Court Applied Overly Narrow Construction Of “Similarly Situated" Standard
Willie J. Jackson filed a complaint against FedEx alleging he was discriminated against based on his race in violation of Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The district court dismissed Jackson's case. On appeal, the 6th Circuit reversed, holding that in finding there were no similarly situated individuals with whom Jackson could be compared for purposes of establishing a prima facie case of race discrimination, the district court judge improperly defined the relevant factors of the “similarly situated” standard based solely upon narrow job functions and the employer's stated project requirements, leading to a reading of the similarly situated standard that was too narrow and restrictive.
Jackson v. FedEx
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals’ jurisdiction includes Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.