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Chapter9:DiscriminationinEmployment

INTRODUCTION
I.
Constitutional,federal,andstatestatutesprohibitdiscriminationinemploymentbasedon
sex,race,age,colororreligion
II.
TitleVIIoftheCivilRightsActof1964isoneofthemostsignificantlawsaffecting
discriminationinemployment
III.
Theequalprotectionclauseofthe14thAmendmentprovidesprotectionagainstgroup
discriminationandunfairtreatment
EQUALPROTECTIONPROVISIONSOFTHEFOURTEENTHAMENDMENTAND
EMPLOYMENTDISCRIMINATION
I.
Fouraspectsofdueprocess:
A. Procedural
B. Substantive
C. TheVaguenessTestProtectsthosewhoallegediscriminationfromarbitraryor
capriciousactsbytheemployer
1. Lawsorpoliciesareconsideredvagueifapersonofcommonintelligence
hastoguessattheirmeaning
D. ThePresumptionTestInnocentuntilprovenguilty
1. Alegalbasisisessentialtorestrictingordeprivinganindividualoftheir
constitutionalrights
DUEPROCESSSTANDARDSANDEMPLOYMENTDISCRIMINATION
I.
Threelevelbalancingtesttodetermineproceduraldueprocess:
A. Thetestmaybeappliedtodeterminewhetherapersonisactuallyentitledtoa
hearingbeforeactionistaken
B. Thetestmayalsobeusedtodetermineifpreorpostdeprivationisnecessary
C. Thetestmaybeusedtodeterminethestandardandlevelofproofneededto
depriveanindividual
II.
TheprimarytestappliedtosubstantivedueprocessistheVaguenessTest
A. Example:terminationoftenuredteachersrequirespriornoticeandreasonsfor
proposedterminationaswellasopportunityforaffectedemployeetorespondto
charges
III.
Equalprotectionclauseisimportantincasesallegingemploymentdiscrimination
A. Prohibitsstatefromshowingpreferencetoacertainclassofindividuals
B. Whencircumstancesaresimilar,eachpersonmustbetreatedequallyunderthe
14thAmendment
C. Indiscriminationcases,initialburdeniswithplaintifftoshowalaworpolicyis
irrational
1. Burdenthenshiftstoemployertodemonstratecompellingreasonfor
enforcementoflaworpolicy
TITLEVII:DISCRIMINATION(pp.224229)
I.
CivilRightsActof1964TitleVII

A. Preventsemployersfromdiscriminatingbasedonapersonsrace,color,religion,
sexornationalorigin
B. Amendedin1991toallowforcompensatorydamages,punitivedamages,and
jurytrialsincasesofintentionaldiscrimination
II.
Retaliation
A. TitleVIIprohibitsretaliationagainstindividualswhofilediscriminationcharges,
whoparticipateinhearings,orwhoopposeddiscrimination
III.
TransgenderTeachers
A. Mustbetreatedthesameasanyotheremployee
B. Schoolsdonotneedtoembracetransgendervalues,butitisillegalto
discriminateonthebasisofgender
IV.
UnwedPregnantTeachers
A. Courtshavevariedrulingsregardingpregnantunwedteachers
1. 1975courtstruckdownapolicythatautomaticallydisqualifiedparentsof
illegitimatechildrenonthebasisthatunwedparentsarenotnecessarily
improperrolemodelsforstudents.
2. 1976courtupheldschoolofficialsfiringandunwedJuniorHighteacher
becauseallowinghertoremainintheclassroomwouldbeviewedby
studentsascondoningpregnancyoutofwedlock
3. 1979courtstruckdownapolicyofnotrenewingteachercontractswhen
aforeseeableperiodofabsencewaspredicted
4. 1982courtstruckdownschoolofficialsfringandpregnantunwed
teacher,becausetheschoolcouldnotdemonstratethattheteachers
failuretoreportthepregnancyinatimelymannerwouldhaveresultedin
herdismissalifshehadbeenmarried
5. 1986courtoverturnedateacherbeingfiredforbeingpregnantand
unwedonthegroundsthattheteacherhadasubstantivedueprocess
righttoconceiveandraisethechildwithoutintrusionbytheschoolboard
V.
SexualDiscrimination
A. Thecourtsrequiregenderneutraldecisionmakingwhenemployment
opportunitiesareavailable
TITLEIX
I.
Historynotincludingstudents
A. Provisionsmadeforsexualdistinctionsinemploymentwheregendertiesintoa
jobqualification
B. NorthavenBoardofEducationvBellTitleIXdoesapplyandprohibitsexual
discriminationinemployment
II.SchoolboardschallengingTitleIX
A. IfTitleIXappliestoemploymentpracticesofeducationalinstitutions
B. ScopeandcoverageofTitleIXemploymentregulationsareconsistentwithTitle
IXstatues
1. SupremeCourtruleditcoversandprotectsemployeesaswellas
students

III.EducationProgramsandActivities
A. GroveCityCollegevBell
a. StudentsreceivedBasicEducationalOpportunityGrantsfromthe
government,rulingthecollegeneededtocomplywithTitleIXlaws,since
federalmoneyisassistingstudentstogothere
b. Collegerefusedtocomply,thestudentsattendingwerenolongereligible
forBEOGsfromthegovernmentanymore
c. FourstudentsandthecollegefiledsuitagainsttheDepartmentof
Education
d. CourtheldforthecollegeandsaidTitleIXappliesonlytospecific
programsthatreceivefederalassistanceandnottheentireinstitution
e. CivilRightsRestorationActof1988reversedthatdecision,thewhole
institutionneedstocomplytoguidelinesforfederalassistance.Everything
intheschoolisprotectedbyTitleIXifanyactivityreceivesfunding.
THEREHABILITATIONACTOF1973ANDTHEAMERICANSWITHDISABILITIESACTOF
1990(pp.230233)
I.
TheRehabilitationActof1973andtheADAof1990
A. TheADAinconjunctionwithIDEAprotectsindividualswithdisabilitiesagainst
discriminationandensuresequalaccessandequalopportunity.
B. TheRehabilitationActof1973prohibitsdiscriminationagainstaqualifiedperson
whohasadisabilitywithrespecttoemployment,training,compensation,
promotion,fringebenefits,andtermsofemployment
1. Theactalsostatesnopersonshallbeexcludedfromparticipation,
benefits,orsubjectedtodiscriminationifhandicappedthatreceives
federalassistance
2. TheRehabilitationActdoesnotrequireaffirmativeactiononbehalfof
peoplewithdisabilities.
C. ADAcoveragedoesnotapplytoimpairmentsthattransitoryandminor
D. Regulationsincludeexplicitpreemploymentemploymentquestioningnorrequire
applicanttoamedicalexamination.

II. QualificationsforEmployment
A. AnyindividualwithadisabilityisqualifiedforemploymentundertheADA,ifwith
orwithoutreasonableaccommodationstheycanperformthecorefunctionsof
theemployment.Accommodationsarelistedbelow:

1. Facilitiesusedbyemployeesmustbeaccessibleandusableby
individualswithdisabilities.
2.Jobrestructuring,modifiedschedules,reassignmenttovacantpositions,
modificationstoequipment,modificationofexaminations,training
materialsorpolicies,theprovisionofqualifiedreadersorinterpreters,
andsimilaraccommodations.
B. Unduehardshipmeansanactionrequiringsignificantdifficultyorexpense.
1. Thenatureandcostoftheaccommodationneeded.
2. Overallfinancialresourcesofthefacilityinvolvedintheprovision

3. Overallfinancialresourcesifthecoveredentity,overallsizeoftheentity
withrespecttonumberofemployees.
4. Thetypeofoperationoroperationsoftheentity,thesizeofthestructure,
composition,andthefunctionsoftheworkforce.
III. ScopeoftheProtection:Section504andtheADA
A. ADAandRehabilitationActaffectschoolsbyprohibitingdisabilitybased
discrimination.
B. Whenanallegationisbroughtagainstaschooldistrictitisfiledthroughthe

DepartmentofEducation.Ifviolationisfound,federalfundscanbeterminated.
C. Teachers,staffandstudentswithdisabilitiesareprotectedinpublicschools
underbothacts.
D.SupremeCourtupheldrulingbystatingaperson/employeewithacontagious
diseasemaybeconsideredhandicappedundersection504ofthestatute.
E.Thetermshandicapcarriesabroaddefinition.
IV. GenderDiscrimination
A. Kolstadv.AmericanDentalAssociationtheSupremeCourtruledthatan
employersconductneednotbeindependentlyegregioustosatisfyrequirements
forpunitivedamagesinanemploymentdiscriminationincident.
B. Egregiousconductbyanemployerisnotrequiredtopursuecompensatoryand
punitivedamagesunderoftheCivilRights.
THEREHABILITATIONACTOF1973ANDTHEAMERICANSWITHDISABILITIESACTOF
1990(pp.234239)
I.
RacialDiscrimination(endofp.233)
A. Brownv.BoardofEducation:SupremeCourtruledsegregationillegaland
studentscannotbediscriminatedagainsttheiradmittancetopublicschoolonthe
basisofrace.
B. TheequalprotectionclauseoftheFourteenthAmendmentwasreliedonto
eradicatepatternsofracialdiscrimination.
C. Disparatetreatmentmeansthatanemployertreatssomepeoplemore
unfavorablelythanothersregardingemployment
D. Disparateimpactisshowingthatanumberpeopleinasimilarclassareaffected
adverselybyaparticularemploymentpracticeappearsneutral,suchasa
requirementtoallemployeestopassatest
II.
ReligiousDiscrimination
A. ProtectedunderFirstAmendmentemployeesaresupposetoreceivereasonable

accommodationstoanemployeesreligiousobservanceunlessahardshipcan
bedemonstrated.
B.Employercannotlegallyrequireemployeetochoosebetweenhisorherjoband
religion.
III. AgeDiscrimination
A.Primarilyaffectsteachers,ADEAprotectsteachersemployeesovertheageof

40fromagediscrimination.

B.Agecannotbethesolecriterionthatmotivatesaboarddecisiontodiscriminate
againstschoolpersonnel.
IV. GeneticInformationDiscrimination
A.UndertheGeneticInformationNondiscriminationActof2008(GINA),itisillegal

todiscriminateagainstemployeesorapplicantsbecauseofgeneticinformation.
B.Employermayneverusegeneticinformationtorenderanemploymentdecision
becauseitisnotrelevanttohisorherabilitytowork.
C.Itisillegaltofire,demote,orharassanemployeewhofilesadiscrimination

claim.
PREGNANCYANDPUBLICSCHOOLEMPLOYMENT(pp.239240)
I.
PregnancyDiscriminationActof1978(P.L.95555)
A. Protectspregnantemployeesagainstanyformsofdiscriminationbasedon
pregnancy
B. ClevelandBoardofEducationv.LaFleur
a. Courtheldthatmandatorymaternityterminationspecifyingthenumberof
monthsbeforechildbirthviolatedtheEqualProtectionclause
i.
Schoolsmaynotassumethateverypregnantteacherisphysically
unabletoperformherteachingdutiesjustbecausesheisata
certainpointinherpregnancy

SEXUALHARASSMENT(pp.241243)
I.
Primarypurposeistoprotectemployeesintheworkplace
A. Peoplearebecomingawareofsexualharassment
1. Since2000theamountofsexualharassmentcaseshavedecreased
2. Sexualharassmentchargeshavedroppedoverthepast10years
ll.Differenttypesofharassment
A. VerbalHarassment
1. Makingpersonalcommentsaboutaperson'ssexualnature
2. Makingsexualcomments
3. Repeatedlyrequestingdatesandnotacceptingnoasananswer
B.NonverbalHarassment
1. Prolongedstaringataperson
2. Presentingpersonalgiftsfornoreason
3. Throwingkissesorlickingyourlipstowardssomeone
4. Makingsexualgestures
lll.EEOC(EqualEmploymentOpportunityCommission)
A. Anagencythatisinchargeofenforcingfederallawsregardingdiscrimination.
B. EEOCguidelinescovertwotypesofsexualharassment
1. Quidproquo
a.Anemployeeexchangessexualfavorsforjobbenefits
2.Nonquidproquo
b.Ahostileworkspacethataffectstheemployeeswellbeing

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