Ramsey v. Cent. State Univ. Bd. of Trustees

Citations

• 2025 Ohio 2171

Syllabus

Civ. R. 56; Motions for Summary Judgment; R.C. 4112; sex-based discrimination. Plaintiff, a woman, was demoted from her position at Central State University. Shortly thereafter, she left the University and her role was reassigned to another woman. Plaintiff sued Defendant under R.C. 4112, alleging sex discrimination. Plaintiff presented circumstantial, rather than direct, evidence to support her claim. With said evidence construed in favor of Plaintiff, Plaintiff's sex discrimination claims could not be maintained. First, while Plaintiff suffered an adverse employment action, she failed to introduce necessary evidence to substantiate her contention that she was treated differently from her male coworkers. Second, Plaintiff's assertion that she was subject to a hostile work environment was supported by evidence that was either too vague to justify an inference of discrimination or that was unrelated to her sex entirely. As such, Plaintiff failed to establish any indicia of discriminatory animus on behalf of Defendant. Finally, even if Plaintiff had established a prima facie case of sexual discrimination, Plaintiff failed to set forth any evidence that Defendant's demotion of Plaintiff was pretext for unlawful discrimination based upon sex. Accordingly, Defendant's motion for summary judgment was granted.