Opinion ID: 171316
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Manipulation of Employee Evaluation

Text: A reasonable juror can draw an inference that an employer has manipulated its evaluation of an employee under its RIF criteria if the record indicates evidence of gender animus on the part of a supervisor with power to assess an employee's job performance. See Beaird, 145 F.3d at 1168. Inherent gender animus can warp a supervisor's evaluation of an employee. In this case, Mr. Harris was Ms. Coffey's immediate supervisor, and Ms. Kaylan Collins stated that she personally overheard Mr. Harris make sexist remarks about female employees/managers. (R. at 1003, Collins Aff. 2 ¶ 10.) Ms. Collins' statement alone is sufficient to support a finding of pretext in this area. Moreover, Ms. Coffey presented other evidence that, viewed in the light most favorable to her and under the totality of the circumstances, provides some support for an inference of pretext in this category. For instance, Ms. Coffey stated in her affidavit that Mr. Harris scrutinized female employees more closely than male employees. She claimed a male employee noticed the same behavior in Mr. Harris and mentioned it to her. Ms. Coffey also claimed that Mr. Harris rarely encouraged her in her work, and she believed he did not want to deal with women. Finally, Ms. Coffey stated in her deposition that another female employee had been told by Mr. Harris that she was a nice looking woman, and that if she dressed up and went for an after hours' interview with the hiring manager, he thought she could probably get the job she was seeking. (R. at 759, Coffey Dep. 109:11-15.)