Opinion ID: 496702
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Discrimination in Discharge

Text: 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