Legal Definitions - same-actor inference

Same-actor inference is a legal principle that applies to employment law. It means that if an employee is hired and fired by the same person, and the termination happens within a short time after the hiring, it is assumed that the termination was not based on discriminatory reasons.

For example, if a small business owner hires a new employee and then decides to let them go a week later, it would be assumed that the termination was not based on discrimination. This is because the same person who hired the employee also fired them, and it happened within a short time frame.

Another example could be if a manager hires a new employee and then decides to terminate them a month later. In this case, it may not be assumed that the termination was not based on discriminatory reasons because a month is a longer time frame than what is considered reasonable for same-actor inference.

Same-actor inference is important because it helps protect employers from discrimination claims when they make decisions about hiring and firing employees. It also helps ensure that employees are treated fairly and not discriminated against based on their race, gender, age, or other protected characteristics.