Geduldig v. Aiello
Geduldig v. Aiello is a significant Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of discrimination within state disability benefits in California. The case arose when three state employees challenged California's disability benefits system, which excluded coverage for medical conditions related to pregnancy. They argued that this exclusion violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by discriminating against women. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in a 6-3 decision that the benefits plan was constitutional, asserting that it did not discriminate based on sex since it differentiated between pregnant and non-pregnant individuals. The dissenting opinion, led by Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., highlighted concerns about the fairness of policies that treat physical characteristics related to sex differently. In response to the ruling, Congress enacted the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978 to address the disparities highlighted by the case. This landmark decision and its aftermath reflect ongoing discussions about gender equality and the treatment of women in the workplace.
Geduldig v. Aiello
Date: June 17, 1974
Citation: 417 U.S. 484
Issue: Sex discrimination
Significance: The Supreme Court upheld a California law denying disability benefits to pregnant women, but its ruling was later set aside by federal legislation.
Three state employees challenged California’s disability benefits system, which denied medical benefits to pregnant women, charging that the plan violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Although the California law had been amended to include such benefits by the time the Supreme Court received the case, the Court held six to three that the plan was constitutional and did not discriminate against women because the benefit drew the line between women who were and were not pregnant. Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., dissented, arguing that policies based on differences in physical characteristics linked to sex did not provide equal protection. Congress passed the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act to remedy the Court’s decision.