Opinion ID: 445598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: District Court's Analysis of the Appraisal System

Text: 40 Plaintiffs also argue that the uncontradicted expert testimony presented by plaintiffs by its industrial psychologist demonstrated that the rating systems used were highly subjective and capable of discrimination. Plaintiffs-Appellants' Brief at 47. In Conclusion of Law No. B.14, the district court correctly noted that this Court has found appraisal systems which allow for subjective evaluations by white supervisors to be evidence of discrimination in disparate treatment cases. See Payne v. Travenol Laboratories, Inc., 673 F.2d at 826; Rowe v. General Motors Corp., 457 F.2d 348, 359 (5th Cir.1972). The district court, however, also noted several safeguards present in the NLRB appraisal process, which distinguished the appraisal system in the instant case from those criticized in earlier cases. These included review by supervisors other than the employee's immediate supervisor, the opportunity for employee review and comment of the appraisal, discussion of the appraisals between the employee and NLRB supervisors, and the use of grievance mechanisms by employees to challenge appraisals which employees thought unfair. The district court also noted that it was the NLRB's policy and practice to train supervisors in evaluating employees and that written guidelines for evaluating employees had been issued since the mid-1970s. Record Vol. XIV at 125. Cf. Payne, 673 F.2d at 827; Carroll, 708 F.2d at 192 (appraisal system suspect, in part, because no written guidelines provided). While the district court noted, as did plaintiffs' expert Dr. James Outtz, that the process involved subjective elements (Findings of Fact No. 189) these safeguards, together with other considerations (such as the anecdotal evidence), convinced the district court that the NLRB process did not possess the degree of subjectivity necessitating an inference of discrimination. Id. This Court has previously held that subjective factors, particularly when evaluating professional employees, may be considered by an employer in making its promotion decisions. See Wilkins v. University of Houston, 654 F.2d at 401; Page, 726 F.2d at 1046 (promotional system based upon subjective selection criteria not discriminatory per se). Given the district court's findings, which are supported by the record, the district court did not clearly err in its conclusion that the appraisal system had not been used, either intentionally or unintentionally, within the N.L.R.B., in a discriminatory manner against Blacks. Conclusion of Law No. B.18. See Page, 726 F.2d at 1053.