Federal Law Equally Protects Majority and Minority Group Members from Discrimination

On June 5, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) held that all employees — members of majority and minority groups alike — face the same legal standard when bringing a workplace discrimination claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Title VII is the main federal anti-discrimination statute in the United States.

The case, Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, addressed whether a court could require a majority group member — in this case, the plaintiff Ames was a heterosexual woman — to show special “background circumstances to support the suspicion that the defendant is that unusual employer who discriminates against the majority.”  SCOTUS struck down the “background circumstances” rule, because it required employees from majority groups to meet a higher burden of proof than other workers.  The decision emphasized that Title VII protects “any individual” from discrimination, regardless of their majority or minority group status.  

Additional Resources

The decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, 145 S. Ct. 1540 (2025) is available here.

Questions

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