A recent ruling by the Supreme Court represents a big win for employees and workplace equality. The court ruled in favor of plaintiff Jatonya Clayborn Muldrow, who sued her employer, the city of St. Louis, for violating Title VII by transferring her to a new position and then denying a requested transfer because of her sex. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prevents employers from discriminating against employees when making decisions like lateral transfers. It further prevents them from requiring employees to prove that a discriminatory decision caused “significant” disadvantage.
In Muldrow’s case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit initially found Muldrow’s claim that her transfer affected the “conditions” of her employment to be insufficient. She was told she also needed to establish that her reassignment or denied transfer created a “material employment disadvantage.” The court has a track record for denying meritorious discrimination claims that don’t prove a heightened threshold of harm. However, Title VII imposes no such requirement, and the Supreme Court’s recent decision on this case reflects that.
Pregent Law commends the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Muldrow’s claim according to the true intention of the Title VII act. This ruling goes a long way towards protecting employee rights and promoting greater equality in the workplace.My firm specializes in all matters of employment law. If you need a Massachusetts employment lawyer for an employment-related grievance, I encourage you to contact me for a free consultation.
