Opinion ID: 786735
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Age and Gender Discrimination Claims

Text: 12 Gragg next argues that the district court erred in dismissing her age and gender discrimination claims under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, as well as her identical gender discrimination claim under Title VII. Generally, in order to establish a prima facie case of discrimination under Title VII or the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, 1 a plaintiff must comply with the requirements set forth in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). See also Mitchell v. Toledo Hosp., 964 F.2d 577, 582-83 (6th Cir.1992). The analysis differs, however, in cases, such as this one, that involve a reduction in force. Barnes v. GenCorp Inc., 896 F.2d 1457, 1465 (6th Cir.1990). A prima facie case of discrimination in a reduction in force case requires proof that the plaintiff was part of a protected class, that she was qualified to perform the job and that she was discharged; in addition, the plaintiff must produce additional direct, circumstantial, or statistical evidence tending to indicate that the employer singled out the plaintiff for discharge for impermissible reasons. Id. The guiding principle [in a reduction in force case] is that the evidence must be sufficiently probative to allow a factfinder to believe that the employer intentionally discriminated against the plaintiff because of age or gender. Id. at 1466. It is undisputed that by virtue of her age and gender, Gragg was a member of a protected class. It is also undisputed that she was qualified to perform her former job of regional educational consultant and that she was discharged. The issue is whether she has shown that the defendants impermissibly singled her out for discharge because of her age or gender. 13 In an effort to prove that the defendants terminated her because of her age and gender, Gragg argues that younger males received better treatment than she received. Our thorough review of the facts and arguments in this case, however, leads us to the firm conclusion that none of the younger males that Gragg has identified is similarly-situated in all respects to her. Mitchell, 964 F.2d at 583 (emphasis added). In light of the significant differences that exist between Gragg and each of the identified younger males, Gragg cannot prove age or gender discrimination by comparing her treatment to theirs. Nor has she offered any other direct, circumstantial or statistical evidence indicating that her position was terminated because of her age or gender. Indeed, as the district court noted, the same number of men and women were laid off during the reduction in force. 14 Moreover, even assuming that Gragg had established a prima facie case of age or gender discrimination, she would be unable to prove that the defendants' reason for abolishing her position was a pretext for discrimination. If a prima facie case of discrimination is established, [t]he burden of producing evidence of `pretext' essentially merges with the burden of persuasion, which always lies with the plaintiff. Wilkins v. Eaton Corp., 790 F.2d 515, 522 (6th Cir.1986). To meet that burden, Gragg would have to produce evidence that the decisionmakers' explanations were false and that gender or age discrimination was the real reason for the elimination of her position. See St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 507-08, 113 S.Ct. 2742, 125 L.Ed.2d 407 (1993). In this case, the defendants have offered a legitimate reason for the abolition of Gragg's position. The southern region of the state — in which Gragg was employed — was the only region to have two regional educational consultant positions; the other regions only had one each. Therefore, one of the southern region's regional educational consultant positions had to be abolished in order to achieve a uniform staffing pattern throughout the state. Gragg has offered no persuasive evidence indicating that this staffing pattern rationale was a pretext for discrimination. 15 Gragg argues that the defendants have failed to explain why they eliminated her position and not the other position, which was held by John Spoo. Spoo is not similarly situated to Gragg, however, because he worked for a different supervisor, had more seniority in the position and worked in a more regional (as opposed to school-specific) capacity than Gragg. In any event, the mere fact that the defendants chose Gragg's position over Spoo's, without more, simply does not suggest — let alone prove — any impermissible discrimination. 16 Therefore, the district court properly granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants on Gragg's age and gender discrimination claims.