Opinion ID: 9267
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Donald Brown

Text: 19 Appellant Brown easily satisfies the first three elements of his prima facie case. CSC Logic terminated him. He was forty-four at the time. And, it is undisputed that Brown was qualified for his position and performing satisfactorily. Brown's case falters, however, on the final element of a prima facie case. 20 Because Brown's position was eliminated, he cannot show that he was replaced by an individual outside the protected class, or by someone younger. Additionally Brown fails to offer sufficient evidence that otherwise indicates that he was discharged because of his age. 21 Brown insists that this element is satisfied by evidence that his duties were assumed by the younger Greg Shimkus. CSC Logic contends that Shimkus did not assume Brown's duties, but that the older CEO Kimzey actually took over Brown's job. Although it is clear that Shimkus took control from Brown of the VSI and the ISC, these events occurred more than sixteen months before Brown's termination, and thus do not bear on the decision to discharge him. In contrast, the evidence related to Shimkus's duties after Brown's termination is weak and speculative. 22 For example, Brown points to the fact that after Brown's departure, Shimkus began attending trade shows and conventions on behalf of the company. Yet, Shimkus testified that he had been scheduled to attend a show before Brown's departure, but was forced to cancel. Similarly, Brown cites evidence that Shimkus handled some contract negotiations for the company after Brown's termination. Yet, Shimkus testified that he and others had performed marketing and sales functions before Brown's departure as well as afterwards. Finally, Brown complains that before Brown's discharge, Kimzey consulted Shimkus about how Brown's departure would affect his duties. To suggest that such a conference is proof that Shimkus took over Brown's position is a highly tenuous assertion. There simply is not enough evidence tending to show that Shimkus effectively took over Brown's duties as Vice-President and Director of Marketing. Brown's evidence is purely speculative and insufficient to establish a prima facie case of employment discrimination. 23 Brown also attempts to satisfy his burden with evidence that younger employees were more favorably treated at CSC Logic. He notes that while the company froze his own and Davis's salaries, it gave raises to younger employees and actually hired younger employees in the months prior to his termination. None of these younger employees were management staff, however, and there is no evidence that any officers received such favorable treatment at the expense of Brown and Davis. In fact, the evidence shows that all the vice-presidents had their salaries frozen, including those that were retained. To compare hiring decisions for officers with those for lower-level staff is not particularly probative, and does not create a prima facie case. 24 Finally, we look at age-related remarks allegedly made to Brown by CEO Kimzey. Such remarks may serve as sufficient evidence of age discrimination if the offered comments are: 1) age related; 2) proximate in time to the terminations; 3) made by an individual with authority over the employment decision at issue; and 4) related to the employment decision at issue. 13 Comments that are vague and remote in time are insufficient to establish discrimination. 14 In contrast, specific comments made over a lengthy period of time are sufficient. 15 25 In this case, Brown offers only three allegedly discriminatory statements made by Kimzey to Brown. First, Kimzey noted that the staff was getting long in the tooth. Second, in 1992, Kimzey told Brown that he needed hiring lessons; that you can hire a pretty one and teach them the job, but you can't hire an ugly one and make them pretty. Finally, Kimzey repeatedly told Brown that appellant Davis was old. 26 These comments do not show age discrimination towards Brown. None of these comments are directed to Brown, and the first two comments arguably do not even reflect age discrimination. Furthermore at least one of the remarks was made in 1992, sixteen months before Brown was actually terminated. Taken as a whole, the alleged age-related remarks made to Brown are too vague, indirect, and remote in time to support a finding of a discriminatory discharge. Because Brown has failed to present evidence sufficient to support a prima facie case, his case must be dismissed.