C vi ol at i ons , orm i norvi ol at i ons , i ncl ude 2 ex ce ssive ab sen teeism , v iolati o n o f c o m p an yd ress c o d e stan d ard s, an d “u n sati sfa ctory j ob per form ance . ” (I

d. at336. ) A tt he fi r s tcomm i s s i on of a Cl as s C vi ol at i on, the em p loy ee “m ayb e g iven a v erb al w arn ing . . . , [a n d o n ] fu rth er o cc u rren ce s, o n e o r m o re w r i t t en w arni ngs m aybe conduc t ed bef or e t erm i nat i on. ” (I

d. ) B . C ol eman’ s E m pl oym entatB l ockbus t er O n J anuary14, 2004, C ol eman w as as s i gned t o be the s t or e managerat B l ockbus t er ’ s G r ay s Fer r yl ocat i on. St or es ar e i ns pect ed t o ens ur e thattheyar e up t o t he a p p ro p ria te le v e l o f

o p e ra tio n a l an d m e rc h a n d isin g sta n d a rd s. W h e n m a k in g th is as s es s m ent , eval uat or s us e the “M odel St or e C heckl i s t , ” and a l l s t or es m us ts cor e an e i ght o r g re a te r. (I

d. at386. ) A ft eran eva l uat i on of C ol eman’ s s t or e on M ar ch 2, 2004, the s t or e w as gi ven a s cor e of 4. 3. C ol eman w as gi ven a s uppl ement al chec kl i s tt o i m pr ove hers t or e’ s condi t i on, and s he r epr es ent ed ata meet i ng on M ar ch 9 thats he w oul d have hers t or e up t o t he appr opr i at e s t andar d byA pr i l 2. O n A pr i l 9, how ever , the s t or e w as agai n eval uat ed and gi ven a s cor e of 5. C ol eman r ece i ved w r i t t en corr ect i ve ac t i on,C y cl e count s ar e mandat or yt as ks us ed t o t r ack a s t or e’ s i nvent ory . T heyr equi r e an 3 empl oy ee t o “do bl i nd count s on t he r equi r ed pr oduct , and then s t atus the i t em t o chec k f o r v a ri a n c e s ” in in v e n to ry. (A p p . a t 3 8 7 .)

- 5- w hi ch ci t ed her“[f

] ai l ur e t o m eetper form ance s t andar d - St or e St andar ds . ” (I d. ) C ol eman and U rbanek s i gned the C orr ect i ve A ct i on R ecor d on A pr i l 20, 2004. C ol eman r ece i ved a s econd Corr ect i ve A ct i on R epor tthats ame day , thi s t i m e for h e r f a ilu re to c o n d u c t cycle c o u n ts o n a d a ilyb a sis ; in d e e d , the re h a d b e e n n o c y c le count s forni ne day s . D es pi t e s i gni ng the C orr ect i ve A ct i on R epor t , C ol eman m ai nt ai ned 3 thatthe fa i l ur e t o per form cy cl e count s i s notl i s t ed as a C l as s A , B , orC offe ns e, and that sh e w as n o t r esp o n sible fo r ca rry ing o u t th e c y cle c o u n ts. T h e C o rrecti v e A cti o n R ep o rt not es thatas s t or e manager , “i ti s T yr a’ s r es pons i bi l i t yt o ens ur e thatal l ot herempl oy ees ar e al s o per form i ng t hei rcy cl e count s . ” (I d. at387. ) T hi s di s ci pl i ne w as cons i der ed a “fi nal w arni ng. ” (I

d. ) A th ird C o rre c tiv e A c tio n R e p o rt w a s is su e d to C o lem a n o n Ju n e 1 1 , 2 0 0 4 . T h is R epor tr es ul t ed fr om t w o al l eged i nfr act i ons : fi r s t , C ol eman m i s s ed a mandat oryt eam m e e tin g o n Ju n e 7 , 2 0 0 4 , an d se c o n d , C o lem a n b ro u g h t h e r tw o y e a r-o ld g ra n d so n to w or k w i th her . C ol eman w as i ns t ruct ed t o att end al l m andat orym eet i ngs and r emi nded nott o br i ng non- empl oy ees i nt o t he w or kpl ace ei t herbefor e oraft erthe s t or e’ s s chedul ed bus i nes s hour s . T he cons equenc es por t i on of the documentr eads : “Fai l ur e t o i m pr ove w i l l r es ul ti n t erm i nat i on of empl oym ent . ” (Id . at 38 8 . ) T h is do cu m en t no tes C o lem an ’s tw o pr i oroffe ns es , i s s i gned bybot h C ol eman and U rbanek, and i s m arked “f i nal- 6-

w a rn in g .” C o le m a n ’s te rm in a tio n re s u lte d f ro m a n e p is o d e th a t o c c u rr e d o n J u n e 1 5 , 2 0 0 4 . T h e e x a c t d e ta ils o f

w h a t tr a n s p ir e d th a t d a ya re in d is p u te , b u t th e b a s ic n a rr a tiv e is n o t. A ts om e poi ntdur i ng hers hi ft , C ol eman l earned thatherm i nors on w as havi ng a medi cal em ergencyand , hav i ng no on e el se t o b e w i t h h i m , she cal l ed U rbanek t o reque st p erm issi o n to clo se th e sto re e arlyan d leav e w o rk. U rba n ek ’s ex ac t r esp o n se is u n clea r, butC ol eman’ s under s t andi ng i s t hats he s ai d, “I ’ m nott el l i ng y ou nott o att end t o y our s on, and I ’ m nott el l i ng y ou nott o cl os e the s t or e. ” (I d. a t7 6 4 . ) Co l e ma n th e n c l a i ms thatU rbanek c al l ed herback a nd r emi nded hert o m ake c ert ai n t hatthe r egi s t erw as pr oper l ys ecur ed. W hat evert hi s excha nge meant , i tl eftC ol eman w i t h t he i m pr es s i on t hat s he w as fr ee t o do w hats he nee ded t o do. O n J une 22, 2004, C ol eman’ s empl oym entat B l ockbus t erw as t erm i nat ed as a r es ul tof hercl os i ng the s t or e ea r l yon J une 15. T he E m pl oy ee Sepa r at i on For m not ed C ol eman’ s di s ci pl i naryhi s t ory : a w r i t t en w arni ng on A pr i l 20 for“s t or e appe ar ance , ” a f i nal w r i t t en w arni ng on A pr i l 20 for“fa i l ur e t o pr ot ect comp. as s et s - cy cl e count s , ” and a not herfi nal w r i t t en w arni ng on J une 11 for “att endanc e and non- empl oy ee i n s t or e. ” (I d. at 38 4 . ) I I . S TANDA RD O F REVI EW W e e x erc ise p lena ryrev iew o f th e D istri ct C o u rt ’s ord er g ran ti n g su m m ary jud g m en t and ap p lythe s am e stan d ard the C o u rtw as re q u ir ed to ap p ly : w h ethe r th ere are anygenui ne i s s ues of m at er i al fac ts uffi ci entt o perm i ta r eas onabl e j uryt o fi nd i n favor- 7-

o f th e p la in tif

f. D oe v. C . A . R . S. P r ot . P l us , I nc. , 5 2 7 F . 3 d 3 5 8 , 3 6 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ). In c o n d u c t i n g o u rr e v i e w, we mu s tv i e w “ t h e f a c t s a n d a n yr e a s o n a b l e i n f e r e n c e s d r a wn ther efr om i n t he l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o t he part yoppos i ng the mot i on. ” In re FlatG lass A nt i tr us tLi t ig. , 385 F. 3d 350, 357 ( 3d C i r . 2004) ( quot i ng I nt er V es t , I nc. v. B l oom ber

g, L. P. , 340 F. 3d 144, 160 ( 3d C i r . 2003) ) . W e have j ur i s di ct i on under28 U . S. C . § 1291. I I I . DI S CU S S I ON E m pl oym entdi s cr i m i nat i on cl ai m s underT i t l e V I I and § 1981 ar e ana l y zed pur s uantt o t he bur den- s hi ft i ng fr amew or k art i cul at ed i n McD onnel lD ougl as C or p. v. G r een . 4 1 1 U .S . 7 9 2 , 8 0 2 (1 9 7 3 ); see al so Schur rv. R es or t

s I nt ’ lH ot el , I nc. , 196 F. 3d 4 8 6 , 4 9 9 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) (“[T ]he elem en ts of em p loym en t discri m ination u n d er T it le V II a re id e n tic a l to th e e le m e n ts o f a s e c tio n 1 9 8 1 c la im .” ) ( in te rn a l c ita tio n s o m itte d ). A ccor di ngl y , C ol eman bor e the i ni t i al bur den of s ett i ng outa pr i m a fa ci e ca s e of d is c ri m in a tio n b ya p re p o n d e ra n c e o f th e e v id e n c e . See St . Mar y’s H onorC tr . v. Hi cks , 5 0 9 U. S . 5 0 2 , 5 0 6 ( 1 9 9 3 ) . Th e b u r d e n th e n s h i f t s t o th e e mp l o y e rt o “ a r t i c u l a t e s o me l egi t i m at e, nondi s cr i m i nat or yr eas on forthe empl oy ee’ s [t erm i nat i on] . ” McD o n n e ll D ougl as , 411 U . S. at802. Fi nal l y , t he pl ai nt i ff mustthen pr ove bya pr eponder ance of the evi dence “thatt he empl oy er ’ s pr offe r ed r eas ons w er e mer el ya pr et extfor di s cr i m i nat i on, and nott he r eal m ot i vat i on forthe unfa vor abl e j ob act i on. ” Sar ul l o v. U. S. P os talSer v. , 3 5 2 F .3 d 7 8 9 , 7 9 7 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 3 ); s ee Hi cks , 509 U . S. at507- 08. T her e i s no di s put e as t o t he fi r s tthr ee e l ement s of C ol eman’ s pr i m a fa ci e ca s e: ( a)- 8-

s he i s A fr i can- A m er i can, ( b) s he w as qual i fi ed forthe pos i t i on thats he hel d, and ( c) s he s uffe r ed an a dver s e empl oym entact i on w hen s he w as t erm i nat ed byB l ockbus t er . A tt he four th pr ong, how ever , t he D i s t r i ctC our tdet erm i ned thatC ol eman fai l ed t o offe r “evi dence t hats he w as t erm i nat ed underci r cumst ance s thatgi ve r i s e t o an i nfer ence of unl aw ful t erm i nat i on. ” ( A pp. at29. ) T hus , the C our tgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enton C olem an’s Tit l e V II and § 1 98 1 clai m s. O n ap p ea l, C o lem an arg u es th at th e D istri ct C o u rtap p li ed too h arsh a stan d ard w h en asse ssing this fina l pro n g o f th e p ri m a f ac ie ca se. W e d isag ree . T h e C o u rt re c o g n ize d th a t th e a im o f th e p rim a f

a c ie te st is to d isc e rn “ w h e th e r th e e m p lo y e r is tr eat i ng ‘ s om e peopl e l es s favor abl ythan other s beca us e of thei rr ace , col or , r el i gi on, s ex, ornat i onal or i gi n. ’ ” P i vi r ot t o v. I nnovat i ve Sys . , I

nc. , 191 F. 3d 344, 352 ( 3d C i r . 1999) ( quot i ng I

nt ’ lB hd. of

Team s t ers v. U

ni t ed Stat es , 4 3 1 U . S . 3 2 4 , 3 3 5 n . 1 5 (19 7 7 )). It pr ocee ded t o l ook forj us tt hat , butdi d notfi nd thatC ol eman’ s cas e gave r i s e t o an i nfer ence of di s cr i m i nat i on. E ven as s um i ng ar

guendo th a t C o lem a n e sta b lish e d a p rim a f a c ie c a se , h e r c laim m us tnonethel es s fai l beca us e s he i s unabl e t o demonstr at e thatB l ockbus t er ’ s pr offe r ed l egi t i m at e, nondi s cr i m i nat or yr eas on fort erm i nat i on “w as m er el ya pr et extforunl aw ful d is c ri m in a tio n .” G oos by v. Johns on & J ohns on Med. , I

nc. , 2 2 8 F . 3 d 3 1 3 , 3 1 9 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 0 ). D e m o n s tr a tin g p re te x t is a “ d if f ic u lt b u rd e n .” Fu e n tes v . P e rs k ie , 32 F. 3d 759, 765 ( 3d C i r . 1994) . D oi ng s o r equi r es thatthe pl ai nt i ff “ poi ntt o s om e evi dence , di r ector- 9-

ci r cumst ant i al , fr om w hi ch a f act fi ndercoul d r eas onabl yei t her( 1) di s bel i eve the em p loy er’s arti cu lat ed legiti m ate rea so n s; or (2) b eli ev e tha t an in v idiou s d iscri m inato ry rea so n w as m o re li k elythan n o t a m o ti v ati n g o r de term inative c au se o f th e e m p loy er’s act i on. ” Fuent es , 3 2 F .3 d a t 7 6 4 ; see H a m p ton v. T inton Fa ll

s P o li ce D ep ’t , 98 F. 3d 107, 113 ( 3d C i r . 1996) . M aki ng a j udgm entaboutw hetherpr et extexi s t s i s “a f act - bas ed i nqui ry , ” Kaut

zv. Met- P r o C or

p. , 412 F. 3d 463, 468 ( 3d C i r . 2005) , and s o t he pl ai nt i ff “mustdemonstr at e s uch w eakne s s es , i m pl aus i bi l i t i es , i ncons i s t enci es , i ncoher enci es , or c o n tra d ictio n s in th e e m p lo y e r’s p ro f f e re d leg iti m a te r e a so n s f o r its a c tio n th a t a rea so n ab le fa ctfind er c o u ld r at i onal l yfi nd them unw or t hyof cr edenc e, ” Fuent es , 32 F. 3d a t 7 6 5 (i n te rn a l c ita tio n s o m itte d ). B l ockbus t ercame forw ar d w i t h s ol i d evi dence t o demonstr at e thatthe r eas on for C ol eman’ s t erm i nat i on w as herder el i ct i on of duty . I n acc or dance w i t h i t s pr ogr es s i ve d isc ip lin e p o licy , C o lem a n ’s e a rlier p e rf o rm a n c e d e f

icie n c ies d id n o t re su lt i n im m e d iate ter m in a tio n . S h e w a s f irst g iv e n a w ritten w a rn in g f o r f a ili n g to k e e p th e sto re u p to s t andar ds , and then i s s ued a f i nal w arni ng fornotm aki ng cert ai n t hatr out i ne cy cl e che cks w ere p erf

o rm ed . W h en sh e m issed a m ee ti n g an d b rou g h t a y o u n g ch il d into the store a g a in s t p o lic y , s h e w a s n o t te rm in a te d b u t, r a th e r, w a s is s u e d a s e c o n d w ri tte n w a rn in g . B ythe tim e C o lem an clos ed the s tore e arlyo n Ju n e 1 5 , sh e h ad a re co rd o f d isci p li n ary pr obl ems, and had be en i s s ued tw o fi nal w arni ngs . T hus , the corr ect i ve ac t i on fol l ow ed th e p ro g re s s io n a rt ic u la te d in th e H a n d b o o k .- 10-

C ol eman di s put es m anyof the fa ct s r el at ed t o t he ea r l i erdi s ci pl i nes . Forexampl e, s he ar gues t hatt he cy cl e count s w er e notherr es pons i bi l i t yand thats he i nform ed U rb a n e k th a t s h e w o u ld m is s th e J u n e 7 tr a in in g s e s s io n b u t m a k e it u p a t a la te r d a te . N on et heles s, C olem an si gn ed eac h o f t hese report s atthe ti m e t heyw ere i ssued. S he als o ar gues t hatcert ai n of heract i ons t hatr es ul t ed i n s om e form of di s ci pl i ne w er e not expl i ci t l yl i s t ed as C l as s A , B , orC vi ol at i ons ; how ever , the H andbook i s cl earatthe o u tse t th a t th e “ list o f

v io latio n s is n o t m e a n t to b e a ll-inc lu siv e .” (A p p . at 3 3 1 .) A s to th e Ju n e 1 5 sto re c lo su re th a t re su lted in h e r te rm in a tio n , w h e th e r C o lem a n leg iti m a tely thoughtt hats he had pe r m i s s i on t o cl os e i s notm at er i al beca us e ther e i s no evi dence even sugg est i ng t hat hert erm i nati on w as m oti vated byrace. In anyeven t , C olem an argu es, “y ou have t o comm i tt he s ame act i on overand overagai n befor e y ou’ r e t erm i nat ed. ” (I d. at36 0. ) Th i s ar gu m ent i s di rect l yatod ds w i t h B l ock bu st er’ s O perat i ng P rocedu res , w hi ch make cl eart hatan empl oy ee w ho has al r eadybeen di s ci pl i ned “a tthe t i m e another vi ol at i on i s comm i t t ed . . . m aybe s ubj ectt o m or e s t r i ngentpenal t i es even though the lat ervi ol at i on is a di

f f er ent t ype f r om the ear l i erone . ” (I d. at 34 5 (em p h asis ad d ed ). ) C olem an als o cit es w hat s he d escr i bes as “evidence” in her effortt o est abli sh pr et ext . She r efe r s , w i t houtanys ubs t ant i at i on, t o a C auca s i an empl oy ee i n hers t or e w ho

“ g o t a w a yw ith m u rd e r” a n d w a s n o t te rm in a te d . (I d. at360. ) She poi nt s t o y etanother empl oy ee, G r eg Zi el i ns ki , w ho w as nott erm i nat ed, buti ns t ead, gi ven a f i nal w arni ng w h e n h e c lo se d h is s to re to o e a rly . C o lem a n in c o rre c tlyd e sc rib e s h im a s “ sim ilarly- 11-

s i tuat ed, ” butas Z i el i ns ki ’ s C or r ect i ve A ct i on R ecor d i ndi cat es , he had no pr i or di s ci pl i naryi nfr act i ons att he t i m e he w as di s ci pl i ned. C ol eman m ar s hal s ot her “cont extual evi dence of di s cr i m i nat i on, ” butthat“evi dence ” i s page a ft erpage of anec dot es overhear d and uns ubs t ant i at ed al l egat i ons , al l of i thavi ng l i t t l e ornothi ng t o do w ith h e r t e rm in a tio n o r w ith d is c ri m in a tio n . I V. CO NC L US I ON C olem an h as not s ho w n “w eakn esses , i m plausi bil i t i es, i nco nsi st encies , in c o h e re n c ies , o r c o n tra d ictio n s” in B lo c k b u ste r’s re a so n s f o r te rm in a tin g h e r su c h th a t a fac t fi ndercoul d “r at i onal l yfi nd t hem unw or t hyof cr edenc e. ” See Fuent es , 32 F. 3d at 7 6 5 ; see al

so Jones v. Sch. D is t . of P hi l a. , 198 F. 3d 403, 413 ( 3d C i r . 1999) . T he or derof th e D is tr ic t C o u rt w ill b e a f f ir m e d .