Opinion ID: 1989271
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Burden Shifts to Employer

Text: Once appellant has established a prima facie case of racial discrimination, the burden shifts to the employer to rebut the presumption of discrimination by clearly setting forth, through the introduction of admissible evidence, legitimate, independent, and nondiscriminatory reasons to support its employment decision ( see Ferrante , 90 NY2d at 629; Burdine , 450 US at 257-258; Hicks , 509 US at 507). The employer in this instance states that the reason for the termination was Forrest's failure to complete the Certification of Physician or Practitioner form. Defendants assert that several requests were made to secure the documentation but appellant was unresponsive. Thus, defendants have put forward a nonracial reason for appellant's termination.