Opinion ID: 2857274
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: McKay Dee letter

Text: At the time ORMC terminated Zisumbo’s employment, Bissenden had not yet confirmed that the McKay Dee letter was fraudulent. But both Rodebush and Bissenden had inspected the letter and concluded it was suspicious, and based on that suspicion, they discussed it with Zisumbo before terminating his employment. The following day, Bissenden continued her investigation and confirmed that McKay Dee had not issued the letter. ORMC contends that Zisumbo’s back pay should be limited to one day based on this confirmation of the letter’s inauthenticity. But the district court rejected this theory, finding that ORMC relied on the apparent inauthenticity of the McKay Dee letter as a reason for terminating Zisumbo’s employment. The record supports the district court’s finding. For instance, although Bissenden denied that her suspicions about the McKay Dee letter factored into Zisumbo’s termination, Rodebush stated that the letters generally raised concerns about Zisumbo’s honesty and that all three letters were discussed in the meeting. And Taylor testified that Zisumbo was “[t]erminated for falsifying some documents.” Trial Tr., Doc. 236, at 175. Under these circumstances, Bissenden’s 27 confirmation of the fraudulent nature of the McKay Dee letter was not after-acquired evidence limiting Zisumbo’s entitlement to back pay, and the district court did not abuse its discretion in so finding. See Ricky, 50 F.3d at 875-76.