“Reverse discrimination” just got a lot easier to prove.
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling Thursday that reduces the burden of proof that people who are part of a “majority group” must provide when they sue for discrimination and remanded the decision back to the Sixth Circuit.
“This Court’s precedents reinforce that understanding of the statute, and make clear that the standard for proving disparate treatment under Title VII does not vary based on whether or not the plaintiff is a member of a majority group,” the opinion states.
Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson wrote the opinion for the court on Thursday.
At question was the standard of proof that members of majority groups must bring when claiming discrimination, and whether they should be held to a higher standard than members of “protected classes.” The ruling stems from a lawsuit that started in 2020, when Marlean Ames sued her former employer, the Ohio Department of Youth Services, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act for discrimination based on her sexual orientation. Ames, who is straight, alleged that she had been discriminated against by gay superiors.
