Opinion ID: 2995460
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Indirect Discrimination

Text: Under the McDonnell-Douglas burden shifting approach, in order to establish a prima facie case for gender discrimination, the plaintiff must demonstrate that: (1) she is a member of a protected class; (2) she was performing her job to her employer’s legitimate expectations; (3) that in spite of her meeting the legitimate expectations of her employer, she suffered an adverse employment action; and (4) that she was treated less favorably than similarly situated male employees. See, e.g., Bragg v. Navistar Int’l Transp. Corp., 164 F.3d 373, 376 (7th Cir. 1998); Randle, 876 F.2d at 570-71. Markel meets the first prong of the test because she is a member of a protected class. However, the district court found that Markel did not meet the second prong because she violated the non-compete clause in her contract. Thus, the district court did not reach the third prong of the test. Nevertheless, on appeal, Markel used a considerable portion of her brief to contend that she suffered an adverse employment action. This is an interesting legal question be cause Markel was not technically dismissed from her job; she was paid in full until the end of her contract, and her contract was nonrenewable. Typically, adverse employment actions are economic injuries such as dismissal, suspension, failure to promote, or diminution in pay. Burlington Indus., Inc. v. Ellerth, 524 U.S. 742, 761-62 (1998) (A tangible employment action in most cases inflicts direct economic harm.); Hunt-Golliday v. Metro. Water Reclamation Dist. of Greater Chicago, 104 F.3d 1004, 1014-15 (7th Cir. 1997) (suspension and suspension pending termination); Hunt v. City of Markham, Illinois, 219 F.3d 649, 654-55 (7th Cir. 2000) (denial of a raise); Ribando v. United Airlines, Inc., 200 F.3d 507, 511 (7th Cir. 1999) (denial of a promotion). Markel could be considered to have been constructively discharged, though not in the traditional sense, or suspended pending termination. See Tutman v. WBBM- TV, Inc./CBS, Inc., 209 F.3d 1044, 1050 (7th Cir. 2000) (a constructive discharge normally occurs where an employer drives the employee to quit by making working conditions miserable); Hunt-Golliday, 104 F.3d at 1014-15. Even though a resolution of this issue might create some new insights in this area of the law, we need not reach it because of Markel’s failure to meet the second part of the test. Markel also complains that she was treated adversely because she was denied better equipment, the ability to travel and make presentations, and removed from certain accounts that caused her not to receive bonuses. Even if believed, these complaints do not amount to actionableadverse employment actions. While adverse employment actions extend beyond readily quantifiable losses, not everything that makes an employee unhappy is an actionable adverse action. Smart v. Ball State Univ., 89 F.3d 437, 441 (7th Cir. 1996); see also Stutler v. Illinois Dept. of Corr., 263 F.3d 698, 702-03 (7th Cir. 2001) (holding that a lateral transfer without a loss in benefits does not constitute an adverse employment action.); Fyfe v. City of Fort Wayne, 241 F.3d 597, 602 (7th Cir. 2001) (holding that denial of a request for reimbursement for travel expenses did not constitute an adverse employment action); Murray v. Chicago Transit Authority, 252 F.3d 880, 887-88 (7th Cir. 2001) (same); Miller v. Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co., 203 F.3d 997, 1006 (7th Cir. 2000) (holding that denial of a bonus was not an adverse employment action); Place v. Abbott Lab., 215 F.3d 803, 810 (7th Cir. 2000) (holding that the loss of a telephone and cubicle were too trivial to amount to an adverse employment action); Conley, 215 F.3d at 712 (requiring village maintenance worker plaintiff to paint water department pump room was not an adverse employment action). When combined with other actions, differences in office aesthetics between employees might aid the plaintiff in showing discriminatory treatment, however, standing alone they are not readily quantifiable losses Title VII was meant to redress. See, e.g., Wanamaker v. Columbian Rope Co., 108 F.3d 462, 466 (2d Cir. 1997) (noting that the loss of these services [office and telephone], standing alone, has never been held adverse action. (citing Collins v. State of Illinois, 830 F.2d 692, 703-04 (7th Cir. 1987))). Markel contends she was terminated because of her gender, and that her contract was renewable on an annual basis. In order to stave off summary judgment a fact would need to be in dispute and material to the case. As we have stated before, [a] party to a lawsuit cannot ward off summary judgment with an affidavit or deposition based on rumor or conjecture. Palucki, 879 F.2d at 1572. The facts show that another enterprise called Learning W@rks was formed, and that Markel had lunch with several other employees of UWLI to discuss job opportunities. Markel was only confronted after management collected information and documents regarding this enterprise, and after she was observed at the meeting by her supervisors. Additionally, if Markel’s assertion of pretext is correct, there was absolutely no reason for UWLI to also terminate Schafer, who was also supposedly involved with Learning W@rks. Yet, Schafer was terminated and other employees who did not cooperate were disciplined. As to Markel’s argument that her contract was renewable, the documents