Opinion ID: 71474
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sundry issues: jury's special verdict and McCullar as an employer

Text: 28 Two issues remain for our consideration. First, we understand Nicholson to be challenging on appeal the jury verdict that he was an administrative employee. To overturn the jury, we would have to find that insufficient evidence exists to support the jury's determination--drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of the defendants. Grant v. Preferred Research, Inc., 885 F.2d 795, 798 (11th Cir.1989). We cannot so conclude. The jury was told, among other things, that Nicholson located suppliers for import/export trade involving the former Soviet Union, including Ukranian steel producers; that he searched for markets and middlemen in poor countries to sell recycled clothing and jeans there; and that Nicholson enjoyed a fair degree of autonomy and responsibility for complex tasks. Some evidence supports the jury's verdict. We end our inquiry there. 29 Second, because the jury concluded that Nicholson was an administrative employee, the district court never assessed the validity of another of McCullar's affirmative defenses: that McCullar was not an employer within the meaning of the FLSA. Plaintiffs have again failed on the threshold issue of whether they are administrative employees. This loss renders McCullar's affirmative defense moot. 30 The judgment of the district court is accordingly 31 AFFIRMED.