Document: 513 U.S. 352115 S.Ct. 879130 L.Ed.2d 852 Christine McKENNON, Petitionerv.NASHVILLE BANNER PUBLISHING COMPANY. No. 93-1543. Supreme Court of the United States Argued Nov. 2, 1994. Decided Jan. 23, 1995. Syllabus * Alleging that her discharge by respondent Nashville Banner Publishing Company violated Age Discrimination in Employment Act 1967 (ADEA), petitioner McKennon filed suit seeking a variety legal and equitable remedies available under ADEA, including backpay. After she admitted deposition had copied several Banner's confidential documents during final year employment, District granted summary judgment for company, holding McKennon's misconduct was grounds termination neither backpay nor any other remedy to ADEA. The Appeals affirmed on same rationale. Held: An employee discharged violation ADEA is not barred from all relief when, after discharge, employer discovers evidence wrongdoing that, event, would have led lawful legitimate known it. Pp. __. (a) Such after-acquired complete bar recovery. Even if employee's may be considered supervening termination, prompted cannot altogether disregarded. Act's remedial provisions, 29 U.S.C. § 626(b); see also 216(b), are designed both compensate employees injuries caused prohibited discrimination deter employers engaging such discrimination. private litigant who seeks redress his or vindicates these objectives, it accord with this scheme relief. Mt. Healthy City School Bd. Ed. v. Doyle, 429 274, 284-287, 97 568, 574-576, 50 471, distinguished. (b) Nevertheless, must taken into account determining specific remedy, lest employer's concerns ignored. Because simply prohibits discrimination, does constrain exercising significant prerogatives discretions usual course hiring, promoting, discharging employees, relevant taking due corresponding equities arising wrongdoing. (c) proper boundaries cases type addressed case-by-case basis. However, as general rule, reinstatement front pay an appropriate remedy. It inequitable pointless order someone terminated, will terminate, event upon grounds. measure presents more difficult problem. Once learns about lead required ignore information, even acquired discovery against might gone undiscovered absent suit. beginning point formulating should therefore calculation date unlawful new information discovered. court can consider extraordinary circumstances affect interests either party. (d) Where rely wrongdoing, first establish severity fact been terminated those alone at time discharge. concern routinely undertake extensive background job performance resist claims insubstantial, but courts' authority award attorney's fees §§ 216(b) 626(b) invoke Federal Rule Civil Procedure 11 likely most abuses. P. 10. 9 F.3d 539 (CA6 1993), reversed remanded. KENNEDY, J., delivered opinion unanimous Court. Michael G. Terry, Corpus Christi, TX, petitioner. Irving L. Gornstein, Washington, DC, amicus curiae, special leave R. Eddie Wayland, Nashville, TN, respondent. Justice KENNEDY 1 question before us whether 2 For some 30 years, worked Company. She discharged, claimed, part work force reduction plan necessitated cost considerations. McKennon, 62 years old when lost job, thought another reason explained dismissal: age. Middle Tennessee, alleging 81 Stat. 602, amended, 621 et seq. (1988 ed. Supp. V). makes employer: 3 "to individual otherwise discriminate respect compensation, terms, conditions, privileges because individual's age." 623(a)(1). 4 sought App. 10a-11a. 5 In preparation case, took deposition. testified bearing company's financial condition. access records secretary comptroller. copies home showed them husband. Her motivation, averred, apprehension fired When became concerned removed "insurance" "protection." Deposition, Dec. 18, 1991; Record, Docket Entry 39, Vol. p. 241. A few days disclosures, sent letter declaring removal copying responsibilities advising (again) terminated. recited once reason. 6 purposes judgment, conceded its McKennon. Banner, 797 F.Supp. 604 (MD Tenn.1992). Sixth Circuit (1993). We certiorari, 511 ----, 114 2099, 128 661 (1994), resolve conflicting views among Courts denied has later wrongful conduct discovered earlier. Compare Welch Liberty Machine Works, Inc., 23 1403 (CA8 1994); O'Driscoll Hercules 12 176 (CA10 1993) (case below); Washington Lake County, 969 F.2d 250 (CA7 1992); Johnson Honeywell Information Systems, 955 409 Summers State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co., 864 700 1988); Smallwood Air Lines, 728 614 (CA4), cert. denied, 469 832, 105 120, 83 (1984), Mardell Harleysville Life 31 1221 (CA3 Kristufek Hussman Foodservice Toastmaster Division, 985 364 1993); Wallace Dunn Construction 968 1174 (CA11 1992), vacated pending rehearing en banc, 32 1489 (1994). now reverse. II 7 shall assume, procedures require sole initial age, violative Our further premise revealed so grave immediate followed disclosure event. found no basis contesting proposition, our review we need here. do conclusion reached courts which resulted bars That ruling incorrect. 8 misconduct, effect, termination. so, follow, said citing one own earlier cases, renders " 'irrelevant [McKennon] discriminated against.' F.3d, 542, quoting Milligan-Jensen Michigan Technological Univ., 975 302, 305 granted, 509 113 2991, 125 686, dism'd, 22, 773 conclude enacted ongoing congressional effort eradicate workplace, reflects societal condemnation invidious bias employment decisions. wider statutory protect workplace nationwide. See Title VII Rights 1964, 42 2000e V) (race, color, sex, national origin, religion); Americans Disabilities 1990, 12101 ed., (disability); National Labor Relations Act, 158(a) (union activities); Equal Pay 1963, 206(d) (sex). incorporates features Fair Standards describe "something hybrid." Lorillard Pons, 434 575, 578, 98 866, 869, 55 40 (1978). substantive, antidiscrimination provisions modeled prohibitions VII. Trans World Airlines, Inc. Thurston, 111, 121, 613, 621, 523 (1985); supra, 584, S.Ct., 872. Its incorporate reference 1938. 626(b). confronted district authorized afford means reinstatement, backpay, injunctive relief, declaratory fees. case willful authorizes liquidated damages equal award. gives federal discretion "grant effectuate [the Act]." Ibid. 10 share common substantive purpose: "the elimination workplace." Oscar Mayer & Co. Evans, 441 750, 756, 99 2066, 2071, 60 609 (1979). Congress measures statutes serve "spur catalyst" cause self-examine self-evaluate their practices endeavor eliminate, far possible, last vestiges" Albemarle Paper Moody, 422 405, 417-418, 95 2362, 2371-72, 45 280 (1975) (internal quotation marks citation omitted); Franks Bowman Transportation 424 747, 763, 96 1251, 1263, 47 444 (1976). Deterrence object statutes. Compensation another. 418, 2372; 763-764, 1263-1264. keeping purposes, contains vital element Act: grants injured right action obtain 626(c). deterrence compensation objectives Alexander Gardner-Denver 415 36, 45, 94 1011, 1018, 39 147 (1974) ("[T]he [in VII] only redresses injury important policy discriminatory practices"); International Brotherhood Teamsters States, 431 324, 364, 1843, 1869, 52 396 (1977). operates, every instance, Act. furthered single establishes him her. through litigation incidents violate policies respecting nondiscrimination itself important, occurrence violations disclose patterns noncompliance resulting misappreciation operation entrenched resistance commands, industry-wide significance. efficacy enforcement mechanisms becomes success relied two decisions, 302 Tenth (1988). Consulting authorities, declared "firmly endorsed principle recovery former where show evidence." 542. Summers, turn, decision 471 (1977), inapplicable 13 mixed-motives motives were operative fire employee. One lawful, (an alleged constitutional violation) unlawful. held sufficed justify firing, could prevail employer. controlled difficulty, what lack necessity, disentangling motive improper played suffice sustain action. Id., 574-576. 14 problem As said, comes express assumption firing. until fired. motivated knowledge did claim nondiscriminatory Mixed inapposite here, except extent they underscore necessity ordering essential law. Price Waterhouse Hopkins, 490 228, 252, 109 1775, 1791, 104 268 (1989) (plurality opinion) (employer's mixed-motive "if motivate decision"); id., 260-261, 1795-1796 (White, concurring judgment); 261, 1796 (O'CONNOR, judgment). observed, "proving justified . proving made." 1791 (plurality) citations 15 inquiry end, however, though how bears ordered. Equity's maxim suitor engaged reprehensible transaction issue unclean hands, rule conventional formulation operated limine invoking aid equity court, S. Symons, Pomeroy's Equity Jurisprudence 397, pp. 90-92 (5th 1941), applied broad policies. rejected hands defense "where serves public purposes." Perma Mufflers, Parts Corp., 392 134, 138, 88 1981, 1984, 20 982 (1968) (Sherman Clayton Antitrust Acts). mean, irrelevant statute. statute controlling provides jurisdiction grant chapter, without limitation judgments compelling promotion, enforcing liability [amounts owing person result chapter]." 216(b). giving effect recognize duality between invokes mandated account, conclude, like VII, regulation law employees. 239, 1784 ("Title eliminates certain bases distinguishing while preserving employers' freedom choice"). action, punish employee, out "for relative moral worth parties," Mufflers 139, take business 16 class where, judicial system ordinary factual permutations considerations raise vary case. type, 17 Resolution give recognition occurred deterred compensated undue infringement rights prerogatives. restore position he U.S., 764, 1264, apply precision there trial court's absolute barring undermine ADEA's objective forcing examine motivations, penalizing decisions spring age 18 routine matter insubstantial one, think fees, statute, 626(b), Rules 19 reversed, remanded proceedings consistent opinion. syllabus constitutes prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Lumber 200 321, 337, 26 282, 287, L.Ed. 499.

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