Ash v. Tyson Foods, Inc.
United States Supreme Court
546 U.S. 454 (2006)
- Written by Nan Futrell, JD
Facts
Ash, a black employee, and another black employee (plaintiffs), alleged that their employer, Tyson Foods, Inc. (Tyson) (defendant), discriminated against them by promoting less qualified white employees instead of the plaintiffs. At trial, the plaintiffs offered evidence showing they were more qualified for the positions than the white employees who received the promotions. [The district court granted Tyson judgment as a matter of law or alternatively ordered a new trial.] The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit found that the plaintiffs’ evidence related to their job qualifications was insufficient to show that Tyson’s asserted reason for not promoting them was pretext, because any disparity in qualifications between the plaintiffs and the promoted white employees was not so stark as to “jump off the page and slap [the court] in the face.” The court of appeals affirmed the judgment for Tyson. The plaintiffs petitioned for United States Supreme Court review.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)
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