Opinion ID: 462748
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Statutory Standard in the District Courts

Text: 9 Grandview Care Center, Inc., as an operator of nursing homes and an employer of between sixty and sixty-five individuals on a year-round basis, is an industry affecting commerce which qualifies as an employer under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e(b) and is thereby subject to the antidiscrimination provisions of Title VII. Maddox's claim clearly comes within the purview of Title VII: she meets the statutory definition of employee in section 2000e(f), her claim involves her discharge which is an aspect of employment cognizable under section 2000e(a)(1), and she alleges discrimination on the basis of her pregnancy which is a protected classification under the statute as amended. The statute specifies that women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to do work.... 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e(k). Although this provision, known as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA), was not included in the original statute, 3 this court has recognized that claims brought under the PDA should be resolved using the same analysis employed in other Title VII sex discrimination cases. Hayes v. Shelby Memorial Hospital, 726 F.2d 1543, 1547 (11th Cir.1984). 10 In order to prevail on a claim of disparate treatment under Title VII as Maddox alleges, 4 a plaintiff must prove that her employer unlawfully discriminated against her because of her protected classification. There are several methods by which a plaintiff can achieve this. In Hayes v. Shelby Memorial Hospital, 726 F.2d 1543 (11th Cir.1984), this court provided a concise framework for the pursuit of claims under the most prevalent theories. Under the pretext theory, a plaintiff must establish a prima facie case, which gives rise to a rebuttable presumption of unlawful discrimination. Much has been written concerning what constitutes a prima facie case of discrimination under Title VII. The Supreme Court first drew a blueprint for establishing a prima facie case of disparate treatment in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973), and further refined the procedures in Texas Department of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981). A defendant can then rebut this presumption by articulating a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for its actions. In order for the plaintiff to prevail, she must persuade the factfinder that the proffered reason is a pretext for discrimination. Under the facial discrimination theory, the plaintiff establishes a presumption that the case is one of facial discrimination by showing that the policy by its terms applies only to women or pregnant women. Hayes, 726 F.2d at 1548. The employer can rebut this presumption by showing that in spite of its appearance of differential treatment, the policy is neutral in that it equally affects all employees or that it is a bona fide occupational qualification. 11 Although these theories provide a framework under which the burdens of persuasion and production can be neatly delegated to the relevant parties, they will not fit every case and were never meant to obscure the fact that the ultimate finding is whether unlawful discrimination occurred. The Supreme Court has explained that 12 when the defendant fails to persuade the district court to dismiss the action for lack of a prima facie case, and responds to the plaintiff's proof by offering evidence of the reason for the plaintiff's rejection, the fact finder must then decide whether the rejection was discriminatory within the meaning of Title VII. 13 United States Postal Service Board of Governors v. Aikens, 460 U.S. 711, 103 S.Ct. 1478, 1482, 75 L.Ed.2d 403 (1983) (footnote omitted). At this point, the court should no longer concentrate on deciding whether or not the plaintiff did in fact establish a prima facie case. Simply stated, the district court must decide whether the employer treated the plaintiff differently based on a reason prohibited by Title VII. The plaintiff still bears the burden of persuading the court of the unlawful discrimination and may succeed  'directly by persuading the court that a discriminatory reason more likely motivated the employer or indirectly by showing that the employer's proffered explanation is unworthy of credence.'  Id. 103 S.Ct. at 1482 (quoting Burdine, 450 U.S. at 256, 101 S.Ct. at 1095). 14