Opinion ID: 160470
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Prima Facie Case and

Text: Legitimate, Nondiscriminatory Explanation To establish a prima facie case of discriminatory discipline or demotion, a plaintiff must show that she was (1) a member of a protected group, (2) qualified for the job, (3) despite her qualifications, she was demoted from the position, and (4) the job was not eliminated after her demotion. See Perry v. Woodward , 199 F.3d 1126, 1135 (10th Cir. 1999), cert. denied , 120 S. Ct. 1964 (2000). United does not dispute that plaintiff established a prima facie case of discrimination. The burden then shifted to United to articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for demoting plaintiff. United’s proffered justification is that plaintiff “made a series of highly questionable decisions with potentially very serious safety ramifications, causing Ms. Garner to lose confidence in her ability to lead her workforce.” Appellant’s App. Vol. I, at 99. Plaintiff does not dispute on appeal the district court’s conclusion that United’s explanation satisfies its second-stage burden. See EEOC v. Flasher Co. , 986 F.2d 1312, 1316 (10th Cir. 1992) (defendant need only articulate through some proof a facially -8- nondiscriminatory reason; it need not litigate the merits of the reasoning at this stage of the proceeding).