Document: 444 U.S. 598 100 S.Ct. 814 63 L.Ed.2d 55 CALIFORNIA BREWERS ASSOCIATION et al., Petitioners,v.Abram BRYANT al. No. 78-1548. Feb. 20, 1980. Rehearing Denied April 14, See 445 973, 1672. Syllabus As an exception to the rule making it unlawful for employer engage in practices, procedures, or tests that operate "freeze" status quo of prior discriminatory employment § 703(h) Title VII Civil Rights Act 1964 provides shall not be practice apply different standards compensation, terms, conditions, privileges pursuant a bona fide seniority system if such differences are result intention discriminate because race. A multiemployer brewery industry collective-bargaining agreement accorded greater benefits, with respect hiring and layoffs, "permanent" than "temporary" employees, provided temporary employee must work at least 45 weeks single calendar year before he can become permanent employee. Respondent Bryant (hereafter respondent), Negro, brought class action District Court against petitioner association, employers, several labor unions, alleging, inter alia, defendants had discriminated him other Negroes violation VII, and, particular agreement's 45-week requirement operated preclude members his from achieving, reasonable opportunity status. The dismissed complaint failure state claim on which relief could granted. Appeals reversed, holding was "seniority system" part within meaning 703(h), accordingly remanded case enable respondent prove has impact Negroes. Held: erred is component 703(h). fact created by establishes two parallel ladders, one allocating benefits due employees identifying owed does prevent being requirement, correspondingly, serves needed function establishing threshold entry into track. Cf. Teamsters v. United States, 431 324, 97 1843, 52 396. Unlike criteria as educational standards, aptitude physical tests, give effect subjectivity, but like any "seniority" rule, focuses length employment. Moreover, distort operation basic established agreement, rewards longevity heightened since, general more accumulates, likely will able satisfy requirement. Pp. 605-611. 585 F.2d 421, vacated remanded. Willard Z. Carr, Jr., Los Angeles, Cal., petitioners, Roland P. Wilder, Washington, D. C., Union respondents supporting petitioners. James Wolpman, Palo Alto, Abram Bryant. Lawrence G. Wallace, amicus curiae, special leave Court. Mr. Justice STEWART delivered opinion 1 19641 makes unlawful, "operate 'freeze' practices." Griggs Duke Power Co., 401 424, 430, 91 849, 853, 28 158. To this Act, 42 U.S.C. 2000e-2(h), exception: 2 "[I]t . system, race ." 3 In 352, 1863, 396, held "the unmistakable purpose make clear routine application would under even where employer's pre-Act discrimination resulted whites having existing rights Negroes."2 4 present concerns clause California agreement. That accords question Ninth Circuit 421. We granted certiorari consider important presented 1964. 442 916, 99 2835, 61 282. 5 * 1973, filed States Northern California, behalf himself similarly situated Negroes, Brewers Association seven brewing companies (petitioners here), well unions. alleged 1964, 2000e seq., 1981.3 6 complaint, amended, been intermittently employed since May 1968 defendants, Falstaff Brewing Corp. It charged all defendant employers past unions acted concert discrimination, referring applicants halls employers. further asserted historical perpetuated referral provisions (Agreement) governed industrial relations plants particular, alleged, Agreement's reach had, practical matter, putative status.4 Finally, occasion passed over favor junior white workers referrals job vacancies plant 7 Agreement negotiated 20 years ago, thereafter updated, (on companies) Brewery Soft Drink Workers Joint Board unions). classes respective each layoffs. Three these pertinent here: "permanent," "temporary," "new" employees. 8 "any who completed forty-five classification5 [the State California]." An acquires retains unless "is consecutive period (2) years. ."6 person worked preceding sixty (60) working days. " new 9 layoffs depend substantial their permanent, temporary, employees.7 requires laid off following order: reverse order plant, seniority, then seniority. Once off, rehired they were off. 10 also gives "bumping" rights. If subject Agreement, may dispatched union hall same local area right replace lowest plant. 11 obtain through fill vacancies. dispatch laid-off first, employer; second, registered seniority; third, industry; fourth, "shall have full selection among" 12 defendants' motions dismiss No accompanied order. divided panel concluding VII. appellate court's view provision "lacks fundamental concept should increase employee's service increases." F.2d, 426. court pointed out some acquire after total only those served year, while others "could many never attain always terminated few days completing year." Id., 426-427. 13 concluded "while collective bargaining contain it." 427: 14 "The simply classification device determine enters line system. Otherwise policy (e. g., academic degree requirement) merit promotion) merely affects line." 427, n. 11.8 15 Accordingly, enunciated 427-428.9 II 16 define term system," no comprehensive definition phrase emerges legislative history 703(h).10 our cases purported delineate contours its meaning.11 appropriate, therefore, begin commonly accepted notions about relations, concepts context country's policy. 17 connotes employment.12 scheme that, alone tandem non-"seniority" criteria,13 allots ever improving relative lengths increase.14 methods opportunities, subjective evaluations requirements, principal feature every preferential treatment dispensed basis measure time 18 Viewed whole, most relevant us conform core "seniority." determined according respects, respects. Notwithstanding fact, viewed, purposes what might otherwise considered system." For reasons follow, we hold conclusion incorrect. 19 First, legislating "systems"15 Congress quite evidently intended exempt normal components viewed isolation, embody effectuate principle rewarded. all, ancillary rules accomplish certain necessary functions, themselves directly related employment.16 instance, include how when clock begins ticking,17 specify person's forfeited.18 Every passages "count" towards accrual not.19 must, moreover, particularize types conditions influenced not.20 Rules serve do fall outside not, themselves, factor involving passage time.21 Second, backdrop Nation's longstanding leaving chosen representatives freedom establish applicable business environment. generally Steelworkers Weber, 443 193, 2721, 480. behoove second-guess either process products. Porter Co. NLRB, 397 99, 90 821, 25 146. Seniority systems, reflecting do, take free bargaining, specific characteristics industry, inevitably come sizes shapes. Ford Motor Huffman, 345 330, 73 681, L.Ed. 1048; Aeronautical Lodge Campbell, 337 521, 69 1287, 93 1513. made case, "measured number ways" suggest enacted prefer variety other. U.S., 355, 41, S.Ct., 1865. 21 What said mean given scope risks swallowing up VII's broad prohibition "practices, tests" disproportionately affect groups protects. Significant afforded create differing systems. But allowed sweep ambit depart fundamentally concerning acceptable dubbed nexus arrangement concededly operates There doubt, entering track took form prerequisite intendment 22 principles hand straightforward. sets out, part, ladders. One allocates employees; identifies propriety tracks cannot doubted Court's decision case. issue there allotted set company, another category. Just separation did derogate identification so ladders section. 23 permanent-employee such, performs driver began accrue started driver, though previously spent city employer. Teamsters, expressed reservation purposes. reason why here differently. 24 significantly standard, test, standard subjectivity. criteria, benefits. chances achieving accumulate. first choice jobs available Similarly, enjoy greatest security nearby plants. correlation between accumulated acquisition imperfect Under contingencies illnesses interrupt delay realization advantages dependent upon it.22 26 reasons, conclude error remain show "bona fide," produced race." 27 stated, judgment vacated, proceedings consistent opinion. ordered. 29 POWELL STEVENS consideration 30 MARSHALL, whom BRENNAN BLACKMUN join, dissenting. 31 largely whether Permanent facility, permitted senior nonpermanent covered facility area. selected They exclusive supplemental unemployment layoff receive higher wages vacation pay performed times, less rigorous requirements qualifying holiday pay, access veterans' reinstatement rights, priority assignment overtime among bottlers. 32 According Bryant's Negro attained industry.1 33 defines "who State." works 44 per entire life remains By contrast, attains This simple belies "does 'seniority.' Ante, 609. Since I am unable agree dissent. 34 Neither nor system."2 therefore correct defined reference "commonly 'seniority' relations" "in policy." 605. Those notions," however, lead today. And believe policies support holding, instead require rejected. 35 complicated one. principle, recognizes, ante, 606, service. reflected very term, found dictionaries3 treatises articles field relations.4 quote sources purports rely today: "Seniority preference based services longest best opportunities advancement." Aaron, Reflections Legal Nature Enforceability Rights, 75 Harv.L.Rev. 1532, 1534 (1962). variations combinations great, service, worker." Cooper & Sobol, Testing Fair Employment Laws: General Approach Objective Criteria Hiring Promotion, 82 1598, 1602 (1969). grants long-service almost expense short-service [S]eniority service." E. Beal, Wickersham, Kienast, Practice Collective Bargaining 430 (1972). 36 hardly surprising uniformly terms cumulative accord underlying recognition objective ascertain protections, thus reducing likelihood arbitrariness caprice decisions. At time, promotes stability certainty furnishing predictable method future position. See, e. Sayles, Seniority: Internal Problem Harv.Bus.Rev. (1952); C. Golden H. Ruttenberg, Dynamics Industrial Democracy 128-131 (1973); supra, 1604-1605. 37 concedes point, recognizing 'seniority system' non-'seniority' increase." 605-606 (footnote omitted). my view, concession dispositive ensure "ever improving" increases. Indeed, incidentally rule. unpredictable. period, vacation, leaves absence, lost injury sickness, represents 90% year. Even relatively temporaries, ability rest large fortuities control. obvious prevented attaining status—a barely referred Court—is seasonal becoming replacement unexpected lay during course year.5 wonder led regularity status.6 sum, providing reasonably route So understood, little turn control, unit. 38 avoids assertion. observes acts onto composed eliminates force observation inevitable necessarily entitled exemption.7 notes "focuses employment," proceeds unexplained adds tend 39 analysis, course, measured common conclusion, foreclosed own service—not mere sense "time" demonstrate valid relation Such exemption week, hours day.8 40 Nor much suggestion somehow becomes easily achieved petitioners demonstrated actually reward stage litigation evidence way correlating roughly possibility is, insufficient.9 law conditioning attainment level skill skills risk beyond forced start again. 41 analytical test which, indicates, plainly exemption. think perceived close, guided familiar exemptions remedial statutes construed narrowly. "To extend unmistakably spirit abuse interpretative frustrate announced people." Phillips Walling, 324 490, 493, 65 807, 808, 89 1095 (1945). Group Life Health Ins. Royal Drug 440 205, 231, 1067, 1083, 59 261 (1979); Abbott Laboratories Portland Retail Druggists Assn., 425 1, 12, 96 1305, 1313, 47 537 (1976); Peyton Rowe, 391 54, 65, 88 1549, 1555, 426 (1968). systems practices perpetuate effects racial discrimination. limited derogation overarching integration blacks mainstream American society," 202, 2727, 480 (1979). statute designed remedy national disgrace interpreted generously comport primary purpose; narrowly undermine prohibition. Today refuses statutory construction, acknowledge it. odds dissent.10 78 Stat. 253, seq. Air Lines, Inc. Evans, 553, 1885, 571, extended challenges post-Act timely complaint. 348, 30, 1861. §§ 159 185, breached duty fair representation by, things, negotiating "unreasonable others. Court, emphasizes contended anything illegal classifying His sole challenge face applied classifies brewers, bottlers, drivers, shipping receiving clerks, checkers. separate lists maintained classifications brewer. lose "quits industry" discharged specified reasons. addition, various matters, collect layoff, times. observed particularly susceptible manipulate manpower patterns individuals disfavored status." 427. danger, court, "true" "usually accumulate automatically time. Ibid. directed trial remand respondent's claims 1981 185. 110 Cong.Rec. 1518, 5423, 7207, 7213, 7217, 12723, 15893 (1964). example frequently cited congressional debates "last hired" "first fired." Nowhere debates, model illustration. Trans World Airlines, Hardison, 432 63, 2264, 53 113; 571; 396; Franks Bowman Transportation 424 747, 1251, 444. Webster's Third New International Dictionary 2066 (unabridged ed. 1961) "seniority," "status continuous attached custom ranking could, provide transfers promotions mix factors, height requirements. aspects transfer promotion covered. 430-431 (1972); (1969); 2322 "system," "complex unity formed often diverse parts plan serving purpose." S. Slichter, J. Healy, Livernash, Impact Management 115-135 (1960). example, commences performing function, probationary permanently forfeited voluntary resignation, severance cause, nonemployment period. current counted accumulating whereas govern entitlement event influence assignments. examples text comprise exhaustive list. indications record long-term decline industry's demand surely, expanding market something else declining market. procedural posture allegations true. does, bit guidance admits. suggestive. 605, 10. ("a (as company .) privileges"); Random House English Language 1299 (1966) ("priority, precedence, obtained service"); Black's Law 1222 (5th 1979) ("As used worker promoted range last proceeding down youngest point Ballentine's 1160 (1969) ("the determines rehirings, advancements"). Roberts' Relations 390 ("The individual rests assumption employment"); Department Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, Bulletin 908-11, p. (1949) ("A program aims maximum Dangel I. Shriber, Unions (1941) ("Seniority advantage matter one's occupation BNA, Contracts, Techniques Negotiation Administration Topical Classification Clauses 488 [seniority] refers division enterprise"); Meyers, Analytic Meaning Seniority, Research Association, Proceedings Eighteenth Annual Meeting 194 criterion calculation equities employees"); McCaffrey, Development Provisions, York University Second Conference 132 ("seniority company-recognized employer-employee relationships"); Christenson, Working Agreements, Temp.L.Q. 355 (1937) promote, lay-off re-employ labor, previous service"). Selznick, Law, Society, 203 (referring 'rather feeling stake part' "). expressly (or "bump") result, temporaries Thus, true employment, requisite computed rather acknowledges 610, 22, responds virtue contracting. words, "allots surely virtually impassable barrier advancement. analysis suggests, entirely involved 396 (1977). granting both depended unit, serious day understand, although favor, remanding factual findings so, extraordinary conclude, vacuum authority nothing petitioners' word, benefits." 5, supra. decide required offer complete called canvass evaluate "ancillary" listed 607, nn. 17-20, easy, reasoning demonstrates discussion gratuitous advance none functions

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