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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971)
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A quick definition of Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971):
Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971) was a court case that decided that even if an employer did not mean to discriminate, their hiring practices could still be unfair to certain groups of people. The court said that the goal of the Civil Rights Act was to make sure everyone had equal opportunities for jobs, and that employers should not have rules that unfairly keep certain groups of people from getting hired. In this case, the employer's requirement for a high school diploma and a certain score on a test made it harder for African American people to get hired, which was against the law.
A more thorough explanation:
Griggs v. Duke Power Co. is a landmark case in the United States that established that neutral employment practices that have a discriminatory effect can violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, even if the employer did not intend to discriminate.
For example, in this case, Duke Power Co. required its employees to have a high school diploma and pass an aptitude test to be eligible for certain jobs. However, this requirement disproportionately affected African American applicants who had been denied access to quality education in the past. As a result, the Supreme Court ruled that Duke Power Co.'s policy was discriminatory and violated Title VII.
The Griggs v. Duke Power Co. case illustrates the importance of removing artificial, arbitrary, and unnecessary barriers to employment that operate invidiously to discriminate on the basis of race or other impermissible classifications. It also highlights the need to promote equality of employment opportunities and remove barriers that have historically favored certain groups over others.