Opinion ID: 2979360
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Relative qualifications of applicants

Text: Relative qualifications establish triable issues of fact as to pretext where the evidence shows that either (1) the plaintiff was a plainly superior candidate, such that no reasonable employer would have chosen the latter applicant over the former, or (2) plaintiff was as qualified as if not better qualified than the successful applicant, and the record contains “other probative evidence of discrimination.” Bender, 455 F.3d at 627–28; see also Risch, 581 F.3d. at 391. The record reveals that Plaintiff had 24 years of experience as a contract administrator, compared to Lucas’s eight years of experience. In addition, Plaintiff possessed superior educational credentials, including a bachelor’s degree and advanced course work in areas relevant to the job, whereas Lucas had not graduated from college. Record evidence also suggests that Plaintiff’s communication skills, and those of Myron Greenberg, another unsuccessful male candidate, were satisfactory if not superior to Lucas’s own, as evidenced by favorable performance reviews, education credentials, and scholarly publications. Plaintiff also had substantially more experience 11 No. 09-3823 and familiarity in the area of contract negotiations, which was said to be a “critical function” of the position. While only Lucas had been a recipient of DCMA performance awards, Plaintiff argues in rebuttal that his branch office did not participate in the agency award program and therefore he never had the opportunity to compete or be nominated for a similar award. Plaintiff also notes that while Defendant contends he was only an average employee, Plaintiff was initially placed on the agency’s best qualified list for the promotion, and the record contains many contradictory statements as to his overall ability. Construing the facts in a light most favorable to the Plaintiff, we find that while Plaintiff may not have been a “plainly superior candidate” that rendered DCMA’s promotion decision unreasonable on its face, White, 533 F.3d at 394, Plaintiff was as qualified if not more qualified than Lucas. Although this finding does not conclusively establish pretext, Bender, 455 F.3d at 626, it warrants denial of summary judgment where other probative evidence of discrimination has been presented. Id.