Opinion ID: 534526
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cause of Action for Employment Discrimination

Text: 8 To prove that ABC discriminated in its employment decisions affecting them, Gibson and Hope first were required to prove a prima facie case. A prima facie case is established when a plaintiff shows that: (1) he or she is a member of a statutorily protected class; (2) he or she is qualified for the position applied for; (3) the employer denied plaintiff the job sought; and (4) after such denial the employer continued to seek applicants for the position with qualifications similar to plaintiff's. See McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 1824, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). If plaintiff succeeds in establishing a prima facie case the burden shifts to the defendant to articulate a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for turning plaintiff down. Assuming defendant gives a valid reason, plaintiff then must show by a preponderance of the evidence that defendant's articulated reason was pretextual. Texas Dept. of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 252-53, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 1093, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981). 9 In the instant case both plaintiffs are black and as such are members of a racial minority statutorily protected. Gibson applied to be scheduled weekends off; Hope applied for acting editor assignments. They assert in their complaints that they were qualified for these employment opportunities which were denied them. Subsequent to plaintiffs' requests, other ABC Radio News employees with similar qualifications obtained the assignments Gibson and Hope unsuccessfully sought. 10 Judge Daronco ruled that even assuming that Gibson and Hope had proved a prima facie case of disparate treatment, they had presented no evidence that ABC's reasons for its employment decisions were pretextual. See 687 F.Supp. at 793. Because of the procedural posture of this case--dismissal on a summary judgment motion--we review the allegations de novo drawing all inferences in appellants' favor because they are the nonmoving parties. See Burtnieks v. City of New York, 716 F.2d 982, 985-86 (2d Cir.1983). In reviewing whether plaintiffs initially stated a prima facie case, we assume that the allegations contained in the plaintiff's respective complaints regarding their qualifications for the positions they sought are true. Thus, we are persuaded that these appellants made out a prima facie case. 11 It also seems clear that ABC Radio News articulated a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for management's decision in each case, namely, that neither Gibson or Hope were qualified for the positions they sought. After the employer has given a legitimate reason, for purposes of determining whether ABC's reasons were pretextual, it may not be assumed--as it was in determining whether a prima facie case was stated--that appellants' allegations that they were qualified are true. At this stage of the proceedings plaintiffs are held to the burden of proof ultimately needed to prevail at trial, and must submit proof on the issue of pretext by a preponderance of the evidence. There is an exception to this rule on burden of proof. If ABC Radio News' decision is found to be a mixture of legitimate and illegitimate motives, that is to say, one with mixed motives, the employer then has the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have made the same employment decision, absent the discriminatory motive. See Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 1775, 1788-89, 1792, 104 L.Ed.2d 268 (1989). Here that proof would require ABC to show that race made no difference in ABC's decisions. On remand, the district court should determine whether with respect to pretext this is a mixed motive case.