Court Opinion

ID: 9370866
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-14 21:00:38.56254+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:24.437394
License: Public Domain

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                                             PUBLISHED

                             UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                 FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

                                             No. 21-1565

        TAMMY BANDY,

                           Plaintiff - Appellant,

                     v.

        CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA,

                           Defendant - Appellee.

        Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, at
        Roanoke. Michael F. Urbanski, Chief District Judge. (7:19-cv-00826-MFU-RSB)

        Argued: October 28, 2022                                 Decided: February 13, 2023

        Before RICHARDSON and QUATTLEBAUM, Circuit Judges, and FLOYD, Senior
        Circuit Judge.

        Affirmed by published opinion. Senior Judge Floyd wrote the opinion, in which Judge
        Richardson and Judge Quattlebaum joined.

        Terry Neill Grimes, TERRY N. GRIMES, ESQ., PC, Roanoke, Virginia, for Appellant.
        Jeremy E. Carroll, GUYNN WADDELL CARROLL & LOCKABY, P.C., Salem,
        Virginia, for Appellee.
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        FLOYD, Senior Circuit Judge:

               Plaintiff-Appellant Tammy Bandy brought suit against Defendant-Appellee the City

        of Salem, Virginia, alleging that Salem failed to promote her based on her age, in violation

        of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Bandy sought a booking-

        coordinator position at the Salem Civic Center (the Center), but Salem passed her up and

        instead hired a significantly younger candidate. Following discovery, Salem moved for

        summary judgment, which the district court granted. Bandy now appeals. For the reasons

        that follow, we affirm.

                                                      I.

               On January 7, 2019, when she was 52 years old, Bandy applied for the newly open

        position of booking coordinator at the Center, an event venue that Salem owned and

        operated. The position entailed advertising the Center to potential clients as an event space,

        as well as “managing reservations and rentals, preparing contracts, preparing invoices and

        financial records, and related work as apparent or assigned.” J.A. 98. The booking

        coordinator reported directly to Wendy Delano, the Center’s director. The Center’s human

        resources department reviewed all candidates’ applications for the booking coordinator

        position and referred eleven to Delano, who then chose six candidates to interview. On

        February 7, 2019, a committee comprised of Delano, Hank Luton (the then-events

        manager), and Chris Fletcher (the outgoing booking coordinator) interviewed these

        candidates.

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               Bandy was among the six candidates that the committee interviewed. A high-

        school graduate, she worked for Salem as a clerk in the utility billing department for nearly

        two years during the 1980s. She then worked for the Center as a secretary for a little over

        a year and a half, during which time she performed some booking duties similar to those

        required of the booking coordinator. Thereafter, she took a year off work, then worked

        various clerical jobs, was a stay-at-home parent for ten years, and took several part-time

        positions in short stints, mostly in retail. From October 2008 until she resigned in February

        2018, Bandy worked as a part-time box office cashier at the Center. In that position, she

        assisted customers with ticket selection and purchases, answered the phone, and secured

        funds in the Center’s vault, among other responsibilities.

               The committee elected not to hire Bandy. When deposed, Delano, Luton, and

        Fischer all testified that Bandy did not adequately answer their questions during her

        interview and showed little enthusiasm for the booking coordinator’s advertising and

        marketing duties. The committee ultimately choose to hire Jefferson Lee (Lee). Lee—

        who is Luton’s wife’s cousin—was approximately 25 years old when he interviewed. 1 The

        committee members testified that they believed his education, experience, thorough

        preparation for the interview, and positive attitude qualified him for the position.

        Specifically, Lee had a bachelor’s degree in sports business with a minor in

        communications. During college, he worked for his local parks and recreation department

               1
                Delano was aware of this relationship, but she believed that Luton could, and did,
        remain impartial because he had participated in other interview panels for positions for
        which Lee had applied but was not hired.

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        and for various professional sports teams in event planning and promotion. When he

        applied for the booking coordinator position, he was working full time as a high school

        assistant athletics director while completing an online master’s program in executive

        leadership. During the interview, he answered the committee’s questions thoroughly and

        enthusiastically.

               The interview committee ranked Lee as its top candidate and Bandy as fourth. The

        committee’s second- and third-favorite candidates were approximately 44 and 60 years old,

        respectively. 2 A few days after the interview, the Center informed Bandy of its decision

        not to hire her. Bandy testified that Delano later told her that she did not get the job because

        she had previously done the job, was reliable, could use different computer programs, and

        was one of the few candidates qualified for the position. Delano also explained that Salem

        preferred not to promote her since she already worked at the Center.               Bandy was

        understandably confused, as these reasons seemingly weighed in favor of hiring her. When

        deposed, Delano explained that she gave Bandy this positive feedback out of “kindness.”

        J.A. 111:16–21.

               Bandy testified that, on February 14, 2019, Luton told her that although her

        interview went well, the committee selected Lee because he was “much younger and more

        energetic” than Bandy. J.A. 59. When Bandy appeared surprised by that remark, Luton

        explained that Lee had just graduated college. Bandy later informed Delano of Luton’s

               2
                 True, there was some question about the formality of this ranking. But the record
        is clear that the hiring committee assessed Bandy as its fourth-favorite candidate, and it
        viewed a female candidate older than Bandy to be more qualified than her.

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        comment during a conversation that she surreptitiously recorded. Delano responded that

        she believed that Luton was being honest, but he did not control the ultimate outcome of

        the interview process. Recorded Conversation at 13:42–49, ECF No. 15 (“[Luton] is not

        the one that made that decision. We all did. That’s why there’s [sic] three people on the

        panel.”). She also informed Bandy that age did not influence her decision and that Luton’s

        comments bothered her because they did not give enough credit to Lee’s credentials.

        Bandy resigned the same day. Before she left that day, Bandy alleges that Luton harassed

        her by putting his arm around her and asking when they would be celebrating her

        resignation. Bandy’s last day of work at the Center was May 6, 2019.

               On December 10, 2019, Bandy filed her complaint. She alleged age discrimination

        in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621-

        634, as well as constructive discharge. Salem subsequently moved for summary judgment,

        which the district court granted. It found that there was a genuine dispute of material fact

        as to whether the committee as a whole or Delano alone acted as the actual decisionmaker

        in the hiring process. Viewing the disputed facts in a light most favorable to Bandy, it

        assumed that the committee functioned as the actual decisionmaker, and it treated Luton’s

        remarks about Bandy’s age as direct evidence of age discrimination. Nonetheless, the court

        concluded that Bandy had not presented evidence sufficient to create a genuine issue of

        material fact as to whether age was the but-for cause of Salem’s decision not to promote

        her. It highlighted that Lee’s education, experience, and interview performance surpassed

        Bandy’s, and that Bandy was not even among the top three candidates for the position—

        one of whom was older than her.

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                                                      II.

               This Court reviews motions for summary judgment de novo. Bostic v. Schaefer,

        760 F.3d 352, 370 (4th Cir. 2014). Under the federal rules, summary judgment is

        appropriate “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact

        and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). “A fact

        is ‘material’ if proof of its existence or non-existence would affect disposition of the case

        under applicable law.” Wai Man Tom v. Hosp. Ventures LLC, 980 F.3d 1027, 1037 (4th

        Cir. 2020) (quoting Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986)). “An issue

        of material fact is ‘genuine’ if the evidence offered is such that a reasonable jury might

        return a verdict for the non-movant.” Id. (citation omitted). The Court must construe all

        facts and reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.

        Ballengee v. CBS Broad., Inc., 968 F.3d 344, 349 (4th Cir. 2020).

                 The moving party bears the “initial responsibility” of showing that there is no

        genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). If the

        moving party meets that threshold burden, the nonmoving party must then go beyond the

        pleadings and affidavits and show that there are “specific facts showing that there is a

        genuine issue for trial.” Id. at 324. Under this standard, “[t]he mere existence of a scintilla

        of evidence” is insufficient to withstand an adequately supported summary judgment

        motion. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 252. Similarly, “conclusory allegations or denials, without

        more, are insufficient to preclude granting [a] summary judgment motion.” Wai Man Tom,

        980 F.3d at 1037 (citation omitted).

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                                                     III.

               The ADEA prohibits employers from “fail[ing] or refus[ing] to hire or to discharge

        any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual . . . because of such

        individual’s age.” 29 U.S.C. § 623(a)(1). To prevail on an ADEA claim, a plaintiff must

        prove by a preponderance of the evidence that age constituted the but-for cause of the

        adverse employment action. Gross v. FBL Fin. Servs., 557 U.S. 167, 176 (2009). She may

        do so through direct or circumstantial evidence. Id. at 177–78. Importantly, “an employee

        cannot prevail on an age discrimination claim by showing that age was one of multiple

        motives for an employer’s decision; the employee must prove that the employer would not

        have [taken the adverse employment action] in the absence of age discrimination.”

        Westmoreland v. TWC Admin. LLC, 924 F.3d 718, 725 (4th Cir. 2019) (citing Gross, 557

        U.S. at 177).

                                                     A.

               As an initial matter, the district court correctly found that there was a genuine issue

        of material fact regarding whether the interview committee or Delano constituted the actual

        decisionmaker in the hiring process. Bandy asserts that the committee functioned as the

        actual decisionmaker. Consequently, she argues, Luton spoke on the committee’s behalf

        when he made derogatory comments about her age, making his comments direct evidence

        of discrimination.    Salem counters that Delano, not the committee, was the actual

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        decisionmaker, meaning that Luton’s statements constituted only circumstantial evidence

        of age discrimination.

               Employers are not vicariously liable for all of their subordinate employees’

        discriminatory actions. Hill v. Lockheed Martin Logistics Mgmt., 354 F.3d 277, 287 (4th

        Cir. 2004) (en banc), abrogated on other grounds by Gross, 557 U.S. 167. Instead,

        employers are responsible only for acts of the “actual decisionmaker” behind an adverse

        employment action, meaning the individual who “was the one ‘principally responsible’ for

        . . . the action.” Id. at 288–89 (quoting Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530

        U.S. 133, 151–52 (2000)).

               As the district court reasoned, enough evidence existed for a reasonable jury to

        conclude that the committee members oversaw the hiring process together. Some evidence

        indicated that Delano may have been the sole decisionmaker. When deposed, Delano

        represented that she made “the ultimate decision concerning the hiring for the booking

        coordinator position.” J.A. 227:11–13. Similarly, during her recorded conversation with

        Bandy, she stated that she had “the ability to flip that switch,” meaning that her preference

        ultimately outweighed Luton’s and Fischer’s. Recorded Conversation at 13:56–58. Luton

        and Fischer both testified that Delano had the final say over hiring for the position, as well.

        Still, other evidence demonstrated that the committee as a whole was the actual

        decisionmaker. In her post-interview candidate recap, Delano wrote that the committee

        established its preferences together: “[w]e were looking to find someone who (1) had the

        right skill set, (2) fit within the pay structure, and (3) had the right attitude.” J.A. 199.

        (emphasis added). Further, when speaking with Bandy, Delano also explained that “we

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        all” made the decision to hire Lee and “that’s why there’s [sic] three people on the panel.”

        Recorded Conversation at 13:41–48 (emphasis added). Likewise, Bandy herself testified

        that Luton spoke in the third person about the committee, stating, “we hired my wife’s

        cousin; he’s much younger and energetic.” J.A. 59:6–7 (emphasis added). Viewing this

        evidence in a light most favorable to Bandy, the district court correctly assumed that the

        entire interview committee, not just Delano, was the decisionmaker in the hiring process.

                                                    B.

               All the same, Bandy’s age-discrimination claim still fails because no reasonable

        juror could find that, but for her age, Salem would have promoted her. See Gross, 557 U.S.

        at 176; Westmoreland, 924 F.3d at 725. Bandy presents Luton’s comment that the

        committee hired Lee over her because Lee was younger and more energetic as direct

        evidence of age discrimination. Direct evidence is “evidence of conduct or statements that

        both reflect directly the alleged discriminatory attitude and that bear directly on the

        contested employment decision.” Taylor v. Va. Union Univ., 193 F.3d 219, 232 (4th Cir.

        1999) (en banc) (citation omitted), abrogated on other grounds by Desert Palace, Inc. v.

        Costa, 539 U.S. 90, 98 (2003). We have previously applied the Fifth Circuit’s test from

        Jackson v. Cal-Western Packaging Corp., 602 F.3d 374 (5th Cir. 2010), to determine

        whether derogatory comments were direct evidence of age discrimination. See Cole v.

        Fam. Dollar Stores of Md., 811 F. App’x 168, 175 (4th Cir. 2020) (applying the Jackson

        test); Arthur v. Pet Dairy, 593 F. App’x 211, 219 (4th Cir. 2015) (per curiam) (same).

        Because that test is consistent with our precedent, we adopt it here. Under Jackson,

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        derogatory comments constitute direct evidence of discrimination if they are “(1) related

        to the protected class of persons of which the plaintiff is a member; (2) proximate in time

        to the complained-of adverse employment decision; (3) made by an individual with

        authority over the employment decision at issue; and (4) “related to the employment

        decision at issue.” Jackson, 602 F.3d at 380 (citation omitted). Here, Luton’s comment

        directly evinces age discrimination, as it was (1) related to Bandy’s age, (2) proximate in

        time to Salem’s decision to hire Lee over Bandy, (3) made by a member of the committee

        with authority over the hiring process, and (4) related to Salem’s decision to hire Lee over

        Bandy.

               Bandy also presented some circumstantial evidence of age discrimination, including

               (1) Delano’s hiring and promotion of younger men, including Luton and
               Fischer; (2) Delano’s allegedly intentional exclusion of an HR staff member
               from the Booking Coordinator interview committee; (3) Delano’s surprise
               and alleged awkwardness upon hearing that Bandy was applying for the
               Booking Coordinator position; (4) Luton’s familial relationship with Lee;
               and (5) the lack of age discrimination training prior to Bandy’s lawsuit.

        Bandy v. City of Salem, No. 7:19-cv-00826, 2021 WL 1081123, at *6 (W.D. Va. Mar. 19,

        2021). 3

               3
                  When a plaintiff relies on circumstantial evidence to prove an ADEA claim, courts
        apply the burden-shifting framework laid out in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411
        U.S. 792 (1973). First, the plaintiff must establish a prima facie case of discrimination or
        retaliation. Westmoreland, 924 F.3d at 725. “Specifically, she must prove that (1) at the
        time of her firing, she was at least 40 years of age; (2) she was qualified for the job and
        performing in accordance with her employee’s legitimate expectations; (3) her employer
        nonetheless [took an adverse action against] her; and (4) a substantially younger individual
        with comparable qualifications replaced her.” Id. (citation omitted). Second, if the plaintiff
        establishes a prima facie case, then the burden shifts to the defendant to show a legitimate
        non-discriminatory or non-retaliatory reason for the adverse employment action. Id.
        (citation omitted). Third, if the defendant shows such a reason, then the burden shifts back

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               But, despite this direct and circumstantial evidence, she has not shown that a

        reasonable juror could find that age was the but-for reason for Salem’s decision not to

        promote her. Gross, 557 U.S. at 177 (simplified). Bandy asserts that Delano preferred to

        hire “young men” and “stacked” the interview committee against her by excluding human

        resources representatives and including Luton (Lee’s cousin) and Fischer (Luton’s “best

        friend”). Opening Br. at 1, 3, ECF No. 12. These assertions amount to little more than

        speculation. Human resources remained involved in the hiring process and screened every

        applicant to ensure that they were minimally qualified. Moreover, Bandy was not even

        among the top three candidates for the position, and one of the candidates ranked ahead of

        her was, in fact, a woman older than her. Crucially, the evidence demonstrated that the

        interview committee hired Lee over Bandy for a number of legitimate reasons: his job

        experience, particularly in promotion and marketing; higher education in sports,

        communication, and executive leadership; sales background; enthusiasm; and preparation.

        As Bandy points out, Lee held many short-term positions, like her. And as she also notes,

        the hiring committee previously found Lee not qualified when he applied for the same

        position. But since that time, he gained additional experience as an assistant high school

        to the plaintiff to prove that the reason was pretextual. Id. at 726 (citation omitted). By
        contrast, when a plaintiff asserts direct evidence of discrimination, this framework does
        not apply, and the plaintiff “may prevail without proving all the elements of a prima facie
        case.” Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N.A., 534 U.S. 506, 511 (2002) (citation omitted). This
        case involves both kinds of evidence. But, regardless of whether we apply McDonnell
        Douglas, we still find that Salem was entitled to summary judgment because Bandy did
        not show that she would have been promoted but for her age. See Gross, 557 U.S. at 177–
        78 (regardless of the type of evidence she presents, a plaintiff must prove but-for causation
        under the ADEA).

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        athletics director and completing the master’s program in leadership. The record indicates

        that Lee’s positions provided him with highly relevant knowledge of, and experience in,

        sales, marketing, and client relations—knowledge and experience that Bandy lacked. For

        these reasons, the district court properly found that Bandy’s evidence did not create a

        genuine dispute of material fact as to whether, absent age discrimination, Salem would

        have promoted her. 4

                                                    IV.

               Because no reasonable jury could find that Salem did not promote Bandy because

        of her age, we affirm the judgment of the district court.

                                                                                     AFFIRMED

               4
                Bandy does not address her constructive discharge claim in her opening brief.
        During oral argument, her counsel stated that she intended to waive that claim.

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