Dennis Walker v. Abbott Laboratories

POSNER, Circuit Judge.

The district judge granted summary judgment for the defendant in this suit charging racial discrimination in employment in violation of federal law. The plaintiff, Walker, who is black, is a National Accounts Manager (i.e., a sales manager) in the Hospital Products Division of Abbott Laboratories, the defendant. Walker was at salary grade 18. Two new positions as NAMs in that division opened up, but Abbott decided that someone appointed to one of these positions could, if his or her qualifications warranted, be given a salary grade of 20 rather than 18 although the…