Opinion ID: 2976260
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Reduction In Force (RIF)

Text: It is undisputed that DOE budget cuts resulted in decreased funding for LMES’s work. The RIF process began with the LMES finance organization’s notifying each employment unit, including IMS, of the amount by which each unit would need to reduce its force, in dollar terms. Under the established RIF process, supervisors first establish peer groups of those employed in positions that may be subject to the RIF. Peer groups are identified by “determining impacted positions with the same or similar skill requirements and/or other positions in the same job family or classification.” Elsewhere, LMES policy defines a peer group as being “[t]ypically composed of employees performing the same or similar types of work (usually in the same job family or classification) within the impacted organization.” Examples of how to compose a peer group suggest that individuals with special skills should not be placed in peer groups with others who lack those special skills. Next, managers determine which employees within each peer group will be terminated. Each employee in a given peer group is ranked based on consideration of six factors. Those factors include: possession of critical/essential skills, length of credited service with company, performance reviews over the prior three review periods, transferability of job skills, education/training relevant to work to be performed, and time in current position. Based on those factors, candidates for layoff are identified. The layoff candidates and other members of the peer group are then compared on a Layoff Comparison Form, which compiles peer group members’ information along several dimensions, including the three most recent performance ratings, time in position, years of service, -3- Mynatt v. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. No. 06-6319 age, race, sex, and education. Managers must also indicate the overall reason for selecting the layoff candidates for termination. On a separate Peer Comparison Profile form, peer group members’ skills, transferability of skills, and job-related education are compared. For employees in protected categories, a detailed justification for their selection for termination is required. Unit representatives submit this documentation to a RIF Review Board (the “Board”) and appear before the Board to explain the layoff selections.1 In addition, an “adverse impact” analysis of all proposed terminations is conducted by the Workforce Diversity office. Once a selection is approved by the Board, the selections are reviewed with the human resources and legal departments. The employees selected are then notified of their termination. At the time of his termination, Mynatt had three levels of supervisors. John Ridley was Manager of the Video Department and Mynatt’s first-line supervisor. Mike Shepherd was Supervisor of Multimedia Services. Shepherd reported to Donna Griffith, Director of IMS. Ridley, Shepherd, and Griffith participated in the decision to select Mynatt for termination as part of the RIF. Based on directives from LMES’s finance department, Griffith, Shepherd, Ridley, and LMES finance personnel determined that one Producer/Director and one Video Assistant would be laid off from the Video Department. Mynatt and Walter Corey, also a producer in the Video Department, had the same position, Media Producer II, and were both in salary grade 3. Mynatt and Corey were placed in the Media Producer II peer group. John Buck, also a Media Producer II, was not included 1 The RIF Review Board comprises a senior human resources manager, line manager, staffing manager, human resources generalist, workforce diversity representative, and compensation representative. -4- Mynatt v. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. No. 06-6319 in the peer group. The reasons why Buck was not included are heavily disputed. Mynatt contends that the exclusion of Buck, who is white, is evidence of racial animus in the RIF process. LMES contends that Buck was excluded because his work and salary grade were dissimilar: he spent sixty percent of his time directing the company’s teleconferencing program and was in salary grade 5. These arguments are addressed below. See discussion infra at pp. 13-14. A Layoff Comparison Form for Mynatt and Corey was completed and indicated that Mynatt had received performance ratings of CM (meaning “consistently meets” position requirements) in each of the prior three evaluation periods, while Corey had received a higher rating of CX (meaning “consistently exceeds” position requirements) in 1998 and ratings of CM in the other two periods. The form indicated that Mynatt had spent fifteen years in his current position, while Corey had spent eighteen years in his current position. Mynatt had nineteen years of service, while Corey had eighteen years of service. Corey is identified as a white male. Both had Bachelor of Science degrees. On the Peer Comparison Profiles form, the entry for Mynatt under “Possession of Critical/Essential Skills” stated: “Performs routine video work and projects of low to moderate complexity. Technical skills adequate for level of work performed. Has begun to learn new digital equipment.” Corey’s skills were described as: “Extensive experience in multiple camera production and live event staging. Possess[es] skills which are essential to maintaining functionality and continued technical operation of equipment used in production.2 Handles complex productions and 2 In his deposition, Shepherd testified that the department was dependent on Corey to repair equipment and that he possessed unique skills relating to that repair work. -5- Mynatt v. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. No. 06-6319 interfa[ces] w/other technical resources.” Under “Transferability of Skills,” Mynatt’s entry states: “Present skills are job specific and pertain to routine work. Opportunities and training (internal and external) have been provided for improvement.” For Corey, the description is: “Essential skills to support viability of the video/motion picture function and planned services to Defense Programs technical lead for production equipment operations and interfaces with other media areas.” Finally, the “Job-related Education/Training” section notes that while Mynatt and Corey both had Bachelor of Science degrees in Communication, Corey had worked for seven years in commercial television production, compared to Mynatt’s two years of experience before joining LMES. Ultimately, Mynatt was identified as the layoff candidate on the Layoff Comparison Form, and the reason given was: Loss of work from Bechtel Jacobs work authorizations and decreased funding from Defense Programs necessitates reducing the number of personnel in this function. When compared with peers, depth and breadth of skills is not as great despite being provided with opportunities. Candidate has not demonstrated initiative to work beyond the requirements of the job when compared with peers. On September 7, Shepherd and Griffith presented Mynatt’s name to the RIF Review Board, which approved Mynatt’s termination. Shepherd and Griffith then met with Mynatt and notified him on September 8 that he would be terminated, effective November 12. Mynatt was one of eight IMS employees, and one of two Video Department employees, who were terminated.