00-3128 Logan v. Kautex Textron North America

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“The three incidents that Logan points to are not enough to satisfy her burden. The first comment by Finley demeaning interracial dating was not even directed at Logan, but was made during a conversation among all the individuals on the assembly line. In fact, when Finley was told to shut up, he did so. Statements ‘made in the context of random office banter … do not constitute evidence of intent to fire for an impermissible reason.’ Robin v. Espo Eng’g Corp., 200 F.3d 1081, 1089 (7th Cir. 2000). The second comment by Finley, that blacks could get lynched in a particular part of town, although we have no doubt it made Logan uncomfortable, was in no way causally related to the decisionmaking process, and therefore, does not support a finding that she was discharged because of her race. Id. The third comment that, Logan better get along with him if she wanted to keep her job, has no racial overtones but is pertinent because Finley actually participated in the vote as to whether to retain Logan. If Finley was the sole decisionmaker, Kautex would have a problem. However, five other people voted and all of them either mentioned Logan’s attitude or problem with being a team player, and three of those five specifically recommended that Kautex not hire her. Logan has failed to present any evidence that Finley’s vote counted more than the others, that he controlled the actions of the other co-workers, or that the other co-workers even knew that Logan had complained to management about Finley’s comments.”

Affirmed.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Lee, J., Williams, J.