Civil and Human Rights Coalition Criticizes Supreme Court Decisions in Employment Discrimination and Harassment Cases

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WASHINGTON — Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement criticizing today’s 5-4 Supreme Court decisions in Vance v. Ball State University, limiting employment discrimination claims by employees and University of Texas Southwest Medical Center v. Nassar, limiting retaliation claims by employees:

“Today’s decisions are deeply troubling and undermine decades of work to advance equal opportunity and end workplace harassment.

In both cases, the Court unfairly imposed a  new, much heavier burden for victims of workplace harassment and discrimination. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said from the bench: ‘Both decisions dilute the strength of Title VII [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964] in ways Congress could not have intended. … Today, the ball again lies in Congress’ court to correct this Court’s wayward interpretations of Title VII.’

The Leadership Conference will continue its work to ensure that the promise of  fairness in the workplace is fully realized.”

Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.