Opinion ID: 2979005
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence for Front Pay

Text: Tyson next claims that the front-pay award must be vacated because it is too speculative, arguing (1) West’s work history prior and subsequent to her employment at Tyson shows that she was unlikely to be a long-time employee there, (2) because the Tyson Robards plant had a high turnover rate, it is unlikely statistically that West would have stayed at Tyson eight years, and (3) because West was only 1.5 points shy of the 3.5 absentee point limit for the probationary period, exclusive of the points she amassed once she quit, she would likely not have stayed through the probationary period. “Front pay has been defined as an affirmative order designed to compensate the plaintiff for economic losses that have not occurred as of the date of the court decree, but that may occur as the plaintiff works toward his or her rightful place.” Shore v. Fed. Exp. Corp., 777 F.2d 1155, 1158 (6th Cir. 1985). “The back pay award is limited by the date judgment is entered in a case. Thus, without a front pay award or reinstatement, the plaintiff is uncompensated for the time between the date of judgment and the date the plaintiff attains the position he or she would have occupied but for the discrimination. Front pay is therefore simply compensation for the post-judgment effects of past discrimination.” Id. at 1158. “While the determination of the precise amount of an award of front 9 Tyson also makes a vague claim to the Ellerth/Faragher affirmative defense discussed in Suders, 542 U.S. at 148-49. Tyson did not raise this defense in the district court and so waived it. - 27 - No. 08-6516 West v. Tyson Foods, Inc. pay is a jury question, the initial determination of the propriety of an award of front pay is a matter for the court.” Arban v. West Pub. Corp., 345 F.3d 390, 406 (6th Cir. 2003). A district court’s award of front pay damages is reviewed for abuse of discretion. Madden v. Chattanooga City Wide Serv. Dept., 549 F.3d 666, 679 (6th Cir. 2008). “Abuse of discretion is defined as a definite and firm conviction that the trial court committed a clear error of judgment. A district court abuses its discretion when it relies on clearly erroneous findings of fact, or when it improperly applies the law or uses an erroneous legal standard.” Betts v. Costco Wholesale Corp., 558 F.3d 461, 467 (6th Cir. 2009) (quoting Tompkin v. Philip Morris USA, Inc., 362 F.3d 882, 891 (6th Cir. 2004)). “[W]e have long held that ‘because future damages are often speculative, flexibility and wide discretion are especially important when a court's remedies for a Title VII violation include front pay.’” Shore, 42 F.3d at 378. Nevertheless, some basis must appear in the record for such an award. Shore, 777 F.2d at 1160. The jury awarded West front pay in the amount of $64,545, which the district court later reduced to its present value of $63,322.87. In the jury instructions, the district court capped the front pay award at five years. We find no error. West presented evidence of her attempts at mitigation through seeking and obtaining other jobs, and the suitability, availability and comparability of those jobs, including the pay and overtime differences. Further, the district court, in its ruling on Tyson’s argument, and in its initial decision to cap any front pay at five years, cited sufficient factual support and provided adequate reasons for allowing front pay. - 28 - No. 08-6516 West v. Tyson Foods, Inc. The only argument that the district court did not address, because Tyson raises it here for the first time, is that the turnover rate at the Tyson Robards plant supports its position that the front pay award was speculative. Even if Tyson had not forfeited this argument by failing to raise it below, it would be rebutted by the same evidence the district court looked to in deciding that West had a fair probability of surviving the probationary period, i.e., West’s testimony that the job was “ideal” because it gave her an opportunity to earn overtime and to alternate child care duties with her husband thereby avoiding child care costs, Penick’s testimony that West was a “good worker,” and Phillips’ testimony that once an employee survives the probationary period, Tyson is “probably going to have a career employee.” We therefore hold that the front pay award was not speculative and affirm the district court.