Opinion ID: 795105
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sex-Discrimination Claim

Text: 22 On his sex-discrimination claim, Wright has established the first three elements of the prima facie case — that he is member of a protected class, that he suffered an adverse employment action, and that he was qualified for the position — but he has failed to establish the fourth element. See DiCarlo, 358 F.3d at 415. Plaintiff was replaced by a male, and he has not shown that he was treated differently than similarly-situated non-protected employees. See id. 23 Wright claims that he was treated differently than women with regard to the disciplinary process at Murray Guard. Wright's only proposed example of a similarly situated female employee is Annette Bradley. Wright claims that Bradley was afforded an opportunity to refute the allegations made against her that were to lead to her discharge, and that Murray Guard then changed its decision to terminate her, whereas Wright was not given the same opportunity to rebut the sexual harassment allegations made against him that ultimately led to his discharge. Wright also complains that Murray Guard reopened the investigation of the sexual harassment allegations made against him based on the statements of Bradley, who had admitted to spreading rumors about Wright, without proof of who was telling the truth. 24 Taking all of his allegations as true, we conclude that Wright has failed to make out a prima facie case of sex discrimination because he has not shown that he and Bradley were similarly situated. The plaintiff need not demonstrate an exact correlation with the employee receiving more favorable treatment in order for the two to be considered `similarly-situated.' Ercegovich v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 154 F.3d 344, 352 (6th Cir.1998) (considering claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act). As the Supreme Court recently held in the context of a claim of race-based peremptory strikes of jurors, a rule that no comparison [among prospective jurors] is probative unless the situation of the individuals compared is identical in all respects would make claims of discrimination inoperable, because potential jurors are not products of a set of cookie cutters. Miller-El v. Dretke, 545 U.S. 231, — n. 6, 125 S.Ct. 2317, 2329 n. 6, 162 L.Ed.2d 196 (2005). This reasoning applies with equal force to the employment-discrimination context. Therefore, to establish that an employee is an appropriate comparator, the plaintiff [must] demonstrate that he or she is similarly situated to the [claimed comparator] in all relevant respects. Ercegovich, 154 F.3d at 353. 25 In the disciplinary context, we have held that to be found similarly situated, the plaintiff and his proposed comparator must have engaged in acts of  comparable seriousness.  Clayton v. Meijer, Inc., 281 F.3d 605, 611 (6th Cir. 2002) (applying the Ercegovich approach to a Title VII claim) (quoting McDonald v. Santa Fe Transp. Co., 427 U.S. 273, 283 n. 11, 96 S.Ct. 2574, 49 L.Ed.2d 493 (1976)). To make this assessment, we may look to certain factors, such as whether the individuals `have dealt with the same supervisor, have been subject to the same standards and have engaged in the same conduct without such differentiating or mitigating circumstances that would distinguish their conduct or the employer's treatment of them for it.' Ercegovich, 154 F.3d at 352 (quoting Mitchell v. Toledo Hosp., 964 F.2d 577, 583 (6th Cir.1992)). However, when such factors are not relevant, we need not consider them. Id. Rather, to determine whether two individuals are similarly situated with regard to discipline, we make an independent determination as to the relevancy of a particular aspect of the plaintiff's employment status and that of the [proposed comparable] employee. Id. 26 Wright cannot be considered similarly situated to Bradley for the purposes of discipline because they engaged in different conduct, and the differences in their conduct are relevant. Bradley allegedly failed to follow a procedure by allowing an unauthorized person into the Nike facility and allegedly spread rumors about Wright, which violated an order that she not have contact with anyone at Nike. 3 Wright allegedly sexually harassed at least one of his subordinates, including coercing one or more into having sexual relations with him. As a result of these distinct alleged instances of misconduct, Bradley was transferred to another facility after she supposedly did not follow the security procedure, and Wright was ultimately terminated. 27 Wright and Bradley are not similarly situated because their alleged acts of misconduct are of a very different nature, and there are legitimate reasons why Murray Guard would treat them differently. First, Wright's alleged misconduct, which, if true, would constitute a serious violation of federal law, would be much more likely to expose Murray Guard to liability than Bradley's alleged misconduct. Murray Guard is permitted to consider its legal obligations, especially to a class of people protected by federal and state law that is made vulnerable by a particular employee's alleged misconduct, in its disciplinary decisions regarding its employees. Second, Wright's alleged misconduct, if true, caused actual serious harm to the people with whom he interacted, whereas Bradley's alleged misconduct, if true, at most caused Wright some secondary harm through the effect of the rumors. Cf. Clayton, 281 F.3d at 611-12 (holding that plaintiff and another employee were not similarly situated when they engaged in the same conduct but plaintiff caused serious injury and other employee did not). Finally, Bradley's alleged misconduct could be susceptible to correction with a warning, and, if corrected, would have no further consequences on the experience of those around her as she was no longer working at Nike. By contrast, the nature of Wright's alleged misconduct, even were it to cease, would make it challenging for him to continue successfully in his position because it would be difficult for those he had harassed (and perhaps others) to work with him. Therefore, we affirm the district court's judgment that Wright failed to present a prima facie case of sex discrimination.