Opinion ID: 782023
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Disparate Impact Age Discrimination Claim

Text: 27 The Supreme Court has not addressed whether plaintiffs may bring disparate impact claims under the ADEA, but this circuit permits such claims. See Katz v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal., 229 F.3d 831, 835 (9th Cir.2000); Frank, 216 F.3d at 856; EEOC v. Local 350, Plumbers and Pipefitters, 998 F.2d 641, 648 n. 2 (9th Cir.1993). A disparate impact claim challenges employment practices that are facially neutral in their treatment of different groups but that in fact fall more harshly on one group than another and cannot be justified by business necessity. Int'l Bd. of Teamsters v. United States, 431 U.S. 324, 335 n. 15, 97 S.Ct. 1843, 52 L.Ed.2d 396 (1977). 28 To make out a prima facie case of disparate impact, Pottenger must show (1) the occurrence of certain outwardly neutral employment practices, and (2) a significantly adverse or disproportionate impact on persons of a particular [age] produced by the employer's facially neutral acts or practices. Katz, 229 F.3d at 835 (quoting Palmer v. United States, 794 F.2d 534, 538 (9th Cir.1986)) (alteration in original). A disparate impact claim must challenge a specific business practice. The RIF would constitute such a practice. See Rose, 902 F.2d at 1424-25 (holding that Wells Fargo's policy of committing employment decisions in a RIF to the subjective discretion of its managers constituted a specific employment practice subject to disparate impact analysis). 29 The district court found that Potlatch had discredited Pottenger's statistical evidence and therefore dismissed his disparate impact claim. Summary judgment is appropriate when statistics do not support a disparate impact analysis. See Katz, 229 F.3d at 835 (affirming summary judgment dismissal where the plaintiffs were unable to set forth a substantial statistical disparity that would raise an inference of intentional discrimination). To make out a prima facie case of disparate impact, Pottenger must show only that a facially neutral business practice had a significant adverse effect on older workers. Arnett v. Cal. Pub. Employees Ret. Sys., 179 F.3d 690, 697 (9th Cir.1999), vacated on other grounds, 528 U.S. 1111, 120 S.Ct. 930, 145 L.Ed.2d 807 (2000). Pottenger's statistical analysis of the RIF does tend to show at least some relationship between age and termination. It does not tend to show that age motivated RIF decisions, which is why it does not help Pottenger establish a disparate treatment claim. But such a showing of causation is not necessary for a prima facie case of disparate impact. 30 In the context of this case, Pottenger's disparate impact claim nonetheless fails because Pottenger was not terminated as part of the RIF. When Potlatch discharged Pottenger in April, the RIF was under consideration, but it did not actually begin until June. Pottenger argues, however, that his discharge was functionally part of the RIF because the enhanced severance package offered to him was similar in structure (though not in dollar amount) to that suggested for use in the RIF, and because he was given 45 days to consider the package, as had been suggested for employees subject to the RIF. Pottenger acknowledges, however, that when Potlatch terminated him, the company did not use the objective, four-step evaluation process used to identify employees to be terminated as part of the RIF. Moreover, Pottenger was a high-level executive, while the RIF targeted rank-and-file employees. To bring a disparate impact claim, Pottenger must show that he was subject to the particular employment practice with the alleged disparate impact. Because Pottenger was not formally or functionally subject to the RIF, his disparate impact claim cannot survive summary judgment.