United States Fourth Circuit

To survive summary judgment, an aggrieved employee who rests a Title VII or ADEA discrimination claim upon the discriminatory motivations of a subordinate employee must present sufficient evidence that the subordinate possessed such authority as to be viewed as the one principally responsible for the decision or as the actual decisionmaker for the employer.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/05/2004
• Published 01/05/2004

Judges

• Before WIDENER, WILKINSON, NIEMEYER, LUTTIG, WILLIAMS, MICHAEL, MOTZ, TRAXLER, KING, GREGORY, and SHEDD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:Ronald A. Rayson, Knoxville, TN, for Appellant.  Susan R. Oxford, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae Commission.  Andreas Neal Satterfield, Jr., Haynsworth, Baldwin, Johnson & Greaves, L.L.C., Greenville, SC, for Appellee. ON BRIEF:  David A. Burkhalter, II, Knoxville, TN, for Appellant.  Nicholas M. Inzeo, Acting Deputy General, Philip B. Sklover, Associate General, Lorraine C. Davis, Assistant General, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae Commission.  Stephen A. Bokat, Robin S. Conrad, Ellen D. Bryant, National Chamber Litigation Center, Inc., Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae Chamber of Commerce;  Ann Elizabeth Reesman, Katherine Y.K. Cheung, Mcguiness, Norris & Williams, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae Council.