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Keywords

plaintifflitigationliabilitydiscriminationpartnership
plaintifflitigationliabilitydiscriminationpartnership

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Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins

Facts

Ann Hopkins was a senior manager at Price Waterhouse who was proposed for partnership in 1982. Her candidacy was held for reconsideration the following year, and when the partners later refused to repropose her, she sued for sex discrimination under Title VII. The lower courts ruled in her favor, finding that the firm had discriminated against her based on sex in its partnership decisions, particularly due to comments that reflected gender stereotyping.

Ann Hopkins was a senior manager at Price Waterhouse who was proposed for partnership in 1982. Her candidacy was held for reconsideration the following year, and when the partners later refused to repropose her, she sued for sex discrimination under Title VII. The lower courts ruled in her favor, finding that the firm had discriminated against her based on sex in its partnership decisions, particularly due to comments that reflected gender stereotyping.

Issue

The main legal issue was whether an employer could avoid liability for discrimination under Title VII by proving that it would have made the same employment decision even if it had not considered the employee's gender.

The main legal issue was whether an employer could avoid liability for discrimination under Title VII by proving that it would have made the same employment decision even if it had not considered the employee's gender.

Rule

The court ruled that conventional rules of civil litigation apply in Title VII cases, meaning that a plaintiff must prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence, and if the plaintiff shows that gender was a motivating factor, the employer must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have made the same decision regardless of gender.

The court ruled that conventional rules of civil litigation apply in Title VII cases, meaning that a plaintiff must prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence, and if the plaintiff shows that gender was a motivating factor, the employer must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have made the same decision regardless of gender.

Analysis

The court analyzed the evidence presented, noting that while Price Waterhouse had legitimate concerns about Hopkins' interpersonal skills, many negative comments about her were rooted in gender stereotypes. The court concluded that the firm had not sufficiently disavowed reliance on these impermissible comments, thus allowing discrimination to play a role in the decision-making process.

The court analyzed the evidence presented, noting that while Price Waterhouse had legitimate concerns about Hopkins' interpersonal skills, many negative comments about her were rooted in gender stereotypes. The court concluded that the firm had not sufficiently disavowed reliance on these impermissible comments, thus allowing discrimination to play a role in the decision-making process.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case, holding that the employer must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that its decision was not motivated by discrimination.

The Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case, holding that the employer must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that its decision was not motivated by discrimination.

Who won?

The plaintiff, Ann Hopkins, prevailed in the case because the court found that her gender had played a motivating role in the employment decision and that the employer failed to prove it would have made the same decision absent discrimination.

The plaintiff, Ann Hopkins, prevailed in the case because the court found that her gender had played a motivating role in the employment decision and that the employer failed to prove it would have made the same decision absent discrimination.

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