Opinion ID: 796709
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Promote on January 15, 2002

Text: 22 TSI alleges the district court's determination TSI discriminated against Allen by failing to promote her to assistant manager in January 2002 is inconsistent with the district court's determination TSI did not discriminate against Allen on December 27, 2001, by failing to promote her to the McGehee store manager position. TSI contends, given the serious nature of the Lovell-Allen argument on December 24, 2001, it is unreasonable to believe Allen would have been considered for a promotion to the assistant manager position at the Dumas store only three weeks later. 23 To establish a prima facie case of racial discrimination in a failure-to-promote claim, a plaintiff must show (1) she is a member of a protected group; (2) she was qualified and applied for a promotion to an available position; (3) she was rejected; and (4) similarly situated employees, not part of the protected group, were promoted instead. Shannon v. Ford Motor Co., 72 F.3d 678, 682 (8th Cir.1996). Failure to formally apply for a management position does not bar a plaintiff from establishing a prima facie claim, as long as the plaintiff made every reasonable attempt to convey [her] interest in the job to the employer. Chambers v. Wynne Sch. Dist., 909 F.2d 1214, 1217 (8th Cir.1990) (quotation omitted). If a prima facie case is established, the burden of production shifts to the employer, who must rebut the presumption of discrimination with evidence `that the plaintiff was rejected, or someone else was preferred, for a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason.' Shannon, 72 F.3d at 682 (quoting Texas Dep't of Cmty. Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 254, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981)). A plaintiff may nonetheless prevail by presenting credible evidence the employer's stated reasons are pretextual. Id. 24 Allen met her burden of showing a prima facie case of discrimination. First, Allen is a member of a protected class. Second, Allen previously held the position of assistant store manager at the Dumas store. TSI apparently considered Allen qualified for the assistant manager position since TSI continued to pay Allen at the assistant manager rate of pay after TSI transferred Allen to the McGehee store as a cashier. Allen's lack of an application for promotion does not defeat Allen's failure to promote claim, because TSI did not require or even rely on applications. Third, Allen was passed over for the position. Finally, the position went to Tamara White, a Caucasian female. The crucial issue, then, is whether the legitimate, non-discriminatory reason given by TSI for not promoting Allen was pretextual. 25 TSI relies on the seriousness of the December 24 Lovell-Allen argument as its non-discriminatory basis for failing to promote Allen to the Dumas assistant manager position on January 15, 2002. Allen contends this reason is pretextual since Morgan's participation in a similar argument with her store manager did not prevent Morgan from being promoted to the McGehee store manager position. 26 Like the district court, we find no substantial adverse differences between the Lovell-Allen argument and the Morgan-Smith argument. Allen testified her argument with Lovell occurred inside the Dumas store office and out of the presence of customers. The surveillance videotape offered into evidence by TSI was recorded after the Dumas store closed for the day on December 24, 2001, and therefore could not corroborate Cobb's speculation that [he] knew in [his] mind . . . customers could hear those people yelling and screaming. In contrast, it is undisputed the Morgan-Smith argument occurred in the front of the McGehee store in the presence of customers. TSI's assertion Morgan responded more professionally than Allen is unavailing. First, it was inconsistent for TSI to continue paying Allen at the assistant manager pay rate of $6.25 per hour after transferring Allen to the McGehee store as a cashier if TSI deemed Allen's conduct to be so exceptionally unprofessional. Second, Lovell's termination suggests TSI deemed Lovell's conduct, not Allen's, to be improper. 2 Both the Morgan-Smith and the Lovell-Allen arguments resulted in the store managers, Smith and Lovell, either quitting or being fired. Conversely, in both cases, the subordinate employees, Morgan and Allen, were not fired. On these facts, it is a reasonable inference TSI deemed both arguments of similar caliber. 27 The district court reasonably rejected as pretextual TSI's proffered basis for failing to promote Allen to assistant manager in January 2002, and found TSI committed racial discrimination. 28