Opinion ID: 496702
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 33 In reviewing the record to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to support the court's and the jury's findings under Title VII and Sec. 1981, we will use the same McDonnell-Douglas framework used below. For each of Rowlett's claims evidence sufficient to support a jury finding of intentional discrimination under Sec. 1981 is also sufficient to support the court's finding under Title VII. See Hudson v. Int'l Business Machines, 620 F.2d 351, 354 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1066, 101 S.Ct. 794, 66 L.Ed.2d 611 (1980). Accordingly, we will not distinguish among the two in discussing the evidence.
34 Rowlett introduced evidence that showed that his supervisor knew he needed training, that he repeatedly requested training, that white foremen who needed training were trained, and that he was not trained, until he went over the local management's head to Anheuser-Busch headquarters. Anheuser-Busch argues on appeal that this evidence did not establish a prima facie case of disparate treatment, because none of the employees promoted to foreman from the rank of the hourlies received formal training; only those hired off the street with no prior experience in beer quality control received formal training. We agree with the district court, however, that the relevant group for comparison is white foremen who needed training, and not white foremen promoted from hourlies. As an hourly Rowlett had not received as much on the job training as white workers; thus, like foremen hired from outside, Rowlett needed training to fulfill his duties as described in his job description. 35 At trial Anheuser-Busch explained the disparate treatment as resulting from Rowlett's absenteeism; Campos said he could not train Rowlett because Rowlett was absent from work so often. To show this reason was pretextual, Rowlett presented evidence that the training he finally received in 1981 took only six hours. Although that training was superficial, its short duration does indicate that Rowlett's absences did not really prevent him from being trained. His evaluations consistently mentioned the need for training; defendant's own personnel policy required him to be trained as soon as practicable; white employees who needed the training received it; and the only justification Anheuser-Busch provided could reasonably be seen as pretextual. This evidence is sufficient to support the finding of intentional racial discrimination.
36 The district court found that Anheuser-Busch had discriminated against Rowlett on the basis of race in the pay raises he received. He established a prima facie case by showing that he received smaller raises than the white foremen received. Anhesuer-Busch explained this disparate treatment as resulting from Rowlett's evaluations. The district court found this reason to be pretextual, however, because it was so intricately related to the denial of training. Rowlett had been criticized for his lack of skills, for his lack of initiative, and for his absenteeism. Yet the court found that the lack of skills were directly related to the discriminatorily denied training, that the lack of initiative could well have resulted from not knowing what to do, and that the absenteeism was due in part to job-related stress resulting from not being trained. We find this reasoning persuasive. See also Washington v. Kroger, 506 F.Supp. 1158, 1169-70 (W.D.Mo.1981), vacated on other grounds, 671 F.2d 1072, 1076 (8th Cir.1982) (agreeing with district court that absenteeism and tardiness were related to a lack of training). There was sufficient evidence to support a finding of intentional discrimination on the basis of race in the pay raises given to Rowlett.
37 Rowlett established a prima facie case of racial discrimination in his discharge by showing his history of discriminatory treatment at Anheuser-Busch, by showing that he had filed a race discrimination claim against Anheuser-Busch (of which Ronald Rose was aware), and by showing that he was discharged not long after filing that claim. See Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation, 425 F.Supp. 318, 324-25 (D.Mass.), aff'd, 545 F.2d 222 (1st Cir.1976); see also Gifford v. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Ry. Co., 685 F.2d 1149, 1155 (9th Cir.1982); Goff v. Continental Oil Co., 678 F.2d 593, 598 (5th Cir.1982). Given Anheuser-Busch's admission that Rowlett's work had been satisfactory, the likelihood of a discharge being retaliatory in these circumstances is so great that the McDonnell-Douglas rebuttable presumption is especially apt. 38 Anheuser-Busch explained the discharge as following from Rowlett's disloyalty in using his position as foreman to promote his wife's sex discrimination claim, when he had not apprised management of the problems in the workplace that led to the claim. Ronald Rose, who fired Rowlett, specifically stated that he did not rely on Rowlett's evaluations or absenteeism in deciding to terminate him. Rather, Rose relied on what he learned from interviewing hourly workers and attending the Human Rights Commission hearing. 39 To show the loyalty explanation was pretextual, Rowlett presented evidence that Rose's investigation was one-sided and designed to confirm his desire to dismiss Rowlett. There was some evidence that one of the disloyal comments Rowlett allegedly made, and which Rose testified he relied on in discharging him, was not actually known by Rose at the time Rowlett was discharged. The evidence supports an inference that Rose was out to get Rowlett and that Rose attempted to protect himself from the consequences by building a case, both before and after the fact. Rose knew that Rowlett had complained to St. Louis about discriminatory treatment and that Rowlett had filed a suit in the Human Rights Commission. This evidence supports an inference that the reason Rose was out to get Rowlett was racial discrimination. The evidence is not overwhelming; the case is not clear cut; but the inference is permissible. Cf. United States v. Rivera Rodriguez, 808 F.2d 886, 888 (1st Cir.1986) (under more demanding criminal standard of proof, jury is entitled to freely choose among reasonable inferences). The judge and the jury watched the witnesses on the stand and observed the parties throughout the trial. We will not disturb their decision that Rowlett's superiors engaged in purposeful racial discrimination. 40