Supreme Court Eases Standard for Majority Bias Claims

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that majority-group employees, such as straight individuals, cannot be held to a higher evidentiary standard than minority-group employees when alleging workplace discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The decision, arising from Marlean Ames's case against the Ohio Department of Youth Services, overturns precedent from several federal circuits that imposed a 'background circumstances' requirement on majority-group claimants. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that Title VII protects all individuals equally, barring courts from imposing special requirements based on group status. The ruling could lead to more 'reverse discrimination' lawsuits and comes at a time of national debate and backlash against DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives. Employment lawyers and corporations are monitoring the ruling's impact on workplace discrimination litigation. Ames's case now returns to the Sixth Circuit for further proceedings under the clarified standard.