Opinion ID: 2470930
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Job-Related and Less Discriminatory Alternative

Text: The next component of the Ricci strong-basis-in-evidence standard requires that the employer show, for each disputed employment practice, a strong basis in evidence either that the practice was not job-related or that there was a less discriminatory alternative to that practice. See Ricci, 129 S.Ct. at 2678. The district court considered evidence concerning job-relatedness and less discriminatory alternatives neither for the challenged exams, nor for the recruiting practices. See NYC Board III, 448 F.Supp.2d at 426 n. 37. On remand, the district court should determine whether the City Defendants had a strong basis in evidence that each of the three challenged exams was not job-related or had a less discriminatory alternative. [63] See supra Part V.A.1. Whether the district court needs to make such a determination with respect to the two challenged recruiting practices depends on whether the recruiting defense survives the initial, prima facie case/strong-basis-in-evidence of prima facie case, step of the Ricci inquiry.