Opinion ID: 748193
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Lunn Statement

Text: 25 Chiaramonte fares no better with the Lunn statement. Chiaramonte alleges that Debbie Lunn, who often socialized with Elting and others, stated that FBG was going to get rid of all you old people. Lunn, like Singer, denies making such a statement. Even if such a statement was made, it has no probative value. Lunn is a lower-level cost supervisor who had no influence over personnel decisions. Statements by inferior employees are not probative of an intent to discriminate by the decisionmaker. Aungst, 937 F.2d at 1221; see also Oxman, 12 F.3d at 659-60. Chiaramonte has failed to show that the termination decision made by Elting had any connection whatsoever to the opinion of a lower-level employee. That Lunn socialized with Elting and Cummins does not serve to make her comments any more relevant. [A]ctions and comments by employees not involved in a discharge decision cannot provide a basis for charging other employees with discrimination. Jardien, 888 F.2d at 1155. 2 26