Real Story of Discriminatory Hiring and Promotion

In May 1996, Robin Laderach began working as a part-time driver for U-Haul. In June, she was promoted to the position of part-time detailer and part-time office clerk. She was promoted again in August, to the position of full-time senior office clerk in the repair shop. When her supervisor, the repair shop manager, left his position in November, Robin continued to perform her job functions as senior office clerk and also completed much of the clerical work that her former supervisor had performed.

In December, Robin wrote to Robert Gilray (who was her supervisor in the absence of a repair shop manager), requesting to be considered for the vacant managerial position. Two men also applied for the repair shop manager position. One was a mechanic in the repair shop and the other was a gas station owner.

In February of 1997, Gilray promoted the mechanic to manager and fired Robin. Robin sued U-Haul, alleging that she was denied the promotion because of her gender. Robin argued that she had a perfect employment record with U-Haul, had been told to apply for the managerial position by a repair shop manager at another branch who felt she was qualified, and that she was qualified for the position. Gilray admitted that he did not promote her because she was a woman and that women are not mechanically inclined. The trial court decided that Robin hadn't shown enough evidence to prove that Gilray's refusal to promote her was based on her sex, but on appeal the court found that there was enough evidence of discrimination for trial.

Laderach v. U-Haul of Northwestern Ohio (C.A.6 2000), 207 F.3d 825.