Opinion ID: 6536842
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Tenure and experience

Text: Ross also argues that the Railroad's decision to leave trainmaster positions open rather than hire him, despite his having more years of experience than any other candidate and being the only candidate to have served in the allegedly similar yardmaster position, demonstrates discriminatory intent. The Railroad responds by citing the ALJ's recommendation that Ross's experience was not particularly relevant given the differences between the former yardmaster and new trainmaster positions and the trainmaster position's merit-based nature. The Railroad further stresses that Ross's tenure was not significantly longer than that of the four candidates selected for Anchorage trainmaster positions. Although Ross had the longest tenure with the Railroad, it was not significantly longer than the tenure of other candidates. Compared to Ross's 36 years with the Railroad, most candidates - including those not selected - had worked there for 20 to 30 years. The four candidates hired as Anchorage trainmasters had been with the Railroad for a long time - one for 22 years, two for 29 years, and one for 30 years. Ample evidence supports the ALJ's findings that the position was merit based and that longevity with the Railroad was not a major factor in the hiring decisions. Even assuming Ross's three years in the former yardmaster position distinguished his experience, his qualifications were not clearly superior to those of other candidates - the ALJ found credible the testimony that the new trainmaster and the former yardmaster positions differed. The ALJ also found credible the testimony that Ross failed to inform the panel of relevant aspects of his experience and how he qualified for the new trainmaster position.