Opinion ID: 3001570
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Discretionary Bonus

Text: Ms. Maclin contends that she suffered an adverse employment action when she was denied a discretionary bonus. This claim must fail as a matter of law. Farrell v. Butler Univ., 421 F.3d 609, 614 (7th Cir. 2005); Rabinovitz v. Pena, 89 F.3d 482, 488 (7th Cir. 1996). Ameritech’s guidelines state that the bonus that Ms. Maclin was denied “is not an entitlement.” R.69-2, Ex. F at 6. Furthermore, Ms. Maclin concedes that the bonus she was denied was a wholly discretionary payment by her employer. The “loss of a bonus is not an adverse employment action . . . where the employee is not automatically entitled to the bonus.” Rabinovitz, 89 F.3d at 488-89; see also Farrell, 421 F.3d at 614. Additionally, Ms. Maclin has not shown that Ameritech’s reason for declining to give her a discretionary bonus was a pretext for discrimination. Ameritech contends that it did not award her a discretionary bonus because she only had met—not exceeded—her supervisor’s expectations. Ameritech contends that three Bid Central employees—a white male, an Asian-American female and an African-American male—performed exceptionally well and therefore each was given an individual discretionary award. Ms. Maclin has offered no evidence that this explanation is a pretext for discrimination. She therefore has failed to carry her burden, and her claim must fail. Raymond, 442 F.3d at 610.