Extensive managerial background
A female manager who denied a promotion to a male employee had said a few months earlier “that’s what we need [around here], a little more diversity.” The statement had been made in response to her learning that an African American female had been hired. All three candidates (the plaintiff, another male, and a female) had the experience of having been temporarily assigned in the past to the position in question, Manager of Vehicle Maintenance. The two male candidates were judged to have extensive technical backgrounds but to be lacking in managerial skills. The manager defended the hiring of the female candidate by saying that although her experience in the vehicle maintenance area was limited, she had extensive managerial back- ground. However, both the successful female and the rejected male candidate had a total of thirteen years of managerial experience. The manager also found that the female candidate performed better in her interview. At the time of the promotion, the female employee was in a lower pay grade than the male plaintiff. What should the court decide? Why? (Plumb v. Potter, 212 Fed. Appx. 472 (6th Cir. 2007))
