Opinion ID: 161299
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ramona Bales

Text: In September 1995, Bales was hired as a machine operator in the plate department in Synthes’ Monument facility. The manager who hired her determined that she had no direct experience, but believed that she had a strong work ethic and that, with experience, she would be proficient at the job. Bales’ starting pay rate was the highest of the other three machine operators (all male) hired in her department in 1995. Because Bales proved to be an exemplary employee, she was promoted to senior lead machine operator and subsequently received more pay than four males who also hold the position of senior lead machine operator. Bales, however, contends that her initial pay rate was set in contravention of the Equal Pay Act, see 29 U.S.C. § 206(d)(1). She points out that, at the time she was hired, Synthes started an individual named Larry Dozal as a machine operator in another department at higher pay rate. To establish a prima facie case under the Equal Pay Act, a plaintiff must demonstrate “‘that (1) she was performing work which was substantially equal to that of the male employees considering the skills, duties, supervision, effort and responsibilities of the jobs; (2) the conditions where the work was performed were basically the same; (3) the male employees were paid more under such circumstances.’” Sprague , -8- 129 F.3d at 1363-64 (quoting Tidwell v. Fort Howard Corp ., 989 F.2d 406, 409 (10th Cir. 1993)). Bales argues that there is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether she was paid less than Dozal for equal work in a job which required equal skill, effort, and responsibility and which was performed under similar working conditions. As the district court stated, however, “Dozal was hired by a different person in a different department which had different machines” and that Dozal had “extensive [previous] milling experience.” Appellant’s App., Vol. III at 23 (Tr. of Jan. 13, 2000 hearing). The record fully supports this statement. 2 Bales failed to produce evidence showing that Dozal’s job functions were substantially similar to hers and, therefore, the entry of summary judgment was proper. 2 Bales also claims error in the district court’s limitation of her discovery requests for pay information on all the machine operators in the plant. The denial of Bales’ overbroad requests was well within the district court’s discretion. See Munoz v. St. Mary-Corwin Hosp ., 221 F.3d 1160, 1169 (10th Cir. 2000) (stating that we review a district court’s discovery order for abuse of discretion). -9-