Opinion ID: 779723
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: analytical framework for adea cases

Text: 13 In employment discrimination cases, a plaintiff may present his case by direct or circumstantial evidence, or both. Russell v. McKinney Hospital Venture, 235 F.3d 219, 222 (5th Cir.2000). If the plaintiff produces direct evidence that discriminatory animus played a role in the decision at issue, the burden of persuasion shifts to the defendant, who must prove that it would have taken the same action regardless of discriminatory animus. Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228, 252-53, 109 S.Ct. 1775, 1792, 104 L.Ed.2d 268 (1989). If the plaintiff produces only circumstantial evidence of discrimination, the burden-shifting analysis set forth in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 1824, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973) guides our inquiry. 2 14 The McDonnell Douglas framework first requires satisfaction of the prima facie case, the elements of which, in the context of age discrimination, are: (1) the plaintiff was discharged; (2) he was qualified for the position at issue; (3) he was within the protected class; and (4) he was replaced by someone younger or outside the protected group. Brown v. CSC Logic, Inc. 82 F.3d 651, 654 (5th Cir.1996). Upon plaintiff's satisfaction of the prima facie case, the burden of production, rather than persuasion, shifts to the defendant to proffer a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for its decision. McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817; Tex. Dep't of Cmty. Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 255-56, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981). If the defendant meets its burden, the presumption of discrimination created by the prima facie case disappears, and the plaintiff is left with the ultimate burden of proving discrimination. St. Mary's Honor Ctr. v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 511-12, 113 S.Ct. 2742, 125 L.Ed.2d 407 (1993). 15 The plaintiff may meet its ultimate burden with evidence tending to show that the reason offered by the defendant is a pretext for discrimination. McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 804, 93 S.Ct. at 1825. Evidence demonstrating the falsity of the defendant's explanation, taken together with the prima facie case, is likely to support an inference of discrimination even without further evidence of defendant's true motive. Reeves, 530 U.S. at 147-48, 120 S.Ct. at 2108-09. Thus, the plaintiff can survive summary judgment by producing evidence that creates a jury issue as to the employer's discriminatory animus or the falsity of the employer's legitimate nondiscriminatory explanation. 3