Opinion ID: 166694
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 14 In order to establish a claim for discriminatory termination under the ADEA, a plaintiff must establish that (1) he is at least 40 years old, see 29 U.S.C. § 631(a); (2) that he was terminated by his employer, see id. at § 623(a); and (3) that his termination was because of [his] age, id. In assessing whether the district court erred in denying Nordam's motion for JMOL, we do not weigh the evidence, evaluate the credibility of witnesses, or substitute our conclusions for those of the jury. See Medlock v. Ortho Biotech, Inc., 164 F.3d 545, 549 (10th Cir.1999). [W]e determine only whether the jury verdict is supported by substantial evidence when the record is viewed most favorably to the prevailing party. Substantial evidence is something less than the weight of the evidence, and is defined as such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion, even if different conclusions also might be supported by the evidence. Webco Indus., Inc. v. Thermatool Corp., 278 F.3d 1120, 1128 (10th Cir.2002) (internal citation and quotation marks omitted). We may reverse a jury determination only if the evidence points but one way and is susceptible to no reasonable inferences supporting the nonmoving party. Medlock, 164 F.3d at 549 (internal quotation marks omitted). 15 Nordam's argument relies on the McDonnell Douglas framework for employment-discrimination cases under Title VII. This framework was established in 1973, when such cases were tried to the court. See 4 Lex K. Larson, Employment Discrimination § 80.01[1] (2d ed. 2005) (Prior to enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the courts, with a few exceptions, had held that there was no right to a jury trial in suits brought under Title VII. . . .). McDonnell Douglas said: 16 The complainant in a Title VII trial must carry the initial burden under the statute of establishing a prima facie case of racial discrimination. This may be done by showing (i) that he belongs to a racial minority; (ii) that he applied and was qualified for a job for which the employer was seeking applicants; (iii) that, despite his qualifications, he was rejected; and (iv) that, after his rejection, the position remained open and the employer continued to seek applicants from persons of complainant's qualifications. . . . The burden then must shift to the employer to articulate some legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the employee's rejection. . . . [The complainant must then] be afforded a fair opportunity to show that [the employer's] stated reason for [rejecting the employee] was in fact pretext. 17 411 U.S. at 802-04, 93 S.Ct. 1817. The framework has been applied to cases under the ADEA. See, e.g., O'Connor v. Consol. Coin Caterers Corp., 517 U.S. 308, 311, 116 S.Ct. 1307, 134 L.Ed.2d 433 (1996). In a RIF context the prima facie case is established by a showing that (1) the claimant is within the protected age group, (2) the claimant was doing satisfactory work, (3) the claimant was discharged despite the adequacy of his work, and (4) there is some evidence the employer intended to discriminate against him in making the RIF decision. Beaird v. Seagate Tech., Inc., 145 F.3d 1159, 1165 (10th Cir.1998). 18 Nordam contends that Mr. Whittington failed both to establish a prima facie case and to establish pretext. But Nordam's reliance on the McDonnell Douglas framework is misplaced. In United States Postal Service Board of Governors v. Aikens, 460 U.S. 711, 103 S.Ct. 1478, 75 L.Ed.2d 403 (1983), the Supreme Court stated that triers of fact (and reviewing courts) should not be distracted by the legal technicalities of McDonnell Douglas in reaching the ultimate issue of discrimination: 19 The prima facie case method established in McDonnell Douglas was never intended to be rigid, mechanized, or ritualistic. Rather, it is merely a sensible, orderly way to evaluate the evidence in light of common experience as it bears on the critical question of discrimination. Where the defendant has done everything that would be required of him if the plaintiff had properly made out a prima facie case, whether the plaintiff really did so is no longer relevant. The district court has before it all the evidence it needs to decide whether the defendant intentionally discriminated against the plaintiff. 20 Id. at 715, 103 S.Ct. 1478 (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). We have repeatedly stated that juries are not to apply the McDonnell Douglas framework and that we are not concerned with plaintiff's proof of a prima facie case when we review a jury verdict. See, e.g., Abuan, 353 F.3d at 1169. Because the employer will present evidence of a proper motive in almost every case, the ultimate question for the jury simply becomes which party's explanation of the employer's motivation it believes. Aikens, 460 U.S. at 716, 103 S.Ct. 1478. Our role, therefore, is just to review the record for substantial evidence supporting the jury's verdict. 21 There is no question that Mr. Whittington was more than 40 years old when he was terminated. The only issue, then, is the motive for his termination — was it because of [his] age, 29 U.S.C. § 623(a)(1)? The trial evidence hardly compelled a finding of a discriminatory motive; but viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party, we cannot say that the verdict was irrational. 22 The factfinder is entitled to infer from any weaknesses, implausibilities, inconsistencies, incoherencies, or contradictions in the employer's proffered reasons for its action that the employer did not act pursuant to those reasons. Miller v. Eby Realty Group LLC, 396 F.3d 1105, 1112 (10th Cir.2005) (internal quotation marks omitted). A showing that the employer's justifications for its behavior are pretextual permits a finding of intentional discrimination. Exum v. U.S. Olympic Comm., 389 F.3d 1130, 1135 (10th Cir.2004). 23 One indication of pretext is the extent of apparent procedural irregularities with respect to Mr. Whittington's selection for the RIF. See Garrett v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 305 F.3d 1210, 1217 (10th Cir.2002) ([E]vidence of pretext may include, but is not limited to, the following: prior treatment of plaintiff; the employer's policy and practice regarding minority employment (including statistical data); disturbing procedural irregularities (e.g., falsifying or manipulating. . . criteria); and the use of subjective criteria. (internal quotation marks omitted)). All other employees included in the RIF were selected by a management team and approval of the selections was obtained through the management hierarchy; Mr. Whittington was selected by Mr. Miner alone, without the knowledge of the team. As the management team was considering all other candidates for termination, Mr. Miner was independently inquiring about the possibility of Mr. Whittington, and no one else, being offered an early retirement package. Furthermore, Mr. Whittington did not meet the discipline and performance criteria used by the management team for selecting the employees for termination. 24 Another indication of pretext is that Nordam was inconsistent in the reasons it provided for the termination. Nordam asserted rationales for Mr. Whittington's termination that were later affirmatively disclaimed (the position was eliminated as part of the implementation of Lean Manufacturing concepts and Mr. Whittington's performance was deficient) or abandoned in the face of contrary testimony from its own management (Mr. Whittington had no transferrable skills). A third rationale (a decline in sales of his cell's product) was challenged by Mr. Whittington; and even though Nordam proffered a reasonable explanation (sales included demand from other cells), the jury was not bound to believe it. 25 Moreover, other evidence could have undermined the jury's belief in Nordam's credibility. For example, Mr. Miner, who acknowledged being the ultimate decision-maker in the RIF generally, and Mr. Whittington's selection particularly, could not remember at his deposition how Mr. Whittington was selected, but by the time of trial clearly remembered not only that he had selected Mr. Whittington, but also what his rationale had been and how emotionally traumatic the decision had been for him. 26 The jury could infer that Nordam's explanation at trial for Mr. Whittington's termination (he had less tenure than Mr. Overbey, and one of them had to go) was an after-the-fact rationalization for what had been age discrimination. The evidence is sufficient to support the verdict of discrimination reached by the jury. It certainly cannot be said that the evidence points but one way. Medlock, 164 F.3d at 549.