Opinion ID: 3003137
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Promotional Process

Text: For each job opening, a City employee interviewed Stephens and several other candidates. The interviewers used a standard Hiring Criteria Rating Form, on which they rated each candidate based on a variety of metrics, such as the applicant’s prior supervisory experience, and then calculated an overall numeric score. The interviewers, who did not have authority to hire, then recommended that the candidate with the highest score receive the promotion. Defendant Michael Picardi, the Commissioner of Fleet,2 possessed the final hiring authority for all positions within the department. Picardi explained, however, that he often delegated his authority over personnel decisions to Al Fattore, then the Deputy Commissioner of Administrative Services. Typically, after Fattore obtained approval from the City to fill an open position, he would direct Laura Johnston, an administrative services officer, to generate an interview list from the Department of Personnel, schedule interviews, and assemble the necessary paperwork. After the interviews, Johnston would review the Rating Forms and prepare a hiring package for the candidate whom the interviewer rated the highest. Johnston possessed the authority to sign Commissioner Picardi’s name on the hiring form to approve the candi- 2 In August 2005, subsequent to these events, Picardi was appointed to serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Streets and Sanitation. No. 08-1416 5 date’s hire. Stephens agreed when opposing defendants’ motion for summary judgment that Picardi did not delegate the final hiring authority to Fattore or Johnston, a position he maintains on appeal. Finally, Picardi testified that he and his delegates relied exclusively on an interviewer’s hiring recommendation, and that during his tenure at Fleet, he had never overruled such a recommendation. In the case before us, the highest-rated candidate was selected for each open position. Picardi testified that he did not discuss the promotions in question with anyone, including the interviewers, and he was not personally involved in the promotional decisions.