Opinion ID: 532991
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prior Promotional Litigation

Text: 11 In 1980 Black firefighters filed complaints with the California Department of Fair Employment Housing (DFEH). They alleged that the 1978 exam for promotions to lieutenant was discriminatory. Following an administrative hearing, the DFEH's successor, the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC), determined the 1978 exam had an adverse impact on Blacks and the City had failed to show the exam was job-related. See City and County of San Francisco v. Fair Employment and Housing Comm'n [FEHC], 191 Cal.App.3d 976, 981, 236 Cal.Rptr. 716 (1987) (upholding FEHC decision because supported by substantial evidence) (FEHC ). 12 The state court of appeals concluded that the FEHC had established a prima facie case of discrimination based on a significant disparity between the passing rates of White and Black applicants. Under the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, 29 C.F.R. 1607.4(D) (1988), a selection rate among minority applicants of less than 80% of the group with the highest selection rate (usually Whites) is strong evidence of adverse discrimination. On the 1978 lieutenant promotion exam, the ratio of the pass rate of Blacks to that of Whites was 38%; the pass rate ratio was 65% for Hispanics and 13% for Asian/other firefighters. Davis III, 696 F.Supp. at 1294. 13 The court further found that the primary component of a lieutenant's job was supervision. Consequently, the City had failed to show the exam was job-related because it did not test supervisory skills and the City had shown no correlation between exam results and performance as a lieutenant. FEHC, 191 Cal.App.3d at 990, 236 Cal.Rptr. 716. 14