On Tuesday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit refused to reinstate a lawsuit filed by Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire Angel Hernandez against the league. Hernandez had alleged that MLB had discriminated against him on the basis of race and national origin.
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2017, and Hernandez claimed that MLB had passed him over for promotions and assignments due to his Cuban heritage. He also alleged that MLB had retaliated against him for filing a separate discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The district court dismissed Hernandez’s lawsuit in 2018, finding that he had failed to provide sufficient evidence of discrimination or retaliation. Hernandez then appealed to the Sixth Circuit, but the appeals court upheld the district court’s decision.
In its ruling, the appeals court noted that Hernandez had failed to provide any direct evidence of discrimination or retaliation. The court also noted that MLB had provided evidence that Hernandez had been passed over for promotions and assignments due to his performance, not his race or national origin.
This ruling is a major setback for Hernandez, who had hoped to prove that MLB had discriminated against him. However, it is also a victory for MLB, which has long denied any wrongdoing in this case.
The ruling serves as a reminder that discrimination claims must be backed up with solid evidence in order to be successful. It also shows that even if an employee feels they have been discriminated against, they must be able to prove it in order to prevail in court.
