Opinion ID: 72628
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Inconsistent Remarks

Text: Tidwell maintains that certain alleged inconsistencies as to the reason given for Tidwell's termination allow an inference of pretext. Carter maintains that the reason for its decision was based on its reorganization and an evaluation of its territorial needs. Tidwell points to several instances to show Carter's inconsistency. A few days before his termination, Tidwell was asked to meet with a supervisor in Atlanta, Tim Cleary, and the head of Carter's personnel department, Denise Duca. At this time Tidwell was told that he had done a great job but that his position was being terminated due to the realignment of territory. When Tidwell asked Cleary who was going to take over the Tampa market, Cleary responded that he did not know. Kenneth Geissler, Carter's vice-president of field sales, wrote a memo regarding the positions which he anticipated would be affected by the territory realignments. The memo notes two criteria: (1) whether they are in a market with other Carter personnel and, (2) if so, how they were selected to be terminated verses others in their marketplace. As to Tidwell, the memo notes: Tampa. Total volume $900,000. Only 7% of volume done in food. Five accounts make up 80% of business. Performance issue. Accounts would be covered by telemarketing or by J. Booth, Angel Martinez. DX 7. Tidwell placed great importance on the EEOC no cause determination which noted that performance was a factor along with Carter's other reasons for terminating Tidwell. Carter argues that the EEOC no cause determination did not reflect any inconsistent statements made by Carter but simply reflected a conclusion made by the EEOC after reviewing Tidwell's performance evaluations. Although the identification of inconsistencies in an employer's testimony can be evidence of pretext, see Bechtel Construction Co. v. Secr. of Labor, 50 F.3d 926 (11th Cir.1995), and Howard v. BP Oil Co., Inc., 32 F.3d 520, 525 (11th Cir.1994), the examples in this case do not present such a situation. At most, the jury could find that performance was an additional, but undisclosed, reason for the decision; the existence of a possible additional non-discriminatory basis for Tidwell's termination does not, however, prove pretext. See Zaben, 129 F.3d at 1458-59 (Although the company gave differing explanations for the selection of employees to be discharged, saying on the one hand that seniority played no role in the process and that only an employee's performance was considered while, on the other hand, asserting that [the employee] was discharged because he had the least seniority, its reasons are not ... necessarily inconsistent.).