Opinion ID: 324875
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Application of McDonnell Douglas v. Green

Text: 12 Laugesen makes two claims of error in which he relies principally upon McDonnell Douglas v. Green, supra. These relate to the trial court's denial of his motion for directed verdict and to its jury instructions on burden of proof. 13 We note at the outset that McDonnell Douglas addresses itself to '. . . the proper order and nature of proof in actions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 253.' 411 U.S. at 793, 93 S.Ct. at 1820. We are not, of course, dealing here with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., but with an entirely separate legislative enactment of the Congress. 1 The similarity, however, between Title VII and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act is hardly accidental. As observed by Judge Tuttle in Hodgson v. First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 455 F.2d 818, 820 (5 Cir. 1972), 'With a few minor exceptions the prohibitions of this enactment are in terms identical to those of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 except that 'age' has been substituted for 'race, color, religion, sex, or national origin'.' 14 McDonnell Douglas, a non-jury case, involved an allegation of racial discrimination in the failure to rehire. Justice Powell, writing for the majority, held that the plaintiff bears the initial burden to establish a prima facie case, a burden met in that case by a showing that (1) plaintiff belonged to a racial minority, (2) that he applied and was qualified for a job for which the employer was seeking applicants, (3) that despite his qualifications he was rejected, and (4) that, after his rejection the position remained open and the employer continued to seek applications from persons with complainant's qualifications. The Court held that after such a prima facie case had been made out, the burden shifted to the employer to 'articulate some legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the employee's rejection.' 411 U.S. at 802, 93 S.Ct. at 1824. Where the employer has done so, the Court held, he has 'discharged his burden of proof at this stage' and met the employee's prima facie case of discrimination. However, the Court held that 'the inquiry must not end here.' The employee, at that point, must be 'afforded a fair opportunity to show that (the employer's) stated reason . . . was in fact pretext.' 411 U.S. at 804, 93 S.Ct. at 1825. 15 Laugesen claims first that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a directed verdict, asserting that he made out a prima facie case of discrimination under McDonnell Douglas v. Green, which shifted the burden to Anaconda to prove non-discrimination, a burden which he claims was not met here. 16 There is, of course, a difference between that state of facts which, if unrebutted, requires the court to direct a verdict and that which merely passes the threshold test of sufficiency, leaving to the jury the ultimate decision based upon its determination of the weight and credibility of the evidence. Laugesen's evidence was at best equivocal. We are convinced that it presented no more than a jury question. The burden was upon him to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he was unlawfully discharged because of his age. Upon the record here, the question of whether he had met this burden was for the jury. Further, if it was incumbent upon Anaconda to 'articulate some legitimate and nondiscriminatory reason' for the discharge, such evidence was in fact introduced by the showing that Laugesen received less favorable ratings than the employee who was retained. 17 The trial judge did not err in denying Laugesen's motion for directed verdict. 18 Laugesen next claims that if he was not entitled to a directed verdict on the basis of McDonnell Douglas v. Green, he was entitled at least to an instruction charging the jury that he had 'made out a prima facie case and the burden of proving non-discrimination shifted to the defendant.' 19 While it may not be unreasonable to assume that in a proper case the guidelines established in McDonnell Douglas v. Green can be applied in age discrimination jury cases, we believe it would be inappropriate simply to borrow and apply them automatically. 20 In the first place, the Supreme Court in that case did not attempt to deal with the problems and procedures inherent in the submission of issues to a jury. 2 Further, in speaking for the majority, Justice Powell expressly recognized that 'The facts necessarily will vary in Title VII cases, and the specification above of the prima facie proof required from respondent is not necessarily applicable in every respect to differing factual situations.' McDonnell Douglas, supra, n. 13 at p. 802, 93 S.Ct. at p. 1824. 3 We do not here decide whether Congress intended that actions under the Age Act must invariably be guided by the law applicable to Title VII cases. That the law is embodied in a separate act and has its own unique history at least counsel the examiner to consider the particular problems sought to be reached by the statute. 4 21 As we view the facts here, the burden was initially upon the plaintiff to prove his claim that he was discharged because of his age. Absent an admission by the defendant or a state of facts so clear that no reasonable person would disagree, the issue remained one for the jury and the burden of proof remained with the plaintiff. We note that the Separation Notice, claimed to be proof of discrimination here, was itself capable of more than one construction. The language, 'too many years on the job' could have meant that the length of service itself, a factor inevitably related to age, was the basis for discharge regardless of performance, and hence would show discrimination. On the other hand if the language, read in context with other comments, meant that the plaintiff had become complacent, this could reflect considerations of merit and ability, rather than age. Viewed in this light, a dispute of fact was created by plaintiff's own proofs, and the burden did not shift. 22 Anaconda's defense was quite simply that it did not discriminate on account of age in discharging Laugesen. Put otherwise, the defense was simply a denial of the truth of plaintiff's allegation, supported by evidence that the reason for the discharge was a need to reduce personnel generally, together with proof that the selection of plaintiff for discharge was based upon the relative merits of two men for the one position which remained. This is not a case in which the defense admits the discrimination but seeks to justify it as a bona fide occupational qualification necessary to the normal operation of the business. That defense is specifically recognized in Section 7 of the Act and is an affirmative defense in Title VII cases, Roberts v. Union Co., 487 F.2d 387 (6th Cir. 1973); Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp., 400 U.S. 542, 91 S.Ct. 496, 27 L.Ed.2d 613 (1971). 23 Accordingly, we hold that the trial court did not err in its instructions pertaining to the burden of proof and that it properly declined to instruct the jury that the burden of proving non-discrimination had at any time shifted to the defendant.