Automotive Plant Entitled To Summary Judgment On African-American Employee's Race Discrimination Claim
In this
case, the United States District Court held that an
automotive plant was entitled to summary judgment on an African-American
employee's race discrimination claim. The court found that the employer's
proffered reason for refusing to return the employee to work following medical
leave, because he was unable to perform the essential functions of any job
within his classification with or without accommodation, was legitimate and
nondiscriminatory and shifted the burden to the employee to show that reason was
a pretext for race discrimination. While he could do so through evidence that
two Caucasian employees were both permitted to perform light duty jobs after
they returned from medical leaves of absence, he had come forward with no
specific evidence concerning the nature and extent of any medical restrictions
placed on them at the time they returned to work, i.e., evidence demonstrating
that the Caucasian employees, like him, were subject to extensive medical
restrictions of indefinite and potentially permanent duration.
Manning v. General
Motors