Opinion ID: 793355
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Absence of Rebuttable Presumption Instruction

Text: 42 Armstrong claims that the District Court erred by failing to instruct the jury that establishing his prima facie case gives rise to an inference or rebuttable presumption of discrimination. An instruction should have appeared, he asserts, that stated that the establishment of a prima facie case may give rise to an inference of discrimination if the jury disbelieves the employer's explanation for its discharge decision. Smith v. Wilkinsburg, 147 F.3d 272, 280 (3d Cir.1998). However, the exclusion of the instruction was harmless because the jurors never reached the point where they would have been permitted to infer discrimination for either of Armstrong's discrimination claims because: (1) as to Armstrong's age discrimination claim, the jury believed the Defendants' explanation for the discharge decision; and (2) as to Armstrong's disability discrimination claim, the jury found that Armstrong did not establish his prima facie case. 43