FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT APR 12 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 14749 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 03 -039 43 -C V -W B H -1 B A D D E L I Y A N A G E L A N K A S A N T H A , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s H A R O L D L I N N E N K O H L , D e f e n d a n t, G E O R G I A D E P A R T M E N T O F T R A N S P O R T A T I O N , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( A p r i l 12, 2006) B efo re B L A C K , B A R K E T T an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es.2

P E R C U R I A M: B a d d e liy a n a g e L a n k a S a n th a , a n a tiv e o f S r i L a n k a o f

A s ia n d e s c e n t, appe a l s the j udgm e nti n f a vorof the G e or gi a D e pa r tm e ntof T r a ns por t a t i on a nd a g a in s t h is c o m p la in t o f d is c r im in a tio n b a s e d o n r a c e a n d n a tio n a l o r ig in . A l though S a ntha e s t abl i s he d a pr i m a f a c i e c a s e of

di s c r i m i na t i on ba s e d on the s e l e c t i on of

c a ndi da t e s f

orf ourdi f f e r e ntpr om ot i ons , he di d note s t abl i s h tha tthe non- di s c r i m i na t ory r e a s ons f orthe pr om ot i on de c i s i ons pr of f e r e d by the D e p a r tme n tw e r e p r e t e x tu a l . W e a f f i r m. B AC KG RO UN D S a ntha r e c e i ve d a ba c he l orof s c i e nc e i n c i vi l e ngi ne e r i ng f r om S r i L a nka U ni ve r s i ty of

P e r a de ni y a a nd w or ke d a s a c i vi l e ngi ne e ri n S r i L a nka . S a ntha i m m i gr a t e d t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s a nd e a rne d a m a s t e rof s c i e nc e i n c i vi l e ngi ne e r i ng fro m T ex as A & M U n i v ersi ty. H e b eg an w o rk fo r th e D ep artm en ti n 1 9 9 0 as a tr a ns por t a t i on e ngi ne e ra nd w a s l a t e rpr om ot e d t o U ni tC hi e f of the P a ve m e nt T e s tin g U n it. S a ntha appl i e d f

orf ourpr om ot i ons w i th the D e pa r tm e nti n 2003 a nd 2004 thatar e the subj ec tof thi s a ct i on . E ac h o f the po si t i on s t o w hi ch he appl i ed w as gi ven t o a C auca si an A m er i ca n. T he fi rs tpo si t i on w as P i tand Q uarry B ra nch C hi e f , w hi c h the D e pa r tm e nta w a r de d t o J e rry G e r m a n. G e r m a n ha d a ge ol ogy3

degree, w hi ch the D epar tm entconsi dere d t o b e a n ass etfor the po si t i on . G erm an a l s o r e c e i ve d the hi ghe s te va l ua t i on s c or e of the appl i c a nt s f

orthe pos i t i on. T he s e c ond pos i t i on f

orw hi c h S a ntha appl i e d, G e ot e c hni c a l E ngi ne e r i ng B r a n c h C h ie f

, w a s a w a r d e d to S h a n n o n S h a n e y f e lt. S h a n e y f

e lt h a d e x p e r ie n c e in the a r e a by vi r tue of

he rpr e vi ous pos i t i on i n the G e ot e c hni c a l E ngi ne e r i ng B r a nc h, a n d th e D e p a r tm e n t c o n s id e r e d h e rc o m m u n ic a tio n s k ills to b e g o o d . S h a n e y f e lt al so re ce i ved t he hi gh es teval uat i on sc ore of a l l the appl i ca t i on s f or the branch c hi e f pos i t i on. T he D e pa r tm e nta w a r de d the thi r d pos i t i on, T r a ns por t a t i on E ngi ne e r i ng A dm i ni s tr a t i ve A s s i s t a nt , t o J . T . R abun. R abun ha d w or ke d f orthe de pa r tm e nt thi r t e e n y e a r s . T he D e pa rtm e ntc ons i de r e d R abun’ s m a na ge m e nte xpe r i e nc e t o be m ore val uabl e than S antha’ s r es ea rc h exp er i ence , and t he D epar tm entconcl ud ed th atS an th a d i d n o th av e th e req u i si t e l ead ersh i p sk i l l s fo r th e p o si t i o n . R ab u n al so recei v ed th e h i g h estev al u at i o n sco re o f al l th e ap p l i can t s. A . J . J ubr a n w a s s e l e c t e d f orthe f our th pos i t i on, P a ve m e ntM a na ge m e nt B r a nc h C hi e f

. J ubr a n, w ho w a s i ni t i a l l y r a nke d s e c ond, w a s c hos e n f orthe pos i t i on w he n T e rry A tha ’ s e va l ua t i on s c or e w a s l ow e r e d a f t e ra n i nve s t i ga t i on of hi s e du ca t i on al backgrou nd . Jubran and S antha had si m i l areducat i on al backgrou nd s, degrees , l i ce nsi ng , and sup ervi sory experi ence , and t he fi nal4

e v a lu a tio n s c o r e s r a n k e d J u b r a n h ig h e s t, a n d S a n th a th ir d h ig h e s t. S a n th a f ile d s e v e r a l c o m p la in ts w ith th e E q u a l E m p lo y m e n t O p p o r tu n ity C om m i ss i on al l egi ng di sc ri m i nat i on and ret al i at i on and fi l ed sui ti n the fe dera l di s tr i c tc our t . S a ntha a r gue d tha the w a s be tt e rqua l i f i e d tha n e a c h of

the s uc c e s s f ul appl i c a nt s f

orthe f ourpos i t i ons , a nd S a ntha pr ovi de d s t a t e m e nt s f r om D e pa r tm e nte m pl oy e e s tha tS a ntha a r gue d w e r e c i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e of di s c r i m i na t i on. S a ntha pr e s e nt e d a n a f f i da vi tf r om S t a r di na W y c he , a D e pa r tm e nt l i br a r i a n, w hi c h s t a t e d tha tpe opl e i n the D e pa r tm e nts a i d the y di d notl i ke S a ntha b e c a u s e o f

h is a c c e n t. S a n th a a lle g e d th a t R ab u n to ld S a n th a h e w o u ld n e e d to tra nsfe r t o ano ther branch i n the departm enti f he w ant ed a r ai se , R abun threa t ened t o reduce S antha’ s s al ary a nd fi re hi m , and R abun gave hi m a l ow perf orm ance e va l ua t i on. F i na l l y , S a ntha a l l e ge s tha tG e or ge ne G e a ry , a D e pa r tm e nt a d m in is tr a to r , in f

o r m e d h im th a t th e w o r k S a n th a p e r f o r m e d tw e n ty y e a r s a g o in S r i L a n k a h a d n o b e a r in g o n p r o m o tio n s . O n r e c o m m e n d a tio n f r o m th e m a g is tr a te j udge , the di s tr i c tc our tgr a nt e d s um m a ry j udgm e ntf orthe D e pa r tm e nton the gr ound tha tS a ntha c oul d note s t abl i s h tha tthe non- di s c r i m i na t ory r e a s ons a d v a n c e d b y th e D e p a r tm e n t f o rits p r o m o tio n d e c is io n s w e r e p r e te x tu a l. STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e v ie w a g r a n t o f

s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t d e n o v o , a n d w e c o n s tru e a ll f a c ts5

i n the l i ghtm os tf

a vor abl e t o the non- m ovi ng pa r ty . V e s s e l s v. A t l a nt a I nde p. S c h. S ys . , 40 8 F . 3d 76 3, 76 7 (11 th C i r. 20 05 ). DI S CUS S I ON B ecau se S an th a d o es n o th av e an y d i rectev i d en ce o f d i scri m i n at i o n , h e m u st r e l y on c i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e t o s uppor thi s c l a i m . C i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e of d is c r im in a tio n is c o n s id e r e d u n d e rth e b u r d e n - s h if tin g f r a m e w o r k o f

M c D o n n e ll D ougl a s C orp. v. G r e e n, 411 U . S . 792, 93 S . C t . 1817 ( 1973) . S e e V e s s e l s , 408 F . 3d a t767- 68. T he e m pl oy e e m us tc r e a t e a n i nf e r e nc e of di s c r i m i na t i on by e s tab lis h in g a p r im a f

a c ie c a s e . A f

te rth e e m p lo y e e h a s e s tab lis h e d a p r im a f a c ie c a s e , the bur de n s hi f

t s t o the e m pl oy e rt o a r t i c ul a t e a non- di s c r i m i na t ory ba s i s f or its e m p lo y m e n t d e c is io n s . I f th e e m p lo y e ra r tic u la te s a n o n - d is c r im in a to ry b a s is f ori t s de c i s i ons , the n the bur de n i s on the e m pl oy e e t o e s t abl i s h tha tthe nondi s c r i m i na t ory r e a s on i s pr e t e xtua l . I d. T he r e i s no di s put e tha tS a ntha e s t abl i s he d a pr i m a f a c i e c a s e , a nd the D e p a r tm e n t a r tic u la te d n o n - d is c r im in a to ry r e a s o n s f o rits e m p lo y m e n t d e c is io n s . T he que s t i on on appe a l i s w he the rS a ntha pr e s e nt e d e vi de nc e tha tthe r e a s ons of th e D e p a r tm e n t w e r e p r e te x tu a l. T o p rove pret ext , S antha had t o p rovi de evi dence t o est abl i sh “ such w e a kne s s e s , i m pl a us i bi l i t i e s , i nc ons i s t e nc i e s , i nc ohe r e nc i e s orc ontr a di c t i ons i n the6

em pl oyer ’ s proff

er ed l egi t i m at e r ea sons for i t s a ct i on s thata r ea sonabl e f ac t fi nd er coul d fi nd them un w orthy of cr edence. ” V es se l s, 40 8 F . 3d at77 1 (qu ot i ng C oo per v. S outhe rn C o. , 390 F . 3d 695, 725 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ) . S a ntha ’ s pr i m a ry a r gum e nt i s tha the w a s be tt e rqua l i f i e d tha n the C a uc a s i a n appl i c a nt s c hos e n f orthe prom ot i on s, bu tt o p rove pret extS antha had t o est abl i sh no ton l y thathe w as m ore qu al i fi ed than t ho se w ho w er e prom ot ed bu tthathe w as “ so cl ea rl y m ore qual i fi ed f orthe pos i t i on . . . tha ta r e a s onabl e j ur orc oul d i nf e rdi s c r i m i na t ory i nt e ntf r om th e c o m p a r is o n .” L e e v . G T E F la ., I n c ., 2 2 6 F .3 d 1 2 4 9 , 1 2 5 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . S a ntha c a nnotm e e tthi s bur de n. I ti s undi s put e d tha te a c h of the appl i c a nt s s e l e c t e d f orthe va r i ous pos i t i ons r e c e iv e d a h ig h e rs c o r e o n h is o rh e re v a lu a tio n th a n S a n th a . S a n th a a tte m p ts to e s tab lis h p r e te x t b y a tta c k in g th e v a lid ity o f th e e v a lu a tio n s a n d th e s c o r e s . W e a ddr e s s e a c h pos i t i on i n turn. F i r s t , r e ga r di ng the P i ta nd Q ua rry B r a nc h C hi e f pos i t i on, f

i l l e d by G e r m a n, S a ntha c ha l l e nge s G e r m a n’ s s c or e on the gr ound tha tthe not i c e of the j ob ope ni ng st at ed that“ [m ] any of the neces sa ry com pet enci es [f or the po si t i on ] ar e a tt ai ned thr ough a f

oury e a rc ol l e ge de gr e e i n c i vi l e ngi ne e r i ng orc i vi l e ngi ne e r i ng t ec hn ol og y. ” S antha ar gu es thathi s c i vi l engi neer i ng degree s ho ul d h ave gi ven hi m a hi ghe rs c or e tha n G e r m a n w ho ha d a ge ol ogy de gr e e . T he pr obl e m f or7

S an th a i s th atth e n o t i ce d i d n o tst at e th ata ci v i l en g i n eeri n g d eg ree w as n ecessary; the not i c e s t a t e d tha tm a ny of the c om pe t e nc i e s c oul d be a tt a i ne d thr ough a f our y e a rc iv il e n g in e e r in g d e g r e e . S a n th a f a ile d to r e b u t th e te s tim o n y o f G e a ry th a t a ge ol ogy de gr e e w a s c ons i de r e d a n a s s e tf orthe pos i t i on. S antha’ s a l l egat i on thatthe D epar tm entre organi ze d the P i tand Q uarry branch t o g i ve G erm an supervi sory experi ence t o m ake hi m el i gi bl e f or the branch c h ie f p o s itio n is u n s u p p o r te d b y th e r e c o r d . I t is u n d is p u te d th a t th e p la n to r e or ga ni z e w a s be gun a y e a rbe f or e the br a nc h c hi e f

pos i t i on be c a m e ope n a nd G e r m a n w a s gi ve n a s upe r vi s ory r ol e f i ve m onths be f

or e the br a nc h c hi e f

pos i t i on o p e n e d . S a n th a p r o v id e d n o e v id e n c e th a t th e r e o r g a n iz a tio n w a s u n d e r ta k e n to gi ve G e r m a n s upe r vi s ory e xpe r i e nc e , northa tthe D e pa r tm e nte ve n kne w the branch chi ef

po si t i on w ou l d o pen soo n w hen i tgave G erm an a s up ervi sory rol e. S ec on d, S antha’ s a l l egat i on thatthe D epar tm entpre- se l ec t ed and g room ed S h a n e y f e lt f o rth e G e o te c h n ic a l E n g in e e r in g B r a n c h C h ie f p o s itio n is s im ila r ly uns uppor t e d by the r e c or d. T he D e pa r tm e nt ’ s de c i s i on t o s e nd S ha ne y f e l tt o the an n u al G eo rg i a Q u al i ty In i t i at i v e d o es n o tsu p p o rtsu ch an i n feren ce, b ecau se S a n th a p r e s e n te d n o e v id e n c e th a t S h a n e y f e lt’s a tte n d a n c e a t th e G e o r g ia Q u a lity Ini t i at i ve had any beari ng on the deci si on of the D epar tm entt o g i ve her the branch chi ef po si t i on . S antha erroneou sl y a ss ert s thatthe D epar tm enthel d the branch8

c h ie f p o s itio n o p e n f

o rS h a n e y f

e lt to a c q u ir e h e rp r o f

e s s io n a l e n g in e e rlic e n s e . S a ntha ’ s s uppor tf

orthi s a s s e r t i on i s a n a f f i da vi tf r om a r a di a t i on s a f

e ty of f i c e r , but the af fi davi toffe rs no expl anat i on of w hy the af fi antw ou l d h ave had personal k n o w l ed g e o f th e p ro m o t i o n al d eci si o n s o f th e D ep artm en tad m i n i strat o rs. G e a ry ’ s s t a t e m e nt s on the c ove rs he e ts he us e d t o tr a ns m i tthe re com m endat i on of S haneyf el tfor the po si t i on of branch chi ef t o the up per m a n a g e m e n t d o n o t s u p p o r t S a n th a ’s p r o p o s e d in f e r e n c e o f d is c r im in a tio n . Ge a ry ’ s s t a t e m e n tth a tS h a n e y f e l ts u p e r v i s e d “ s e v e r a l ” e m p l o y e e s r a th e rth a n two i s a c orr e c ts t a t e m e ntbe c a us e “ s e ve r a l ” c a n r e f e rt o tw o, a nd S a ntha pr ovi de d no evi dence thatG ea ry ’ s s t at em entthatS haneyf el tw as w i th the departm entse ven y e a r s in s te a d o f

f iv e h a d a n y b e a r in g o n th e d e c is io n o f u p p e rm a n a g e m e n t to appr ove the e va l ua t or s ’ a nd G e a ry ’ s c hoi c e of S ha ne y f e l tf orthe pos i t i on. S a ntha di d n otre bu tthe t es t i m on y thatS haneyf el thad u se ful experi ence by vi rtue of her pr e vi ous pos i t i on i n the G e ot e c hni c a l E ngi ne e r i ng B r a nc h a nd good co m m u n i cat i o n sk i l l s. S a ntha a r gue s tha the w a s m or e qua l i f i e d f orthe T r a ns por t a t i on E ngi ne e r i ng A d m in is tr a tiv e A s s is ta n t p o s itio n th a n R ab u n b e c a u s e h e h a d a g r a d u a te d e g r e e in ci vi l engi neer i ng and R abun di d n ot . T he D epar tm entar gu ed thatR abun w as p r o m o te d b e c a u s e h e h a d th ir te e n y e a r s o f e x p e r ie n c e w ith th e d e p a r tm e n t a n d h is9

m anagem entexperi ence w as m ore val uabl e f or the po si t i on than S antha’ s r es ea rc h e xpe r i e nc e . S a ntha doe s nota tt e m ptt o r e f ut e thi s e xpl a na t i on. S an th a a rg u es th at G ea ry ’s fa il u re to fo rw ar d to u p p erm an ag em en t S an th a’s b in d e rd e ta ilin g h is c o n tr ib u tio n s to th e D e p a r tm e n t w a s d is c r im in a to ry . T h is ar gu m entfa i l s. S antha offer ed no evi dence thatG ea ry ’ s f ai l ure t o send the bi nd er t o uppe rm a na ge m e ntw a s m ot i va t e d by di s c r i m i na t ory a ni m us , nordi d S a ntha pr e s e nta ny e vi de nc e tha tG e a ry ’ s f a i l ur e t o tr a ns m i tthe bi nde ra f f e c t e d the d ec isio n o f th e u p p erm an ag em en t t o ap p ro v e o f th e e v alu ato rs ’ an d G ea ry ’s c hoi c e of R abun f orthe a dm i ni s tr a t i ve a s s i s t a ntpos i t i on. S a ntha c ha l l e nge s the de c i s i on t o s e l e c tJ ubr a n f orP a ve m e ntM a na ge m e nt B r a nc h C hi e f

on tw o f r ont s . F i r s t , S a ntha a r gue s tha the w a s m or e qua l i f i e d f orthe pos i t i on tha n J ubr a n. S e c ond, S a ntha c ont e nds tha ti rr e gul a r i t i e s i n the e va l ua t i on p r o c e s s a r e c ir c u m s ta n tia l e v id e n c e o f d is c r im in a to ry b ia s . S a n th a ’s a s s e r tio n o f

s u p e r io rq u a lif

ic a tio n s is n o t s u p p o r te d b y th e r e c o r d . S an th a d o es n o td i sp u t e th ath e an d Ju b ran h ad si m i l ar ed u cat i o n al b ack g ro u n d s, d e g r e e s , lic e n s in g , a n d s u p e r v is o ry e x p e r ie n c e . S a n th a c o n te n d s th a t h is s lig h tly l onge re xpe r i e nc e m a de hi m m or e qua l i f i e d, butS a ntha f

a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h tha tthe D e pa r tm e ntobj e c t i ve l y m us tha ve c ons i de r e d hi m be tt e rqua l i f i e d tha n J ubr a n. T he i rr egul ar i t i es i n the eval uat i on proces s a l so do no tsupp ortan i nfer ence10

of di sc ri m i nat i on . S antha di d n otprov i de evi dence thatthe i rr egul ar i t i es af fe ct ed hi m . A f t e rA tha ’ s s c or e w a s r e vi s e d, J ubr a n w a s r a nke d f i r s ta nd S a ntha thi r d, a nd S a ntha di d notpr ovi de a ny e vi de nc e tha tthe c ha nge s i n hi s s c or e w e r e notm a de dur i ng the i ni t i a l e va l ua t i on. F i na l l y , the s t a t e m e nt s m a de by the D e pa r tm e nte m pl oy e e s a r e not ci rc um st ant i al evi dence of di sc ri m i nat i on . T he di stri ctcourtcorr ec t l y c on cl ud ed tha tW y c he ’ s a l l e ga t i on tha tpe opl e i n the D e pa r tm e nts t a t e d tha tS a ntha w a s not l i ke d be c a us e of

hi s a c c e ntw a s he a r s a y . S a ntha di d notr e butR abun’ s t e s t i m ony th a t h is s u g g e s tio n th a t S a n th a tr a n s f e rw ith in th e D e p a r tm e n t w a s in te n d e d to advi se S antha thathavi ng a broad range of experi ence w i thi n the D epar tm entca n be he l pf ul w he n s e e ki ng pr om ot i on. R abun’ s a l l e ge d thr e a t s t o f i r e S a ntha or l ow erhi s s al ary a nd the po or eval uat i on R abun gave S antha supp ortno thi ng m ore th an an i n feren ce th atR ab u n w as d i ssat i sfi ed w i th S an th a’ s p erfo rm an ce. F i n al l y, G e a ry ’ s a l l e ge d c om m e nttha tS a ntha ’ s w or k i n S r i L a nka tw e nty y e a r s a go di d not f a c to rin to p r o m o tio n a l d e c is io n s is n o t e v id e n c e o f d is c r im in a to ry a n im u s . G e a ry ’ s c om m e ntw a s a s t a t e m e ntof f a c ttha tr e m ot e e xpe r i e nc e unr e l a t e d t o the D ep artm en tw as n o ta fact o r i n th e ev al u at i v e p ro cess.11 CONCL US I ON T h e s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t in f a v o ro f th e D e p a r tm e n t a n d a g a in s t S a n th a is AF F I RME D.