Opinion ID: 612642
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Indirect Case

Text: As noted above, a plaintiff may also use the indirect, burden-shifting approach to frame her case. The indirect method requires a plaintiff to first establish a prima facie case of discrimination. For purposes of Serednyj's pregnancy discrimination claim, Serednyj must show that: (1) she was pregnant and her employer knew she was pregnant; (2) she was performing her job duties satisfactorily; (3) she was terminated; and (4) similarly situated, nonpregnant employees were treated more favorably. Griffin, 489 F.3d at 844 (citing Clay v. Holy Cross Hosp., 253 F.3d 1000, 1005 (7th Cir.2001)). Once a plaintiff sets forth a prima facie case of discrimination, the burden shifts to the defendant to articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for terminating her. Id. If such a reason is advanced, the plaintiff can survive summary judgment only by showing that the defendant's reason was a pretext for intentional discrimination. Id. The first, second, and third elements of Serednyj's prima facie case are not in dispute. Serednyj is a member of a protected class, was performing her job satisfactorily, and was subject to an adverse employment action. With respect to the fourth element of her prima facie case, Serednyj claims that similarly situated, nonpregnant employees were treated more favorably than she, and that disabled or pregnant employees were also treated more favorably than she. Employees are similarly situated if they are directly comparable to her in all material respects. Patterson v. Avery Dennison Corp., 281 F.3d 676, 680 (7th Cir.2002). This normally entails a showing that the two employees dealt with the same supervisor, were subject to the same standards, and had engaged in similar conduct without such differentiating or mitigating circumstances as would distinguish their conduct or the employer's treatment of them. Radue v. Kimberly-Clark Corp., 219 F.3d 612, 617-18 (7th Cir.2000). The similarly situated inquiry is a flexible one that considers `all relevant factors, the number of which depends on the context of the case.' Humphries v. CBOCS West, Inc., 474 F.3d 387, 405 (7th Cir.2007) (quoting Radue, 219 F.3d at 617). A plaintiff need not show complete identity with a proposed comparator, but she must show `substantial similarity.' Id. (quoting Radue, 219 F.3d at 618). Serednyj's would-be comparators include a woman named Bonnie, Susan Eckman, Carol Williams, Pam Seibert, and Gina Sizemore. With respect to Bonnie, Christe testified that Bonnie is a CNA in her late fifties who received assistance transporting and transferring patients. Christe did not know Bonnie's last name, and does not know if she has a medical restriction. Mount testified that since November 2004, the only individual employed by Beverly with the first name of Bonnie was Bonnie Curtis, a CNA, who in fact never requested nor received any accommodation from Beverly. Susan Eckman was employed by Beverly as a CNA and LPN between September 2006 and March 2007. According to Serednyj, Eckman had breast augmentation surgery during this time period, and was provided light duty work. Serednyj testified that she had no personal knowledge of this, but was told this information from her friend and co-worker, Gina Sizemore. Moreover, Mount testified that Eckman never sought nor received an accommodation for a breast augmentation. Carol Williams was employed by Beverly who, according to Serednyj, worked as a CNA and suffered from and was being treated for an L3, L4 disc degeneration in her back. Serednyj claims that Williams' disc problem was not work-related; however, Beverly allowed her to work with significant lifting, bending, and twisting restrictions. Mount testified that Williams was an LPN, and suffered two non-work-related injuries during her employment. As a result of her non-work-related injuries, Williams was not eligible for light duty under Beverly's modified work policy, but took two leaves of absence instead. Williams also sustained two work-related injuries in 2006 and 2007. The record does not indicate whether Williams asked for and received an accommodation for her work-related injuries, but if she had, it would have been pursuant to Beverly's modified work policy. Pam Seibert was a speech therapist who worked at Beverly's Golden Living facility with Serednyj. Although Seibert and Serednyj worked at the same facility, Seibert was an employee of Aegis Therapies, a separate company with separate employment policies. Because Seibert had a long-term medical condition, Aegis allowed her to use a rolling walker to move about the workplace and allowed her to take breaks at her desk. Serednyj alleges that Seibert was terminated within thirty days of requesting the accommodation. To the extent that Serednyj's claim is true, Seibert is not similarly situated to Serednyj because Seibert was not an employee of Mount, and was not subject to Beverly's modified work policy. Gina Sizemore worked as a CNA at the Golden Living facility, and was pregnant at approximately the same time as Serednyj. Serednyj testified that she and Sizemore were friends, and that Sizemore told her that she (Sizemore) had to go on FMLA due to restrictions from her pregnancy. Sizemore tried to return to work following the expiration of her FMLA leave, but was terminated by Mount because her doctor would not remove her restrictions. Sizemore does not help Serednyj's case for two significant reasons. First, Serednyj's evidence is based on inadmissible hearsay. And second, Sizemore is actually an example of Beverly applying its modified work policy uniformly. Serednyj has not come forward with a similarly situated, nonpregnant Beverly employee who was treated more favorably than she. Serednyj's evidence in this regard lacks reliability, and in certain circumstances, is belied by the record. Having failed to set forth a prima facie case, we need not reach the issue of pretext, and the inquiry ends. See Cowan v. Glenbrook Sec. Servs., Inc., 123 F.3d 438, 445 (7th Cir.1997) (We need not reach the issue of pretext, as plaintiff has failed to state a prima facie case of discriminatory discharge under McDonnell Douglas. ). Accordingly, the district court correctly granted Beverly's motion for summary judgment on Serednyj's gender and pregnancy discrimination claims.