Opinion ID: 755768
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Disparate Treatment in the Terms and Conditions of Austin's Employment

Text: 16 Ford's allegedly discriminatory actions occurred after Austin turned forty, bringing her within the age category protected by the ADEA. See Johnson v. Mayor of Baltimore, 472 U.S. 353, 355, 105 S.Ct. 2717, 86 L.Ed.2d 286 (1985) (ADEA protects employees or employee applicants between ages of 40 and 70); 29 U.S.C. § 631(a) (ADEA protects individuals at least 40 years of age). This court uses the same framework to assess ADEA claims as it does to consider Title VII claims. See Woroski v. Nashua Corp., 31 F.3d 105, 108 (2d Cir.1994). First, the plaintiff is required to establish a prima facie case consisting of four elements: (1) membership in a protected class/age group; (2) qualification for the position; (3) an adverse employment decision/discharge; and (4) that the decision/discharge took place under circumstances giving rise to an inference of discrimination. See Woroski, 31 F.3d at 108; McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). The requirements for establishing a prima facie case are minimal. St. Mary's Honor Ctr. v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 506, 113 S.Ct. 2742, 125 L.Ed.2d 407 (1993); Fisher v. Vassar College, 114 F.3d 1332, 1335 (2d Cir.1997) (en banc), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 851, 139 L.Ed.2d 752 (1998). If the plaintiff makes this minimal showing, the burden shifts to the employer to articulate a legitimate, non-discriminatory purpose for its adverse employment action. See Woroski, 31 F.3d at 108; McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817. Any such stated purpose is sufficient to satisfy the defendant's burden of production; the employer does not have to persuade the court that the stated purpose was the actual reason for its decision. See Fisher, 114 F.3d at 1335-36. If the employer satisfies that burden, the plaintiff may still prevail, but only if [the] employer's proffered reasons are shown to be a pretext for discrimination. Id. at 1339. To make this showing, the plaintiff must demonstrate both that the [proffered] reason was false, and that discrimination was the real reason. Hicks, 509 U.S. at 515, 113 S.Ct. 2742; Fisher, 114 F.3d at 1339. 17 Title VII and the ADEA protect against discrimination with respect to the terms and conditions of employment. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1); 29 U.S.C. § 623(a)(1). Austin's allegations that discrimination motivated Ford's denial to her of overtime pay and of additional staffing are cognizable under these statutes. See, e.g., Annis v. County of Westchester, 136 F.3d 239, 248 (2d Cir.1998) (discriminatory denial of overtime pay on basis of sex violates Title VII). Furthermore, contrary to Ford's assertions, Austin raised both of these discrimination claims before the EEOC as evidenced by Austin's charge of discrimination, her subsequent letters to the EEOC, and the EEOC's letter of determination. The latter expressly notes Austin's allegations that Ford discriminated against her on the basis of age, gender, and race by giving her an unreasonable workload [and] forcing her to work extra hours without compensation. Thus, this court has subject-matter jurisdiction to evaluate Austin's claims. Cf. Miller v. International Tel. and Tel. Corp., 755 F.2d 20, 23 (2d Cir.1985) (No action based on a claim of age discrimination may be brought in federal court unless the claim was properly raised with the EEOC....); Criales v. American Airlines, Inc., 105 F.3d 93, 95 (2d Cir.1997) (The prerequisites for a suit under Title VII include a timely filed ... charge [to the EEOC] and timely institution of the suit after receipt of a right-to-sue notice.). Although the district court did not address Austin's claims of discrimination regarding overtime pay and staffing allocation, we review Austin's complaint de novo and evaluate the sufficiency of these claims under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6).
18 Austin claims discrimination in the provision of overtime pay on the basis of race, sex, and age. As to race, Austin's complaint alleges (1) that she is a protected class member (i.e., black), (2) that she was qualified to receive overtime pay because she worked extra hours and other employees with equal or greater responsibility received overtime pay, (3) that Ford denied her overtime pay for overtime work performed, and (4) that none of the employees receiving overtime pay were black. Austin has therefore alleged a prima facie case of race discrimination with respect to overtime compensation. See Texas Dep't of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 253 n. 6, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981) (qualified female employee denied promotion in favor of male employee established prima facie case of gender discrimination); Hicks, 509 U.S. at 506, 113 S.Ct. 2742 (setting forth minimal requirements of prima facie case). As the record now stands, and limiting our review to Austin's pleadings, dismissal of this claim was inappropriate. 19 Ford claims that Austin was not legally entitled to overtime pay because 29 C.F.R. § 541.205(c)(5), a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulation, lists credit managers such as Austin as examples of administrative employees who are exempt from federal minimum wage and overtime requirements. The question, however, is not whether Ford complied with the FLSA, but whether Ford discriminated against Austin in violation of Title VII. Austin's pleadings named four non-black employees (including supervisor Polesky) who she alleges had greater responsibilities and who, although apparently not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA, nevertheless received it. Therefore Austin has alleged a prima facie case of race discrimination in the provision of overtime compensation and the district court erred in dismissing this claim. 20 However, the district court did not err in dismissing Austin's claims of sex and age discrimination in the provision of overtime. She has failed to allege, and the record does not reflect, that overtime was paid only to employees younger than Austin. Also, by Austin's own admission, overtime was paid to other similarly situated female employees. Although Austin is not required to establish that overtime was denied only to women and to employees her age and older to establish prima facie cases in each category, she has failed to allege any other facts suggesting that Ford's denial of overtime pay to Austin occurred under circumstances giving rise to an inference of [ ] discrimination on the basis of sex or age. See Woroski, 31 F.3d at 108. Her complaint thus fails to allege an essential component of a prima facie case of age and sex discrimination with regard to overtime.
21 Austin also alleges that, because of her sex, age, and race, Ford refused to hire any assistants to aid her even though Ford hired assistants for several of her co-workers. At the outset, Austin's prima facie case of sex discrimination in the allocation of staffing must fail. Because Austin admits that two other similarly situated women employees--Mona Feigenbaum and Annette Nieves--received additional staffing, and because she has alleged no other fact raising an inference of sex discrimination, Austin has not alleged circumstances giving rise to an inference of [ ] discrimination on the basis of sex. See Woroski, 31 F.3d at 108. 22 Austin's pleadings, however, do meet the minimal threshold of a prima facie case of age and race discrimination in staffing allocation. Austin alleges, for example, that the employees who received additional staffing were not black. Similarly, Austin alleges that both prior to and after her tenure with Ford, when collection responsibilities [were] considerably less, at least two employees who were younger than Austin together assumed her job responsibilities. 23 Ford responds that Austin has admitted a sufficient business reason for Ford's refusal to provide Austin additional staffing: that in 1992 Austin negotiated a 15% salary increase in exchange for agreeing to handle the entire credit and collection function without assistance. Austin alleges, however, that in forcing her to choose between either receiving a 15% salary increase or receiving an assistant and a salary decrease, Ford imposed more onerous employment conditions upon Austin than upon other, white employees. She alleges that co-employees Mona Feigenbaum, Annette Nieves, Tim Dressler, and supervisor Polesky, none of whom are black, each received temporary and/or permanent assistants but were not required to receive a salary decrease. These allegations are sufficient to make out a prima facie case of race discrimination. Similarly, Austin's contention that two younger employees staffed her position prior to and after her tenure, despite Ford's insistence during Austin's tenure that the position be handled by one person alone, raises the minimal inference of age discrimination necessary to establish Austin's prima facie case.