Opinion ID: 3164759
Heading Depth: 6
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Second Method of Proving

Text: Pretext 19 As for the second way this Court has recognized a plaintiff can establish pretext, Willis has not presented evidence that supports any of the three categories that would allow a factfinder to believe unlawful discrimination was more likely than not a motivating or determinative cause of her termination. As noted above, Willis was unable to point to any evidence that Children’s previously discriminated against her on the basis of age. (A-138). The sole conversation involving age, which was limited to Willis’s comment about when she planned to retire, does not support discrimination on Children’s part. (A-137–A-138). As the District Court noted, it is common business practice, and not impermissible discrimination, for an employer to inquire about retirement plans in anticipation of staffing needs. (A-19). Unable to identify any statements by neonatal nurse leadership indicating an age bias, Willis asserts that leadership replacing experienced staff with inexperienced nurses constitutes evidence that Children’s has discriminated against others within her protected class. (A-138–A-141). Willis’s argument fails in light of her admission that the experienced staff Children’s replaced were not fired, but left voluntarily, without conditions suggesting age discrimination. (A-139–A-140). Natural staff turnover and increased hiring related to expansion do not support Willis’s argument that Children’s discriminated against others in her protected class. Moreover, the allegedly commonplace nature of profanity at Children’s and unconfirmed rumors regarding the non-discipline of another nurse for “abruptness” and “sarcas[m]” do not constitute evidence that similarly situated, substantially younger employees were treated more favorably. (A-118–A-120). The only support Willis provides for the 20 assertion that many employees use profanity and did not receive similar treatment is her statement that “[t]here is . . . no indication on the record that any substantially younger employee was ever reported for using profanity, much less disciplined for it.” (Appellant Br. 11). As noted previously, this alleged lack of discipline does not provide sufficient support for Willis’s assertion of more favorable treatment. Willis also cited “scuttlebutt” among the nursing staff that another NNP was reported to management for abruptness and sarcasm.8 (A-119–A-120). Even if this rumor is true, Willis’s second-hand account does not provide evidence of more favorable treatment towards a similarly situated, substantially younger employee. The rumored conduct, involving abruptness and sarcasm, is not the same as the use of profanity in close proximity to patients and their families. 8 Willis stated in her deposition that she believes the subject of this rumor to be Becky Graves, who as discussed supra, note 1, is substantially younger than Willis. (A-119). The extent of Willis’s knowledge on the matter is that Graves was reported to Lamouree by other nurses, but Willis is not sure who reported Graves. Willis stated in her deposition that she believes Children’s did not discipline Graves for this reported incident, but Willis admitted her knowledge of this is solely “scuttlebutt” from the NNPs. (A-120). Willis raised the issue of the non-discipline of Graves in the proceedings below, but does not discuss it in her brief on appeal. Because Willis argues that more favorable treatment of similarly situated, substantially younger employees provides evidence supporting pretext, we address it here, assuming it is not waived, as part of the larger analysis regarding this category of evidence. 21 Willis does not argue that this conduct was similarly in violation of hospital policy, or as serious in its impact on the hospital environment. More importantly, Willis is unable to provide specifics to establish that this other employee was in fact not disciplined, and if so, any reason why she was not disciplined. In the pretext context, this type of second-hand, general rumor regarding a single substantially younger employee is insufficient as a matter of law to show pretext. While this Court has acknowledged that evidence demonstrating that a single member of a non-protected group received more favorable treatment can be relevant, “[a] decision adversely affecting an older employee does not become a discriminatory decision merely because one younger employee is treated differently.” Simpson, 142 F.3d at 645– 46. Setting aside the lack of corroboration regarding this incident, the evidence Willis provides on the other employee’s non-discipline is not appropriate at the pretext stage “where the factual inquiry into the alleged discriminatory motives of the employer has risen to a new level of specificity.” Id. at 646 (citing St. Mary’s Honor Ctr., 509 U.S. at 516). This rumored, unspecified, and uncorroborated evidence concerning a single employee fails to establish pretext. Accordingly, we will affirm the District Court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Children’s on both claims.9 9 At deposition, Willis admitted that after Children’s terminated her employment, she did not apply for a single job as a NNP, or even in the nursing or health care field, because, as she stated at her deposition, she was “very devastated and very much turned off and soured by what nursing had done to 22