What decision did the Supreme Court overturn that will effect firefighters in New Haven, CT?
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge. New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said Monday in a 5-4 decision. The city said that it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities. The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide and make it harder to prove discrimination when there is no evidence it was intentional. “Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn. were unfairly denied promotions because of race, overturning a controversial appellate court decision made by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor and two other judges. The court ruled 5-4 in Ricci v. DeStefano, No. 07-1428, that the city of New Haven’s decision to throw out the results of a promotional test violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The decision is seen as having broad impact on hiring decisions made not only by governments but by private businesses. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, arguing “fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions.” Sources: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/06/29/daily8.
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge. Stephen Vladeck, constitutional law professor at American University Washington College of Law, was online Monday, June 29 at 12:15 p.m. ET to discuss today’s Supreme Court ruling which could alter employment practices nationwide. Sources: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/06/29/DI2009062901937.
