Lorance v. AT&T Technologies, Inc. Petition for Writ of Certiorari
Public Court Documents
February 26, 1988
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Brief Collection, LDF Court Filings. Lorance v. AT&T Technologies, Inc. Petition for Writ of Certiorari, 1988. 15c38f9d-bb9a-ee11-be36-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/69b40a7a-75d0-4164-910a-00edcc040b06/lorance-v-att-technologies-inc-petition-for-writ-of-certiorari. Accessed August 19, 2025.
Copied!
No.
In T h e
Supreme Court of t^e Umtetr s ta te s
O c t o b e r T e r m , 1987
Patricia A. Lorance, et a l,
v.
Petitioners,
AT&T Technologies, Inc., et al.,
Respondents.
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF
APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Julius LeVonne Chambers
NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc.
99 Hudson Street
Sixteenth Floor
New York, New York 10013
Barry Goldstein*
Sheila Y. Thomas
NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc.
806 15th Street, N.W.
Suite 940
Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 638-3278
Bridget Arimond
14 West Erie Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Attorneys for Petitioners
*Counsel of Record
PRESS OF BYRON S. ADAMS, WASHINGTON, D.C. (202) 347-8203
QUESTION PRESENTED
S h o u l d t h i s C o u r t g r a n t c e r t i o r a r i
t o r e s o l v e a c o n f l i c t among t h e c i r c u i t s
a s t o w h e t h e r an e m p l o y e e must f i l e a
c h a r g e u n d e r T i t l e V I I o f t h e C i v i l
R i g h t s A c t o f 1964 w i t h i n 300 d a y s o f
m e r e l y b e c o m i n g s u b j e c t t o a n
i n t e n t i o n a l l y d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y
sy s te m e v e n th o u g h th e s y s te m has n o t y e t
b e e n a c t u a l l y a p p l i e d t o d i s a d v a n t a g e th e
e m p l o y e e , o r w h e th e r a c h a r g e i s t i m e l y
i f f i l e d w i t h i n 3 0 0 d a y s o f a j o b
d e m o t i o n o r o t h e r a d v e r s e a c t i o n c a u s e d
by t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e i n t e n t i o n a l l y
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s y s te m ?
PARTIES IN THE COURT BELOW
The p a r t i e s t o t h e p r o c e e d i n g s b e l o w
were t h e p e t i t i o n e r s P a t r i c i a A. L o r a n c e ,
J a n i c e M. K i n g , and C a r o l S. B u e sch e n ,
who w e r e a p p e 11 a n t s - p l a i n t i f f s i n t h e
l o w e r c o u r t s , a n d AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s ,
I n c . , a n d L o c a l 1 9 4 2 , I n t e r n a t i o n a l
B r o t h e r h o o d o f E l e c t r i c a l W o r k e r s , AFL-
CIO, who w ere a p p e l l e e s - d e f e n d a n t s i n t h e
l o w e r c o u r t s .
-i i-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
QUESTION PRESENTED ............................... i
PARTIES IN THE COURT BELOW . . . i i
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................ i i i
TABLE OF A U T H O R I T I E S ................. V
OPINIONS BELOW ......................................... 2
JURISDICTION .............................................. 2
STATUTORY PROVISIONS INVOLVED . . 3
STATEMENT OF THE C A S E ................. 5
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT . . 13
I . CERTIORARI SHOULD BE GRANTED
TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT BETWEEN
THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT AND
OTHER CIRCUITS AS TO WHETHER
THE APPLICATION OF A
DISCRIMINATORY SENIORITY
SYSTEM CREATES AN ACTIONABLE
WRONG FROM WHICH AN INJURED
WORKER MAY FILE A TIMELY
ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE . . . 13
iii
II. CERTIORARI SHOULD BE
GRANTED BECAUSE THE SEVENTH
CIRCUIT'S DECISION
CONFLICTS WITH THIS
COURT'S STANDARD AS TO
WHETHER THE OPERATION OF
A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE
CAUSES AN ACTIONABLE
WRONG OR RAISES AN
IMPORTANT QUESTION AS
TO THE APPLICATION OF
FAIR EMPLOYMENT LAW . . .
CONCLUSION ..............................................
A p p e n d ix
O rder o f t h e C o u rt o f
A p p e a l s f o r the
S e v e n th C i r c u i t ..........................
O p i n i o n , C o u r t o f
A p p e a l s f o r th e
S e v e n th C i r c u i t ..........................
Memorandum O p i n i o n and
O r d e r , U n i t e d S t a t e s
D i s t r i c t C ou rt f o r t h e
N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f
I l l i n o i s ..............................................
R e p o r t and Recom m endat ion ,
U n i t e d S t a t e s M a g i s t r a t e . .
28
43
l a
3a
12a
34a
iv
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Case : Pag e
Abrams v . B a y l o r C o l l e g e o f
M e d i c i n e , 805 F .2d 528
( 5 t h C i r , 1986) .......................... 21 , 22
A l e x a n d e r v . G a r d n e r -D e n v e r
C o . , 415 U .S . 36 (1 9 7 4 ) . . . 39
A m er ican T o b a c c o Co. v .
P a t t e r s o n , 456 U .S . 63
( 1982 ) .................................... . 19 , 23, 31
40 , 41
A s s o c i a t i o n A g a i n s t
D i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n Employment,
I n c . v . C i t y o f B r i d g e p o r t ,
647 F .2d 256 ( 2d C i r . 1 9 8 1 ) ,
c e r t , d e n i e d , 455 U .S . 988
( 1 9 8 2 ) ................................................... 17
Bazemore v . F r i d a y , 106
S. C t . 3000 ( 1 9 8 6 ) ..................... 13, 28 , 33
B e r r y v . Board o f S u p e r v i s o r s
o f L . S . U . , 715 F .2d 971
( 5 t h C i r . 1983 ) , c e r t .
d e n i e d , 107 S. C t . 232
(1986 ) ................................................... 23
Bruno v . W e s te rn E l e c t r i c
C o . , 829 F .2d 957 ( 1 0 t h C i r .
1 9 8 7 ) ........................................................ 17
C a l i f o r n i a B rew ers A s s o c i a t i o n
v . B r y a n t , 444 U .S . 598
( 1 9 8 0 ) ................................................... 31 , 41
v
Cases Page
Cook v . Pan A m er ican W or ld
A i r w a y s , I n c . , 771 F . 2 d 635
(2d C i r . 1 9 8 5 ) , c e r t , d e n i e d ,
106 S. C t . 895 ( 1 9 8 6 ) . . . . 17
C o r n in g G l a s s Works v .
Brennan, 417 U .S . 188
(1 9 7 4 ) .................................................... 34
C r o s l a n d v . C h a r l o t t e Eye,
Ear and T h r o a t H o s p i t a l ,
686 F .2d 208 ( 4 t h C i r .
1982) ......................................................... 19
D elaw are S t a t e C o l l e g e v .
R i c k s , 449 U .S . 250 ( 1 9 8 2 ) . . 29 , 33
Domingo v . New England F i s h
C o . , 727 F . 2d 1429 ,
m o d i f i e d , 742 F . 2 d 520
( 9 t h C i r . 1984) ............................... 23
EEOC v . W e s t i n g h o u s e E l e c t r i c
C o r p . , 725 F .2d 211 ( 1 9 8 3 ) ,
c e r t , d e n i e d , 469 U .S . 820
(1984 ) ................................................... 20 , 23
Franks v . Bowman
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o . , 424 U .S .
747 (1 9 7 6 ) ......................................... 40 , 41
Furr v . AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s ,
I n c . , 824 F .2d 1537 ( 1 0 t h
C i r . 1987) ......................................... 25
G r i g g s v . Duke Power C o . ,
401 U .S . 424 ( 1 9 7 1 ) ..................... 37
v i
Cases
Hanover S hoe , I n c . v .
U n i t e d Shoe M a c h in e r y , I n c . ,
392 U .S . 481 ( 1 9 6 8 ) ..................... 34
Havens R e a l t y C o rp . v .
Coleman, 455 U .S . 363
(1 9 8 2 ) ................................................ 35 , 36
J o h n so n v . G e n e r a l E l e c t r i c ,
No. 8 7 - 1 7 5 2 , s l i p o p . ( 1 s t
C i r . F e b r u a r y 22 , 1988) . . . 22 , 23 , 38
Love v . Pul lman C o . ,
404 U .S . 522 ( 1972 ) ...................... 36
McKenzie v . Sawyer , 684
F .2d 62 (D .C . C i r . 1982) . . 21
M o r e l o c k v . NCR C o r p . , 586
F .2d 1096 ( 6 t h C i r . 1 9 7 8 ) ,
c e r t , d e n i e d , 441 U .S . 906
(1979 ) ................................................ 18
N a s h v i l l e Gas Co. v . S a t t y ,
434 U .S . 136 ( 1 9 7 7 ) .................... 3 1 , 3 2
O scar Mayer & Co. v . Evans,
441 U .S . 750 ( 1 9 7 9 ) ..................... 17
P a t t e r s o n v . A m er ican
T o b a c c o C o . , 634 F .2d 744
( 4 t h C i r . 1 9 8 0 ) , v a c a t e d
on o t h e r g r o u n d s , 456
U.S . 63 (1 9 8 2 ) ............................... 18
P u l l m a n -S t a n d a r d Co. v . S w i n t ,
456 U .S . 273 ( 1982 ) ..................... 30 , 41
vii
Cases Page
Reed v . L o c k h e e d A i r c r a f t
C o r p . , 613 F .2 d 757 ( 9 t h C i r
1980) ......................................................... 25
S a t z v . ITT F i n a n c i a l C o r p . ,
619 F .2d 738 ( 8 t h C i r . 1 9 8 0 ) . 25
S t o l l e r v . Marsh , 682 F .2d
971 (D .C . C i r . 1 9 8 2 ) , c e r t ,
d e n i e d , 460 U .S . 1037
( 1 9 8 3 ) .......................... ..... 21
T a y l o r v . Home I n s u r a n c e
Company, 777 F . 2 d 849
( 4 t h C i r . 1 9 8 5 ) , c e r t ,
d e n i e d , 106 S. C t .
2249 (1 9 8 6 ) ......................................... 19, 35
T e a m s te r s v . U n i t e d S t a t e s ,
431 U .S . 324 (1 9 7 7 ) ..................... 16, 41
Trans W or ld A i r l i n e s , I n c .
v . H a r d i s o n , 432 U .S . 63
(1977 ) .................................................... 40 , 41
U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , I n c . v .
Evans , 431 U .S . 553 (1977 ) . 29 , 33 , 41
V a l e n t i n o v . U n i t e d S t a t e s
P o s t a l S e r v i c e , 674 F . 2 d 56
(D .C . C i r . 1982) . .....................
W i l l i a m s v . O w e n s - I l l i n o i s ,
21
I n c . , 665 F .2 d 918 ( 9 t h C i r . ) ,
c e r t , d e n i e d , 459 U .S . 971
( 1982) .................................................... 25
viii
Cases Page
Z e n i t h R a d io C o rp . v .
H a z e l t i m e R e s e a r c h , 401
U .S . 321 ( 1971 ) ............................... 34
Z i p e s v . Trans W or ld A i r l i n e s ,
I n c . , 455 U .S . 385 (1 9 8 2 ) . . 17, 36 , 41
C o n s t i t u t i o n , St a t u t e s and R u l e s :
28 U .S .C . § 1254 (1 ) . . . . 3
Age D i s c r i m i n a t i o n in
Employment A ct o f 1967 ,
29 U .S .C . §§ 621 e t s e q . . . 14, 17
F a i r H ous in g A c t o f 1968,
42 U .S .C . §§ 3601 e t s e q . . . 34 , 35
T i t l e V I I o f t h e C i v i l
R i g h t s A ct o f 1964, 42
U .S .C . §§ 2000e e t s e q . . . . Pass im
Othe r A u t h o r i t i e s :
Bureau o f La bor S t a t i s t i c s ,
U .S . D e p t , o f Labor B u l l .
No. 1 4 2 5 - 1 1 , A d m i n i s t r a t i on
o f Se n i o r i t y ( 1 9 7 2 ) ..................... 40 , 41
Bureau o f N a t i o n a l A f f a i r s ,
EEOC Co m p l i a n c e Manu a l . . . 2 7
2 C o l l e c t i v e B a r g a i n i n g
N e g o t i a t i o n s and C o n t .
( BNA) ........................................................ 40
ix
EEOC D i r e c t i v e s T r a n s m i t t a l ,
Number 1 2 0 . 0 0 1 , November 12,
1987 ......................................................... 26
Equal Employment O p p o r t u n i t y
C om m iss ion , 19 t h Annual
R e p o r t ( 1 9 8 4 ) . . . . . . . . 27
Page
L a y c o c k , C o n t i n u i n g
V i o l a t i o n s ,_D i s p a r a t e Impa c t
i n Comp e n s a t i o n , and o t h e r
T i t l e V I I I s s u e s , 49 Law
and Contemp. P r o b s . 53
(1 9 8 6 ) .................................................... 34
x
No .
IN THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
O c t o b e r Term, 1987
PATRICIA A, LORANCE, e t a l . ,
P e t i t i o n e r s ,
v s .
AT&T TECHNOLOGIES, IN C . , e t a l . ,
R e s p o n d e n t s .
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF
APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
P e t i t i o n e r s P a t r i c i a A. L o r a n c e , e t
a l . , r e s p e c t f u l l y p r a y t h a t a W r i t o f
C e r t i o r a r i i s s u e t o r e v i e w t h e judgment
and o p i n i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C ou rt o f
A p p e a l s f o r t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t e n t e r e d
i n t h i s p r o c e e d i n g on August , 1987.
2
OPINIONS BELOW
The o p i n i o n o f t h e c o u r t o f a p p e a l s
i s r e p o r t e d a t 827 F . 2 d 163 and i s s e t
o u t a t p p . 3 a - l l a o f t h e A p p e n d ix . The
o r d e r d e n y i n g r e h e a r i n g , w h i c h i s n o t
r e p o r t e d , i s s e t o u t a t l a - 2 a . The
d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s memorandum o p i n i o n and
o r d e r , d a t e d A u g u s t 2 ,̂ 1986 , w h ich i s
n o t r e p o r t e d , i s s e t o u t a t 1 2 a - 3 3 a . The
R e p o r t and Recom m endat ion o f t h e U n i t e d
S t a t e s M a g i s t r a t e , d a t e d March 21, 1986 ,
w h ich i s n o t r e p o r t e d , i s s e t o u t a t 3 4 a -
50a .
JURISDICTION
The judgment o f t h e c o u r t o f a p p e a l s
% T
was e n t e r e d on August -2-8S 198S. A t i m e l y
p e t i t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g and s u g g e s t i o n f o r
r e h e a r i n g en ban c was d e n i e d by t h e c o u r t
o n O c t o b e r 3 0 , 1 9 8 7 . On J a n u a r y 1 9 ,
1988 , J u s t i c e John Paul S t e v e n s s i g n e d an
O r d e r e x t e n d i n g t h e t im e f o r f i l i n g th e
p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i u n t i l
3
F e b r u a r y 27 , 1988 . J u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h i s
C ou rt i s i n v o k e d p u r s u a n t t o 28 U .S .C .
§ 1254 (1 ) .
STATUTORY PROVISIONS I NVOLVED
S e c t i o n 703 o f T i t l e V I I o f t h e 1964
C i v i l R i g h t s A c t , 42 U .S .C . § 2 0 0 0 e - 2 ( a )
p r o v i d e s i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t :
( a ) I t s h a l l b e a n u n l a w f u l
employment p r a c t i c e f o r an e m p l o y e r -
( 1 ) t o f a i l o r r e f u s e t o
h i r e . . . o r o t h e r w i s e t o
d i s c r i m i n a t e a g a i n s t any
i n d i v i d u a l w i t h r e s p e c t t o
h i s c o m p e n s a t i o n , t e r m s ,
c o n d i t i o n s , o r p r i v i l e g e s
o f em p loym ent , b e c a u s e o f
s u c h i n d i v i d u a l ' s r a c e ,
c o l o r , r e l i g i o n , s e x , o r
n a t i o n a l o r i g i n , o r
( 2 ) t o l i m i t , s e g r e g a t e ,
o r c l a s s i f y h i s e m p lo y e e s
. . . i n any way w h ich w ou ld
d e p r i v e o r t e n d t o d e p r i v e
a n y i n d i v i d u a l o f
e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s
o r o t h e r w i s e a d v e r s e l y
a f f e c t h i s s t a t u s a s an
e m p l o y e e , b e c a u s e o f s u c h
i n d i v i d u a l ' s r a c e , c o l o r ,
r e l i g i o n , s e x , o r n a t i o n a l
o r i g i n . . . .
( c ) I t s h a l l b e a n u n l a w f u l
e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e f o r a l a b o r
4
o r g a n i z a t i o n -
( 2 ) t o l i m i t , s e g r e g a t e , o r
c l a s s i f y i t s m embership . . . in
any way w h ic h w ou ld d e p r i v e o r
t e n d t o d e p r i v e any i n d i v i d u a l
o f employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s , o r
w o u l d l i m i t s u c h e m p l o y m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s o r o t h e r w i s e
a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t h i s s t a t u s as
an e m p lo y e e . . . b e c a u s e o f s u c h
i n d i v i d u a l ' s r a c e , c o l o r ,
r e l i g i o n , s e x o r n a t i o n a l
o r i g i n . . . .
(h) N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g a n y o t h e r
p r o v i s i o n o f t h i s t i t l e , i t s h a l l
n o t b e a n u n l a w f u l e m p l o y m e n t
p r a c t i c e f o r an e m p l o y e r t o a p p l y
d i f f e r e n t s t a n d a r d s o f c o m p e n s a t i o n
o r d i f f e r e n t t e r m s , c o n d i t i o n s o r
p r i v i l e g e s o f employment p u r s u a n t t o
a b o n a f i d e s e n i o r i t y o r m e r i t
s y s t e m . . . p r o v i d e d t h a t s u c h
d i f f e r e n c e s a r e n o t t h e r e s u l t o f an
i n t e n t i o n t o d i s c r i m i n a t e b e c a u s e o f
r a c e , c o l o r , r e l i g i o n , s e x , o r
n a t i o n a l o r i g i n . . . .
S e c t i o n 7 0 6 ( e ) o f T i t l e V I I o f th e
1964 C i v i l R i g h t s A c t , 42 U. S . C . § 200Qe-
5 ( e ) , p r o v i d e s i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t :
A c h a r g e u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n
s h a l l b e f i l e d w i t h i n o n e
h u n d r e d and e i g h t y d a y s a f t e r
t h e a l l e g e d u n l a w f u l employment
p r a c t i c e o c c u r r e d . . . , e x c e p t
t h a t i n t h e c a s e o f an u n l a w f u l
e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e w i t h
r e s p e c t t o w h i c h t h e p e r s o n
a g g r i e v e d h a s i n i t i a l l y
5
i n s t i t u t e d p r o c e e d i n g s w i t h a
S t a t e o r l o c a l a g e n c y . . . , s u c h
c h a r g e s h a l l b e f i l e d . . .
w i t h i n t h r e e hundred d a y s a f t e r
t h e a l l e g e d u n l a w f u l employment
p r a c t i c e o c c u r r e d . . . .
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
P l a i n t i f f s L o r a n c e , B u e s c h e n and
K i n g b r o u g h t t h i s T i t l e V I I a c t i o n
c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s AT&T
T e c h n o l o g i e s a n d L o c a l 1 9 4 2 ,
I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r o t h e r h o o d o f E l e c t r i c a l
W o r k e r s i n s t i t u t e d a s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m
d i s c r i m i n a t o r i l y d e s i g n e d t o l i m i t t h e
j o b r i g h t s o f f e m a l e w o r k e r s who had
r e c e n t l y p r o m o te d i n t o t r a d i t i o n a l l y male
j o b s . The l o w e r c o u r t s f a i l e d t o d e c i d e
t h e s e c l a i m s b e c a u s e t h e c o u r t s
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s d i d n o t
f i l e t i m e l y c h a r g e s w i t h t h e E q u a l
E m p lo y m e n t O p p o r t u n i t y C om m iss ion . The
e s s e n c e o f t h e l o w e r c o u r t s ' r u l i n g s was
t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s had t o su bm it c h a r g e s
t i m e l y f i l e d f rom t h e d a t e t h e p l a i n t i f f s
b e c a m e s u b j e c t t o t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s te m
6
r a t h e r than from t h e d a t e t h a t t h e s y s te m
a c t u a l l y a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d t h e i r j o b
p o s i t i o n s .
A t A T & T ' s M o n t g o m e r y W o r k s i n
A u r o r a , I l l i n o i s , women w ere h i s t o r i c a l l y
a s s i g n e d t o l o w e r - p a i d t r a d i t i o n a l l y
f e m a l e j o b s and men w e r e a s s i g n e d t o
h i g h e r - p a i d t r a d i t i o n a l l y male j o b s . In
1970 and 1971 t h e p l a i n t i f f s w ere h i r e d
i n t o t r a d i t i o n a l l y f e m a l e j o b s . At t h a t
t i m e , t h e c o n c e p t o f p l a n t s e n i o r i t y
g o v e r n e d j o b p r o m o t i o n s a n d j o b
r e d u c t i o n s - i n - f o r c e . G i v e n r e l a t i v e l y
e q u a l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s t h e e m p lo y e e who had
b e e n e m p l o y e d f o r t h e l o n g e s t p e r i o d
w i t h i n M o n t g o m e r y W orks w o u l d b e t h e
f i r s t p r o m o t e d and t h e l a s t dem oted o r
l a i d o f f .
Among t h e h i g h e r - p a i d h o u r l y j o b s
w e r e " t e s t e r " j o b s . " [ T ] h e s e p o s i t i o n s
t r a d i t i o n a l l y had b e e n f i l l e d b y men
[ b u t ] b y 1978 an i n c r e a s i n g num ber o f
7
women had u s e d t h e i r p l a n t - w i d e s e n i o r i t y
t o o b t a i n j o b s as t e s t e r s . " A p p . 4a . In
l a t e 1978 o r e a r l y 1 9 7 9 , t h e d e f e n d a n t
E l e c t r i c a l W o r k e rs c r e a t e d and p r o p o s e d
t o t h e Company a d u a l s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m ,
termed t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t . " Under t h i s
d u a l s y s t e m a w o r k e r ' s d a t e o f i n i t i a l
a s s i g n m e n t t o a t e s t e r j o b e s t a b l i s h e d
" j o b s e n i o r i t y " w h ich a p p l i e d t o a l l j o b
p r o m o t i o n s a n d d e m o t i o n s i n t e s t e r
p o s i t i o n s , w h i l e p l a n t s e n i o r i t y a p p l i e d
t o o t h e r m a t t e r s , App. 16a; s e e , App. 4a .
A f t e r h o l d i n g d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t t h e
T e s t e r C o n ce p t a t s e v e r a l u n i o n m e e t i n g s ,
t h e u n i o n c a l l e d a s p e c i a l m e e t i n g on
J u n e 2 8 , 1 9 7 9 , 1 t o v o t e on w h e th e r th e
T e s t e r C o n c e p t s h o u l d be a d o p t e d . The
u n i o n m e m b e r s h i p a p p r o v e d t h e T e s t e r
C o n c e p t " b y a m arg in o f n i n e t y v o t e s t o 1
1 T h e c o u r t o f a p p e a l s d e c i s i o n
e r r o n e o u s l y s t a t e d t h e d a t e as June 28,
1978 , App. 5a ; t h e c o r r e c t d a t e , June 28,
1979 , i s s e t f o r t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t
o p i n i o n . App. 16a.
8
s i x t y - - a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e r a t i o o f men
t o w o m e n . " A p p . 5 a . T h e t h r e e
p l a i n t i f f s , who w e r e u n i o n m e m b e r s ,
o p p o s e d t h e a d o p t i o n o f t h e T e s t e r
C o n c e p t . I d . On J u l y 2 3 , 1 9 7 9 , t h e
u n i o n and c o m p a n y s i g n e d an a g r e e m e n t
a d o p t i n g t h e T e s t e r C o n c e p t , App. 5a , and
i n A u g u s t 1 9 8 0 , t h e a g r e e m e n t w as
i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e m a s t e r c o n t r a c t ,
App. 17a.
At t h e t im e o f t h e i n i t i a l a d o p t i o n
o f th e d u a l s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m , L o r a n c e was
a t e s t e r . In F e b r u a r y 1980 King became a
t e s t e r and i n N o v e m b e r 1980, t h e t h i r d
p l a i n t i f f , B u e s c h e n , became a t e s t e r . In
t h e Summer 1 9 8 2 t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' j o b
p o s i t i o n s w ere a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d f o r th e
f i r s t t im e by t h e r e s t r u c t u r e d s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m . P l a i n t i f f s L o r a n c e and King w ere
d e m o t e d f r o m s e n i o r t e s t e r p o s i t i o n s t o
l o w e r - p a y i n g , j u n i o r p o s i t i o n s , and
B u e s c h e n w a s d e m o t e d t o a n o n - t e s t e r
9
p o s i t i o n . App. 5a .
I f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p l a n t s e n i o r i t y
s y s te m had a p p l i e d , t h e p l a i n t i f f s w ou ld
n o t h a v e b e e n d e m o t e d . The p l a i n t i f f s
f i l e d c h a r g e s w i t h th e Equal Employment
O p p o r t u n i t y C o m m i s s i o n i n A p r i l 1 9 8 3 .
App. 5a . These c h a r g e s w ere f i l e d w i t h i n
t h e t im e p e r i o d p r e s c r i b e d by T i t l e V I I 2
i f t h a t p e r i o d com m enced from t h e d a t e
t h e d u a l s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m c a u s e d t h e
p l a i n t i f f s ' j o b d e m o t i o n s .
I n S e p t e m b e r 1983 t h e p l a i n t i f f s '
f i l e d t h e i r c i v i l a c t i o n . On March 21 ,
1 9 8 6 , t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s M a g i s t r a t e
r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e C o u r t g r a n t t h e
C o m p a n y ' s M o t i o n f o r Summary Judgment.
2 S i n c e I l l i n o i s i s a " d e f e r r a l
s t a t e , " t h a t i s , a s t a t e w h ich has a f a i r
employment p r a c t i c e s c o m m is s i o n w h ich may
g r a n t r e l i e f t o t h e v i c t i m s o f
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e s ,
" T i t l e V I I c l a i m s b r o u g h t i n I l l i n o i s a r e
g e n e r a l l y s u b j e c t t o a 3 0 0 - d a y p e r i o d o f
l i m i t a t i o n . " App. 6a . The l o w e r c o u r t s
a p p l i e d t h e 3 0 0 - d a y p e r i o d t o t h i s
a c t i o n . App. 6a n . 2 ; App. 1 9 a -2 0 a n . 3 .
10
A l t h o u g h " u n f o r t u n a t e , " t h e M a g i s t r a t e
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s " s l e p t on
t h e i r T i t l e V I I r i g h t s " b e c a u s e t h e y d i d
n o t f i l e t i m e l y T i t l e V I I c h a r g e s from
th e a d o p t i o n o f t h e new s e n i o r i t y s y s te m
when i t was " i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e m a s te r
c o n t r a c t . . . i n A u g u s t o f 1980 and . . .
p u b l i s h e d t o th e w o r l d . " A p p . 4 8 a - 4 9 a .
The d i s t r i c t c o u r t d e c l i n e d t o a d o p t
t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s r e p o r t and r e j e c t e d th e
m a g i s t r a t e ' s u s e o f t h e " d a t e o f
a d o p t i o n " o f t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s te m f o r th e
c a l c u l a t i o n o f t h e f i l i n g p e r i o d , b u t
n e v e r t h e l e s s g r a n t e d summary ju d g m e n t . 3
W h i l e n o t i n g t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s '
a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e y f i l e d t i m e l y c h a r g e s
had " i m m e d i a t e a p p e a l , " A p p . 2 5 a , t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t r u l e d t h a t t h e t im e p e r i o d
3 W h i l e t h e u n i o n n e v e r f i l e d a
m o t i o n f o r summary j u d g m e n t , t h e c o u r t
s u a s p o n t e e n t e r e d judgment i n f a v o r o f
t h e u n i o n b e c a u s e t h e c o m p a n y 's " m o t i o n
i s e q u a l l y e f f e c t i v e i n b a r r i n g t h e c l a i m
a g a i n s t " t h e u n i o n . App. 33a n . 7 .
11
commences from " t h e d a t e [ t h e p l a i n t i f f s ]
w e r e f o r c e d t o s a c r i f i c e t h e i r p l a n t
s e n i o r i t y r i g h t s u n d e r t h e ' T e s t e r
C o n c e p t . 1" App. 3 2 a . 4
A l t h o u g h t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t f o u n d
t h a t " t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' a r g u m e n t i s
l o g i c a l l y a p p e a l i n g , " App. 8a , t h e c o u r t
r e j e c t e d t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' a rgum ent t h a t
th e f i l i n g p e r i o d may be t r i g g e r e d by t h e
a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y
s y s te m i n a manner w h ich a c t u a l l y i n j u r e d
t h e p l a i n t i f f s b y c a u s i n g t h e i r j o b
d e m o t io n . R a th e r t h e c o u r t " c o n c l u d e [ d ]
t h a t t h e r e l e v a n t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t t h a t
t r i g g e r s t h e p e r i o d o f l i m i t a t i o n s o c c u r s
a t t h e t im e an e m p lo y e e becom es s u b j e c t
t o a f a c i a l l y n e u t r a l bu t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
4 S i n c e L o r a n c e was a t e s t e r when
th e d u a l s y s te m was i n i t i a l l y im p lem en ted
i n J u l y 1979 , h er f i l i n g p e r i o d commenced
as o f t h a t d a t e . The f i l i n g p e r i o d s f o r
King and B u e sch e n commenced r e s p e c t i v e l y
on F e b r u a r y 2 5 , 1 9 8 0 , and November 30 ,
1 9 8 0 , t h e d a t e s t h e y b e c a m e t e s t e r s .
App. 3 2 a -3 3 a n . 6 .
12
s e n i o r i t y s y s te m t h a t t h e e m p lo y e e knows,
o r r e a s o n a b l y s h o u l d k n o w , i s
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y . " App. 9a .
In h i s d i s s e n t , Judge Cudahy a r g u e d
t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y ' s d e c i s i o n w ou ld f a i l
i t s s t a t e d g o a l t o o b t a i n p r o m p t
r e s o l u t i o n o f c h a l l e n g e s t o s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m s s i n c e women who p r o m o te i n th e
f u t u r e i n t o t h e T e s t e r j o b s may s t i l l
c h a l l e n g e d e f e n d a n t s ' d u a l s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m . A l s o , J u d g e Cudahy c o n c l u d e d
t h a t t h e r e i s n o b a s i s f o r a p p l y i n g
d i f f e r e n t p r o c e d u r a l r u l e s t o s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m s w h i c h a r e f a c i a l l y - n e u t r a l bu t
a r e c r e a t e d w i t h an i n t e n t t o o p e r a t e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r i l y t h a n t o s y s t e m s w h ich
a r e f a c i a l l y d i s c r i m i n a t o r y , and t h a t th e
m a j o r i t y ' s d e c i s i o n " m a y e n c o u r a g e
p r e m a tu re l a w s u i t s . " App. 10a.
On O c t o b e r 3 0 , 1 9 8 7 , t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t d e n i e d t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' p e t i t i o n
f o r r e h e a r i n g a n d s u g g e s t i o n f o r
13
r e h e a r i n g en b a n c , a l t h o u g h t h r e e j u d g e s ,
Cudahy, E a s t e r b r o o k , and R i p p l e , v o t e d t o
g r a n t r e h e a r i n g en b a n c . App. l a - 2 a ,
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT
I . CERTI ORARI SHOULD BE GRANTED TO
RESOLVE A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
SEVENTH CIRCUIT AND OTHER CIRCUITS
AS TO WHETHER THE APPLICATION OF A
DI S CRI MI NATORY S ENI OR I T Y SYSTEM
CREATES AN ACTIONABLE WRONG FROM
WHICH AN INJURED WORKER MAY FILE A
TIMELY ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE.
The d e c i s i o n i n t h i s c a s e i s a s h a r p
b r e a k f rom a u n i f o r m p o s i t i o n among t h e
c i r c u i t s t h a t e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p r a c t i c e , s u c h a s a pay
p l a n , 5 s e n i o r i t y s y s te m o r e n t i t l e m e n t t o
r e t i r e m e n t b e n e f i t s , c o n s t i t u t e s an
a c t i o n a b l e wrong from w h ich an e m p lo y e e
may f i l e a t i m e l y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e . 6
5 T h e r e w a s a s i n g l e p r i o r
e x c e p t i o n t o t h i s u n i f o r m r u l e w h ich t h i s
C ou rt r e v e r s e d . Bazemore v . Fr i d a y , 106
S. C t . 3000 ( 1 9 8 6 ) . See s e c t i o n I I , i n f r a .
6 An i n d i v i d u a l who c l a i m s i n j u r y
f rom an u n l a w f u l p r a c t i c e under T i t l e V I I
m u s t f i l e a c h a r g e w i t h t h e E q u a l
Employment O p p o r t u n i t y Com m iss ion w i t h i n
1 8 0 d a y s a f t e r " t h e a l l e g e d u n l a w f u l
14
A l t h o u g h t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t r e c o g n i z e d
t h a t t h i s a n a l y s i s o f t h e o t h e r c i r c u i t s
" i s l o g i c a l l y a p p e a l i n g , " App. 8a , t h e
c o u r t r e j e c t e d t h e a n a l y s i s when i t r u l e d
t h a t t h e j o b d e m o t i o n s s u f f e r e d b y
L o r a n c e , B u e sch e n and King as a r e s u l t o f
t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m w e r e n o t a c t i o n a b l e
w r o n g s .
I n c o n f l i c t w i t h t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t , f o u r c i r c u i t s h a v e h e l d t h a t
e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m o r o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g ag re e m e n t p r o v i s i o n
i s a s e p a r a t e v i o l a t i o n o f f a i r
e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e o c c u r r e d " o r w i t h i n
300 d a y s i f t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n s t i t u t e d
p r o c e e d i n g s w i t h a S t a t e o r l o c a l a g e n c y .
42 U. S . C . § 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( e ) . In o r d e r t o f i l e
a T i t l e V I I s u i t , an i n d i v i d u a l must have
f i l e d a t i m e l y c h a r g e . 42 U. S . C.
§ 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( g ) . The Age D i s c r i m i n a t i o n in
E m p lo y m e n t A c t (ADEA) c o n t a i n s s i m i l a r
p r o v i s i o n s , 29 U . S . C . § 6 2 6 ( c ) , ( d ) ,
w h i c h hav e b e e n i n t e r p r e t e d i n t h e same
m a n n e r a s t h e T i t l e V I I t i m e - f i l i n g
p r o v i s i o n s . S e e , n . 8 , i n f r a .
15
e m p l o y m e n t l a w . I n a d d i t i o n , a f i f t h
c i r c u i t has r e c e n t l y e x p l i c i t l y r e j e c t e d
t h e r u l i n g b y t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t i n
L o r a n g e .
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h r e e c i r c u i t s h a v e
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e m e r e e x i s t e n c e
w i t h o u t a n a p p l i c a t i o n o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p r a c t i c e i s a n
i n s u f f i c i e n t b a s i s f o r a c a u s e o f a c t i o n .
H o w e v e r , t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t r e q u i r e s
w o r k e r s t o f o r f e i t t h e i r r i g h t s i f t h e y
do n o t f i l e c h a r g e s o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
w i t h i n 300 d ays o f b e c o m in g s u b j e c t t o a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p r a c t i c e e ve n though t h e r e
has b e e n no a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e p r a c t i c e .
A l t h o u g h t h e p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d t i m e l y
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e s w i t h i n 300 d ays o f
t h e i r j o b d e m o t i o n s , t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t
d i s m i s s e d t h e i r c h a l l e n g e t o t h e g e n d e r -
m o t i v a t e d s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m 7 b e c a u s e t h e y
7 I f a s e n i o r i t y sy s te m i s c r e a t e d
w i t h an i n t e n t t o d i s c r i m i n a t e o n t h e
b a s i s o f g e n d e r , th e n i t i s n o t a "b o n a
16
f a i l e d t o f i l e t i m e l y c h a r g e s f rom t h e
d a t e t h a t t h e y " b e c [ a ] m e s u b j e c t t o [ t h e ]
f a c i a l l y - n e u t r a l b u t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m . . . . " A p p . 9a .
C o n t r a r y t o t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t , t h e
S e c o n d C i r c u i t h a s h e l d " t h a t t h e
a l l e g e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y v i o l a t i o n s [ c a u s e d
b y a s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m ] . . . m u s t b e
c l a s s i f i e d a s c o n t i n u o u s o n e s , g i v i n g
r i s e t o c l a i m s a c c r u i n g i n f a v o r o f e a c h
f i d e " s y s t e m and v i o l a t e s T i t l e V I I .
S e e , Team ste r s v . U n i t e d S t a t e s , 431 U. S .
3 24 , 3 5 3 - 5 6 ( 1977 ) . AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s
was g r a n t e d summary j u d g m e n t , and t h e
f a c t s a r e n o t i n d i s p u t e f o r t h e p u r p o s e s
o f t h i s a p p e a l . A f t e r f e m a l e w o r k e r s
p r o m o t e d i n t o t h e h i g h e r - p a y i n g h o u r l y
j o b s , t h e " T e s t e r " j o b s , t h e u n i o n
p r o p o s e d and t h e company a c c e p t e d a d u a l
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m . T h is s y s te m p r o v i d e d
t h a t j o b p r o m o t i o n s and d e m o t io n s w ould
b e c o n t r o l l e d b y t h e s e n i o r i t y o f a
w o r k e r i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l y m a l e j o b s
w h e r e a s p l a n t s e n i o r i t y c o n t i n u e d t o
c o n t r o l o t h e r m a t t e r s . A c c o r d i n g l y , when
t h e Company r e d u c e d i t s w o r k f o r c e a l l men
w h o h a d b e e n a s s i g n e d t o t h e
t r a d i t i o n a l l y male j o b s b e f o r e women w ere
a l l o w e d t o p r o m o te t o t h e s e j o b s w ou ld be
p e r m i t t e d t o r e t a i n t h e i r j o b s l o n g e r
t h a n a l l women e v e n i f t h e women had
g r e a t e r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y than a l l o r some
o f t h e men. S e e , S ta te m e n t o f C a se .
17
p l a i n t i f f o n e a c h o c c a s i o n when t h e
m e r g e d s e n i o r i t y l i s t was a p p l i e d . . . . "
(E m p h a s i s a d d e d ) , Cook v . Pan A m er ican
Wo r l d A i r w a y s , I n c . , 771 F . 2 d 635 , 646
( 1 9 8 5 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 106 S. C t . 895
( 1 9 8 6 ) . 8 S i m i l a r l y , t h e S i x t h C i r c u i t
° A l t h o u g h C o o k i s a n a g e
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c a s e , t h e S e co n d C i r c u i t
a p p l i e d t h e l e g a l p r i n c i p l e w h ich i t had
d e v e l o p e d f o r d e t e r m i n i n g t h e t i m e l i n e s s
o f a n a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e f i l e d
p u r s u a n t t o T i t l e V I I . C o o k v . Pan
Ame r i c a n W or ld A i rwa y s , I n c . , 771 F . 2 d a t
6 4 6 , q u o t i n g , A s s o c i a t i o n Ag a i n s t
D i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n E m p l o y m e n t , I n c , v .
C i t y o f B r i d g e p o r t , 647 F . 2 d 2 5 6 , 274
( 1 9 8 1 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 4 5 5 U . S . 9 8 8
(1982 ) .
T h i s C o u r t h a s a p p l i e d t h e same
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t o f i l i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s
u n d e r t h e ADEA and T i t l e V I I b e c a u s e
C o n g r e s s m o d e l e d th e f i l i n g r e q u i r e m e n t
i n t h e ADEA a f t e r t h e T i t l e V I I
r e q u i r e m e n t , 2 i p e s v .__T r a n s W o r l d
A i r l i n e s ,__ I n c . , 455 U. S. 385 , 395 n . l l
( 1 9 8 2 ) , b e c a u s e " t h e ADEA and T i t l e V I I
s h a r e a common p u r p o s e , " and b e c a u s e o f
t h e c l o s e l y i d e n t i c a l l a n g u a g e i n t h e two
s t a t u t e s . O s c a r Mayer__& Co ._v . Evans ,
4 4 1 U. S . 7 5 0 , 756 ( 1 9 7 9 ) . S e e a l s o ,
B r u n o v . W e s te rn E l e c t r i c Co. , 8 2 9 F . 2 d
9 5 7 , 960 n . l ( 1 0 t h C i r . 1 9 8 7 ) ( " [ T ] h e
a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n
t h e o r y [ i s ] t h e same f o r ADEA and T i t l e
V I I c a s e s . . . . " )
18
h e l d " t h a t t h e a d o p t i o n o f a s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m . . . c o n s t i t u t e s a c o n t i n u i n g
v i o l a t i o n o f t h e ADEA a s l o n g a s t h a t
s y s t e m i s m a i n t a i n e d [ a n d ] p l a i n t i f f s '
c a u s e o f a c t i o n a c c r u e d a t t h e t im e o f
[ t h e i r ] 1 a [ y ] o f f . . . M o r e l o c k v . NCR
Co r p . , 5 8 6 F . 2 d 1 0 9 6 , 1103 ( 6 t h C i r .
1 9 7 8 ) , c e r t , d e n i e d , 441 U. S. 906 ( 1 9 7 9 ) .
The F o u r t h C i r c u i t r u l e d t h a t t h e r e
a r e " t r u l y ' c o n t i n u i n g ' v i o l a t i o n s o f
T i t l e V I I " w here t h e p l a i n t i f f s c h a r g e d
t h a t t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s te m " c o n s t i t u t e f d ]
an e x i s t i n g v i o l a t i o n " w h ich " i n v o l v e [ d ]
a c o n t i n u i n g p a t t e r n o r p r a c t i c e o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t h a t l o c k e d b l a c k and
women e m p l o y e e s i n t o l e s s f a v o r a b l e j o b
p o s i t i o n s . " ( E m p h a s i s i n o r i g i n a l )
P a t t e r s o n v . A m e r i c a n T o b a c c o C o . , 634
F . 2 d 7 4 4 , 751 ( 1 9 8 0 ) , v a c a t e d on o t h e r
g r o u n d s , 4 5 6 U . S . 6 3 ( 1 9 8 2 ) . 9
9 The S u p re m e C o u r t r e v e r s e d th e
F o u r t h C i r c u i t ' s d e c i s i o n t h a t a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m a d o p t e d a f t e r t h e
19
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e P a t t e r s o n c l a i m s w ere
" n o t b a r r e d by [ t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' ] f a i l u r e
t o h a v e c h a l l e n g e d a t i t s i n c e p t i o n t h e
p o l i c y w h ich g a v e c o n t i n u i n g r i s e t o [ t h e
c l a i m s ] . " I d .
The L o r a n c e p l a i n t i f f s w ere b a r r e d
f r o m c h a l l e n g i n g t h e i l l e g a l d u a l
s e n i o r i t y s y s te m e v e n though t h e y f i l e d
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e s w i t h i n 300 d ays
f r o m t h e i r j o b d e m o t i o n s . In c o n f l i c t
w i t h t h e S e c o n d , F o u r t h , a n d S i x t h
e f f e c t i v e d a t e o f T i t l e V I I was u n l a w f u l
s i m p l y b e c a u s e t h e s y s t e m a d v e r s e l y
a f f e c t e d b l a c k s o r women e v e n i f t h e
s y s te m w ere bona f i d e , as d e f i n e d i n
§ 7 0 3 ( h ) . Am e r i c a n T o b a c c o Co . v .
P a t t e r s o n , 4 56 U. S. 63, 77 ( 1 9 8 2 ) . The
C ou rt d i d n o t r e v i e w th e F o u r t h C i r c u i t ' s
r u l i n g t h a t an i l l e g a l s e n i o r i t y sy s te m
c o n s t i t u t e s a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n . The
F o u r t h C i r c u i t has c o n t i n u e d t o h o l d t h a t
a p l a i n t i f f may s e e k r e l i e f f r o m an
u n l a w f u l p r a c t i c e e ve n though sh e d i d n o t
f i l e a c h a r g e w i t h i n 180 d a y s o f i t s
f i r s t o c c u r r e n c e as l o n g as t h e p l a i n t i f f
f i l e d w i t h i n 1 8 0 d a y s o f t h e l a s t
o c c u r r e n c e . T a y l o r v . Home__I n s u r a n c e
Company , 777 F . 2 d 849 , 856 ( 1 9 8 5 ) , c e r t ■
d e n i e d , 106 S. C t . 2249 ( 1 9 8 6 ) ; C r o s l a n d
v . C h a r l o t t e E y e , E a r a n d T h r o a t
Hosp i t a l , 686 F . 2 d 208 , 212 ( 1 9 8 2 ) .
20
C i r c u i t s , t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t r u l e d t h a t
t h e p l a i n t i f f s w ere f o r e v e r b a r r e d from
c h a l l e n g i n g t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m when
t h e y f a i l e d t o f i l e a c h a r g e w i t h i n 300
d ays o f t h e d a t e when t h e y became s u b j e c t
t o t h e s y s t e m .
I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e t h r e e c i r c u i t s
w h ich d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s i s a
c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n , t h e T h i r d C i r c u i t ,
i n a s i t u a t i o n c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o a
c o l l e c t i v e l y b a r g a i n e d f o r s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m , h e l d t h a t a v i o l a t i o n o c c u r s on
e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p r o v i s i o n i n a c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g
a g r e e m e n t w h i c h p r e v e n t e d e m p l o y e e s
e l i g i b l e f o r e a r l y r e t i r e m e n t f r o m
r e c e i v i n g l a y o f f b e n e f i t s . EEOC v .
W e s t i n g h o u s e E l e c t r i c C o r p . , 7 2 5 F . 2d
2 1 1 , 219 ( 1 9 8 3 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 469 U. S .
8 2 0 ( 1 9 8 4 ) . I n L o r a n c e , t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t h o l d s t h a t e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f a
21
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y c o n t r a c t p r o v i s i o n d o e s
n o t c r e a t e a p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n , w hereas
t h e T h i r d C i r c u i t h o l d s t o t h e
c o n t r a r y . 10
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e F i r s t C i r c u i t
Two c i r c u i t s have h e l d t h a t e a c h
a p p l i c a t i o n o f a p r a c t i c e n o t c o n t a i n e d
i n a c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t
c o n s t i t u t e s a new v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e VI I .
The D i s t r i c t o f C o l u m b i a C i r c u i t r u l e d
t h a t e a c h u s e b y t h e A r m y o f a n
e v a l u a t i o n r e p o r t w h i c h w a s
d i s c r i m i n a t o r i l y p r e p a r e d c o n s t i t u t e d a
new v i o l a t i o n e ve n th ou g h th e e v a l u a t i o n
w a s p r e p a r e d o u t s i d e o f t h e f i l i n g
p e r i o d . S t o l l e r v . M a rsh , 682 F . 2 d 971 ,
9 7 8 - 7 9 ( 1982" ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 4 60 U . S .
1037 ( 1 9 8 3 ) . The S e v e n th C i r c u i t r u l i n g
t h a t t h e u s e o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y r a t i n g f o r L o r a n c e b y t h e
C o m p a n y d o e s n o t e s t a b l i s h a p r e s e n t
v i o l a t i o n i s i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e
S t o l l e r r u l i n g t h a t t h e u s e o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s u p e r v i s o r y r a t i n g d o e s
e s t a b l i s h a p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n . Se e a l s o ,
V a l e n t i n o v . U n i t e d S t a t e s P o s t a l
S e r v i c e , 6 7 4 F . 2 d 5 6 , 65 ( D . C . C i r .
1 9 8 2 ) ; M cKenzie v . S a w y e r , 684 F . 2 d 62 ,
72 ( D. C. C i r . 1 9 8 2 ) . In ag re e m e n t w i t h
S t o l l e r , t h e F i f t h C i r c u i t r u l e d t h a t an
i n j u r e d w o r k e r ma y s u e a f t e r e a c h
a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y
( i n t h i s i n s t a n c e t h e e x c l u s i o n o f J e w is h
p h y s i c i a n s from s e r v i n g i n a program i n
S a u d i A r a b i a ) , Abrams v . B a y l o r __C o l l e g e
o f M e d i c i n e , 805 F . 2 d 528 , 534 ( 1 9 8 6 ) .
22
r e c e n t l y s p e c i f i c a l l y r e j e c t e d t h e
S e v e n th C i r c u i t ' s d e c i s i o n i n L o r a n c e and
a p p r o v e d t h e T h i r d C i r c u i t ' s d e c i s i o n i n
W e s t i n g h o u s e E l e c t r i c C o r p . J o h n so n v .
G e n e r a l E l e c t r i c , No. 8 7 - 1 7 5 2 , s l i p o p .
a t 7 - 8 ( F e b r u a r y 22 , 1 9 8 8 ) . The F i r s t
C i r c u i t c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n i n
L o r a n c e i s " u n r e a s o n a b l e , a s w e l l a s
u n d e s i r a b l e f r o m a p u b l i c p o l i c y
p e r s p e c t i v e . " I d . a t 9.
T h e c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t a n d t h e T h i r d , F i f t h and S i x t h
C i r c u i t s i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s e v e r e . These
c i r c u i t s h o l d t h a t " t h e mere e x i s t e n c e "
o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y i s a n
i n s u f f i c i e n t b a s i s f o r a c a u s e o f a c t i o n .
Abr a ms v ._Ba y l o r C o l l e g e o f M e d i c i n e , 805
F . 2d a t 5 3 3 . An e m p l o y e e ' s c a u s e o f
a c t i o n " d o e s n o t a c c r u e u n t i l [ t h e
w o r k e r ' s ] e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s a r e
a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d by t h e a p p l i c a t i o n " o f
a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m ,
23
M o r e l o c k v . NCR C o r p . , 586 F . 2 d a t 1103 ,
o r o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y c o l l e c t i v e
b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t , E EOC v .
W e s t i n g h o u s e E l e c t r i c C o r p . , 725 F . 2 d a t
219 ; c o n t r a , Do mingo v . New England F i s h
C o . , 727 F . 2 d 1429 , 1443, m o d i f i e d , 74 2
F . 2d 520 ( 9 t h C i r . 1 9 8 4 ) . 11 See a l s o ,
J o h n so n v . Gener a l E l e c t r i c , s l i p o p . a t
10 ( " [ I ] t i s q u e s t i o n a b l e w h e t h e r an
a c t i o n b y an e m p l o y e e who h a s n o t y e t
s u f f e r e d a n y i n j u r y a s a r e s u l t o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s y s t e m i s s u f f i c i e n t l y
11 T h e F i f t h C i r c u i t r e c o g n i z e s
t h a t " c o u r t s have d i f f e r e d o v e r w h e th e r
t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e p o l i c y i t s e l f
c o n s t i t u t e s a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n ,
m a k i n g a s u i t t i m e l y i f t h e p o l i c y
r e m a i n s i n e f f e c t d u r i n g t h e a c t i o n a b l e
p e r i o d , o r w h e t h e r t h e r e must b e some
a c t u a l a p p l i c a t i o n o f i t t o th e p l a i n t i f f
w i t h i n t h e p e r i o d . " B e r r y v . Board o f
Supe r v i s o r s o f L . S . U . , 715 F , 2 d 971 , 979
( 1 9 8 3 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 107 S. C t . 232
( 1 9 8 6 ) . However, t h i s C ou rt has s t a t e d
t h a t t h e m e r e a d o p t i o n o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y " s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m w h ich
has n o t b e e n a p p l i e d w ou ld n o t g i v e r i s e
t o a c a u s e o f a c t i o n . " Am er ican T o b a c c o
Co. v . P a t t e r s o n , 456 U. S. a t 69. *
s e c t i o n I I , i n f r a .
S e e ,
24
r i p e . " ) T h u s , t h e T h i r d , F i f t h , and
S i x t h C i r c u i t s w o u ld d i s m i s s a s p r e m a tu re
a c a u s e o f a c t i o n b a s e d u p o n a n
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e f i l e d a t t h e t im e
r e q u i r e d (w hen t h e w o r k e r f i r s t became
s u b j e c t t o a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y ) by
t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t , w h e re as t h e S e v e n th
C i r c u i t w o u l d o f t e n d i s m i s s a c a u s e o f
a c t i o n as b a s e d upon an u n t i m e l y f i l i n g
o f a c h a r g e w h i c h was made on t h e o n l y
o c c a s i o n ( t h e a c t u a l a p p l i c a t i o n o f a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y ) p e r m i t t e d by th e
T h i r d , F i f t h , and S i x t h C i r c u i t s .
The s e v e r i t y o f th e c o n f l i c t among
t h e c i r c u i t s 12 n o t o n l y l e a d s t o s t a r k l y
12 I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e d i r e c t
c o n f l i c t s w i t h t h e f i v e c i r c u i t s s e t
f o r t h a b o v e , t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t ' s
a n a l y s i s i n L o r a n c e c o n f l i c t s w i t h t h r e e
a d d i t i o n a l c i r c u i t s w h ich have r u l e d t h a t
a g e n e r a l d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p a t t e r n may
e s t a b l i s h a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n w h ich
w ou ld p e r m i t t h e p l a i n t i f f t o r e c o v e r f o r
a c t s w h i c h o c c u r r e d b e f o r e t h e f i l i n g
p e r i o d . The T e n t h C i r c u i t r u l e d t h a t
" [ a ] c l a i m o f ag e d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . . . may
b e b a s e d o n a c o n t i n u i n g p o l i c y and
p r a c t i c e o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t h a t b e g a n
25
d i f f e r e n t j u d i c i a l r e s u l t s but a l s o makes
i m p o s s i b l e t h e c o n s i s t e n t a n d f a i r
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n b y t h e E q u a l Employment
O p p o r t u n i t y C o m m i s s i o n o f a n
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p r o c e s s w h i c h a n n u a l l y
r e c e i v e s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 7 0 , 0 0 0 c h a r g e s o f
b e f o r e t h e s t a t u t o r y f i l i n g p e r i o d , as
l o n g a s t h e e m p lo y e r c o n t i n u e s t o a p p l y
t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y . . . t o a p o i n t
w i t h i n t h e r e l e v a n t f i l i n g p e r i o d . . . .
D i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t s o c c u r r i n g b e f o r e th e
f i l i n g p e r i o d s . . . a r e u s e d by t h e c o u r t s
t o f a s h i o n a r e m e d y a n d d e t e r m i n e
d a m a g e s . " F u r r v . AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s ,
I n c . , 8 2 4 F . 2 d 15 3 7 , 15 4 3 ( 1 9 8 7) ; s e e
a I s o , W i l l i a m s v . O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , I n c . ,
665 F . 2d 9 18 , ' 9 2 4 - 2 5..( 9 th C i r . ) , c e r t .
d e n i e d , 459 U . S . 971 ( 1 9 8 2 ) ; R e e d v .
L o c k h e e d A i r c r a f t C o r p . , 613 F . 2 d 757 ,
7 5 9 - 6 0 ( 9 t h C i r . 1 9 8 0 ) ; S a t z v . ITT
F i n a n c i a l _C o r p ■ , 619 F . 2 d 7 3 8 , 7 4 3 - 4 4
( 8 t h C i r . 1 9 8 0 ) .
T h u s , t h e T e n t h C i r c u i t d e t e r m i n e d
t h a t r e l i e f may be p r o v i d e d t o p l a i n t i f f s
a t an AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s p l a n t i n C o l o r a d o
who s u f f e r e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y d e n i a l o f
p r o m o t i o n s t o s u p e r v i s o r y p o s i t i o n s b a s e d
u p o n a g e n e r a l p o l i c y o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
e s t a b l i s h e d p r i o r t o t h e f i l i n g p e r i o d ,
F u r r v . AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s , I n c . , w h i l e
t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t d e n i e d r e l i e f t o
women a t t h e AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s p l a n t in
I l l i n o i s who s u f f e r e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y j o b
d e m o t io n s b a s e d upon a p o l i c y e s t a b l i s h e d
b e f o r e but im p lem en ted d u r i n g t h e f i l i n g
p e r i o d .
26
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . S e e , E q u a l Employment
O p p o r t u n i t y C o m m i s s i o n , 1 9 t h A n n u a l
R e p o r t a t 18.
T h e c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t and t h e n e i g h b o r i n g E i g h t h and
S i x t h C i r c u i t s i m p o s e s u p o n t h e EEOC
d i s t r i c t o f f i c e s i n M i lw a ukee , w h ich has
j u r i s d i c t i o n f o r S t a t e s w i t h i n t h e
S e v e n t h ( W i s c o n s i n ) a n d t h e E i g h t h
C i r c u i t s ( M i n n e s o t a and I o w a ) , and i n
I n d i a n a p o l i s , w h ich has j u r i s d i c t i o n f o r
S t a t e s w i t h i n t h e S i x t h ( K e n t u c k y ) and
S e v e n th C i r c u i t s ( I n d i a n a ) , t h e d i f f i c u l t
t a s k o f t r e a t i n g i d e n t i c a l c h a r g e s
d i f f e r e n t l y d e p e n d i n g upon t h e S t a t e in
w h i c h t h e p a r t y a l l e g i n g d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
w o r k s . ^ T h i s c o n f u s i n g t a s k i s
c o m p o u n d e d by t h e s i g n i f i c a n t number o f 1
1 d S e e , E E O C D i r e c t i v e s
T r a n s m i t t a l , Number 1 2 0 . 0 0 1 , November 12,
1 9 8 7 ( d e f i n e s t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l a r e a
s u p e r v i s e d by e a c h EEOC o f f i c e ) . A c o p y
o f t h i s T r a n s m i t t a l has b e e n l o d g e d w i t h
t h e C o u r t .
27
c h a r g e s o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n r e c e i v e d
a n n u a l l y b y t h e M i l w a u k e e a n d
I n d i a n a p o l i s o f f i c e s . 14
In o r d e r t o p r o v i d e g u i d a n c e f o r i t s
s t a f f t h e EEOC h a s p r e p a r e d a n
I n t e r p r e t i v e M anua l . Bureau o f N a t i o n a l
A f f a i r s , EEOC C o m p l ia nc e Ma nual a t Volume
2. C o n t r a r y t o t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t , t h e
EEOC Manual c o n c l u d e s t h a t th e o p e r a t i o n
o f a n i l l e g a l p r a c t i c e , s u c h a s a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m , i s a p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n
o f T i t l e V I I . 15 The L o r a n c e d e c i s i o n
r e q u i r e s t h e EEOC, t h e F e d e r a l a g e n c y
c h a r g e d w i t h e n f o r c i n g T i t l e V I I , t o
d i s r e g a r d i t s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e law
f o r I l l i n o i s , W i s c o n s i n , and I n d i a n a
14 I n F i s c a l Year 1984 t h e r e were
4 , 7 6 4 c h a r g e s f i l e d f r o m t h e S t a t e s
c o v e r e d by t h e Milwaukee o f f i c e and 5 , 2 2 5
c h a r g e s f r o m t h e S t a t e s c o v e r e d by th e
I n d i a n a p o l i s o f f i c e . E q u a l Employment
O p p o r t u n i t y C o m m i s s i o n , 1 9 t h A n n u a l
R e p o r t a t 2 0 - 2 1 . ( T h i s i s t h e m o s t
r e c e n t R e p o r t p r e p a r e d by the EEOC).
15 S e e , BNA EEOC C o m p l ia n c e Manual
a t Volume 2, §§ 6 0 5 . 6 , 6 0 5 . 7 ( a ) , 6 1 6 . 1 4 ( b ) .
28
w h i l e im p le m e n t in g i t s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f
t h e law f o r t h e n e i g h b o r i n g S t a t e s .
I I . CERTIORARI SHOULD BE GRANTED BECAUSE
THE SEVENTH C I R C U I T ' S DECI S I ON
CONFLICTS WITH THIS COURT'S STANDARD
AS TO WHETHER THE OPERATION OF A
DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE CAUSES AN
ACTI ONABLE WRONG AND RA I S E S AN
I M P O R T A N T Q U E S T I O N AS TO THE
APPLICATION OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT LAW.
T h is C o u rt r u l e d t h a t " [ e ] a c h w e e k ' s
p a y c h e c k t h a t d e l i v e r s l e s s t o a b l a c k
t h a n t o a s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d w h i t e i s a
w r o n g a c t i o n a b l e u n d e r T i t l e V I I ,
r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h i s p a t t e r n
was begun p r i o r t o t h e e f f e c t i v e d a t e o f
T i t l e V I I . " Bazemore v . F r i d a y , 106 S.
C t . a t 3 0 0 6 - 0 7 . As e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f
t h e pay p r a c t i c e i n Bazemore was "a wrong
a c t i o n a b l e u n d e r T i t l e V I I , " s o i s e a c h
a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y p r a c t i c e i n L o r a n c e .
The S e v e n t h C i r c u i t r e f u s e s t o h o l d
t h a t t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m i s a n a c t o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n b e c a u s e " e m p lo y e e s c o u l d
29
c h a l l e n g e a s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m
i n d e f i n i t e l y , " and r e l y i n g upon D e law are
S t a t e C o l l e g e v . R i c k s , 449 U . S . 250
( 1 9 8 2 ) , b e c a u s e s u c h a r u l i n g "w o u ld run
c o u n t e r t o t h e s t r o n g p o l i c y f a v o r i n g t h e
p r o m p t r e s o l u t i o n o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
d i s p u t e s . " A p p . 8a.
The C o u r t has a l r e a d y r e j e c t e d th e
p o s i t i o n o f t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t b y
h o l d i n g t h a t T i t l e V I I " d o e s n o t
f o r e c l o s e a t t a c k s o n t h e c u r r e n t
o p e r a t i o n o f s e n i o r i t y s y s te m s w h ich a r e
s u b j e c t t o c h a l l e n g e as d i s c r i m i n a t o r y . "
Uni t e d A i r L i n e s ,_I n c , v . E v a n s , 431 U. S.
5 5 3 , 5 60 ( 1 9 7 7 ) . 1 6 M o r e o v e r , t h e 1
1 6 I n U n i t e d A i r L i n e s t h e
p l a i n t i f f was f o r c e d t o r e s i g n b e c a u s e
t h e c o m p a n y r e f u s e d t o e m p lo y p r e g n a n t
s t e w a r d e s s e s . A f t e r r e h i r e , E v a n s
c h a l l e n g e d t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e company t o
c o u n t h e r s e n i o r i t y f r o m h e r p r i o r
e m p l o y m e n t . U n l i k e L o r a n c e , Evans d i d
n o t c o m p l a i n t h a t t h e s e n i o r i t y sy s te m
was i l l e g a l b u t m e r e l y t h a t t h e sy s te m
p e r p e t u a t e d t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e i l l e g a l
p o l i c y o f f o r c e d t e r m i n a t i o n w h ic h the
company no l o n g e r a p p l i e d .
30
T e a m s t e r s d e c i s i o n c o m p e ls t h e c o n c l u s i o n
t h a t e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s te m v i o l a t e s T i t l e V I I . The
C o u r t h e l d t h a t an " o t h e r w i s e n e u t r a l ,
l e g i t i m a t e s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m " d o e s n o t
v i o l a t e T i t l e V I I " s i m p l y b e c a u s e i t may
p e r p e t u a t e p r e - A c t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . " 431
U . S . a t 3 5 3 - 5 4 . However, i f t h e s y s te m
had i t s " g e n e s i s i n . . . d i s c r i m i n a t i o n "
o r " w a s n e g o t i a t e d " w i t h an " i l l e g a l
p u r p o s e " t h e n t h e s y s t e m ' s p e r p e t u a t i o n
o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i s u n l a w f u l . 431 U. S.
a t 3 5 6 . 17 The S e v e n th C i r c u i t ' s r u l i n g
p r e v e n t s L o r a n c e f r o m e s t a b l i s h i n g
17 A l s o t h i s C o u r t h a s c o n c l u d e d
t h a t " ' [ a ] b s e n t a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p u r p o s e ,
t h e o p e r a t i o n o f a s e n i o r i t y r u l e c a n n o t
b e an u n l a w f u l employment p r a c t i c e e v e n
i f t h e s y s t e m h a s som e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
c o n s e q u e n c e s . ' Thus, any c h a l l e n g e t o a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m a n d T i t l e V I I w i l l
r e q u i r e a t r i a l o n t h e i s s u e o f
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y i n t e n t . . . . " P u l l m a n -
S t a n d a r d v . S w i n t , 456 U . S . 2 7 3 , 277
( 1 9 8 2 ) . A b s e n t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p u r p o s e ,
t h e o p e r a t i o n o f a s e n i o r i t y s y s te m i s
n o t i l l e g a l , b u t w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p u r p o s e , t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e s y s t e m
v i o l a t e s T i t l e V I I .
31
p u r s u a n t t o t h e r e a s o n i n g i n T e a m s te r s
t h a t h er j o b d e m o t io n was i l l e g a l b e c a u s e
i t was c a u s e d by a s e n i o r i t y s y s te m w h ich
was c r e a t e d and n e g o t i a t e d w i t h an i n t e n t
t o a d v a n t a g e m a l e w o r k e r s o v e r f e m a l e
w o r k e r s .
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e Supreme C ou rt has
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t " [ t ] he a d o p t i o n o f a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m w h i c h h a s n o t b e e n
a p p l i e d w ou ld n o t g i v e r i s e t o a c a u s e o f
a c t i o n . " A m e r i c a n T o b a c c o C o . v .
P a t t e r s o n , 4 5 6 U . S . a t 6 9 . T h e
" d i s c r i m i n a t o r y e f f e c t a r i s e [ s ] o n l y when
t h e s y s t e m i s p u t i n t o o p e r a t i o n . . . . "
I d . In Cal i f o r n i a B rew ers A s s o c i a t i o n v .
B r y a n t , 444 U. S. 598 , 602 , 610 -1 1 ( 1 9 8 0 ) ,
t h e Supreme C ou rt remanded th e i s s u e o f
w h e t h e r t h e o p e r a t i o n o f a f a c i a l l y
n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y r u l e a d o p t e d more than
10 y e a r s p r i o r t o t h e f i l i n g o f t h e
c o m p l a i n t was bona f i d e and l a w f u l . See
a l s o , N a s h v i l l e Gas Co . v . S a t t y , 4 3 4
32
U . S . 1 3 6 , 139 ( 1 9 7 7 ) . 18 The S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t t a k e s t h e u n t e n a b l e p o s i t i o n
r e q u i r i n g L o r a n c e t o f i l e a c h a r g e b e f o r e
t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m i n j u r e s h e r e v e n though
t h i s C o u r t i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e m e r e
e x i s t e n c e o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s y s te m d o e s
n o t g i v e r i s e t o a c a u s e o f a c t i o n and
e v e n th o u g h i n S a t t y and Br y a n t t h e C ou rt
i m p l i c i t l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e o p e r a t i o n
o f a l o n g - e s t a b l i s h e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m i s a p r e s e n t i l l e g a l
a c t .
-1-8 In Sa t t y t h e Supreme C ou rt r u l e d
i l l e g a l t h e C o m p a n y ' s s e n i o r i t y s y s te m
p r o v i s i o n d e n y i n g a c c u m u l a t e d s e n i o r i t y
t o f e m a l e e m p l o y e e s r e t u r n i n g t o w o r k
f o l l o w i n g p r e g n a n c y l e a v e . A l t h o u g h
h i r e d i n 1969 and s u b j e c t t o t h e s y s te m
f o r f o u r y e a r s , t h e p l a i n t i f f d i d n o t
c h a l l e n g e t h e s y s t e m u n t i l 1973 when sh e
was d e n i e d a c c u m u l a t e d s e n i o r i t y a f t e r
s h e r e t u r n e d t o w o r k a f t e r c h i l d b i r t h .
T h e C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e s e n i o r i t y
p r a c t i c e v i o l a t e d T i t l e V I I . Under t h e
L o r a n c e d e c i s i o n , S a t t y ' s c l a i m w o u l d
have b e e n d i s m i s s e d as u n t i m e l y s i n c e sh e
d i d n o t f i l e a c h a r g e w i t h i n 300 d a y s o f
b e c o m in g s u b j e c t t o t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m .
33
A l s o , t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t ' s r e l i a n c e
u p o n D e l a w a r e S t a t e C o l l e g e v . R i c k s ,
s u p r a , i s m i s p l a c e d . R i c k s c o m p l a i n e d
t h a t h e w a s d i s c r i m i n a t o r i 1 y d e n i e d
t e n u r e and t h a t he c o n t i n u e d t o s u f f e r
i n j u r y w h i l e he worked p u r s u a n t t o a o n e -
y e a r t e r m i n a t i o n c o n t r a c t . In r e j e c t i n g
R i c k s ' a rgu m e n t , th e C ou rt c o n c l u d e d t h a t
t h e " t e r m i n a t i o n o f employment . . . i s a
d e l a y e d b u t i n e v i t a b l e , c o n s e q u e n c e o f
t h e d e n i a l o f t e n u r e . . . . [ T ] h e o n l y
a l l e g e d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n o c c u r r e d - - and
t h e f i l i n g l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d s t h e r e f o r e
c o m m e n c e d - - a t t h e t i m e t h e t e n u r e
d e c i s i o n was m a d e . . . . " 449 U. S. a t 2 5 7 -
58 . U n l i k e t h e pay p r a c t i c e i n Bazemore
and t h e s e n i o r i t y s y s te m i n L o r a n c e , no
c u r r e n t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p r a c t i c e was
a l l e g e d i n R i c k s . 19
19 The R i c k s and E v a n s d e c i s i o n s
t h a t s i n g l e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t s do n o t
c o n s t i t u t e c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n s m e r e l y
b e c a u s e t h o s e a c t s h a v e c o n t i n u i n g
c o n s e q u e n c e s a r e n o t r e m a r k a b l e . These
34
U n d e r t h e F a i r H o u s i n g A c t o f
d e c i s i o n s a r e n o d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e
a p p l i c a t i o n o f a l i m i t a t i o n p e r i o d t o an
a c c i d e n t c a s e . A l t h o u g h t h e v i c t i m o f an
a u t o m o b i l e a c c i d e n t may s u f f e r f rom h i s
i n j u r i e s f o r t h e r e m a in d e r o f h i s l i f e ,
t h e s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s runs f rom th e
d a t e o f t h e a c c i d e n t .
On t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h i s C o u r t has
l o n g h e l d t h a t an i l l e g a l c o n t i n u i n g
p r a c t i c e c r e a t e s a new v i o l a t i o n w henever
t h e p r a c t i c e c a u s e s i n j u r y . An i l l e g a l
s y s t e m f o r d i s t r i b u t i n g s h o e m a c h in e r y
w h ic h commenced i n 1912 was s u b j e c t t o a
t i m e l y s u i t i n 1955 a l t h o u g h damages w ere
r e s t r i c t e d by t h e a p p l i c a b l e s t a t u t e o f
l i m i t a t i o n s . H a n o v e r S h o e , I n c , v .
Un ijt e d Sh o e Mac h i n e r y , I n c . , 3 9 2 U . S .
4 8 1 , 5 0 2 , n .15 ( 1 9 6 8 ) ; s e e a l s o , Z e n i t h
R a d i o C o r p . v . H a z e l t i m e R e s e a r c h , 401
U . S . 32 1 , 3 3 8 - 3 9 ( 1 9 7 1 ) ( c o n t i n u i n g
c o n s p i r a c y t o r e s t r a i n t r a d e ) ; C o r n i ng
G l a s s Works v . B renn an, 417 U. S. 188, 208
( 1 9 7 4 ) ( c o n t i n u i n g i l l e g a l pay s c a l e s ) .
An i l l e g a l c o n t i n u i n g s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m ,
l i k e an i l l e g a l pay s y s t e m , m o n o p o l y , o r
a p r a c t i c e i n r e s t r a i n t o f t r a d e ,
v i o l a t e s t h e l a w w h e n e v e r i t c a u s e s
i n j u r y . S e e L a y c o c k , C o n t i n u i n g
V i o l a tJL o n s x__ D i s p a r a t e___I m p a c t i n
C ompens a t i o n , and O ther T i t l e V I I_I s s u e s ,
49 Law and Contemp. P r o b s . 53 ( 1 9 8 6 ) .
35
1 9 6 8 , 20 a c i v i l r i g h t s s t a t u t e c l o s e l y
s i m i l a r i n p u r p o s e and d e s i g n t o T i t l e
V I I , t h e C o u r t has d i s t i n g u i s h e d b e tw e e n
a d i s c r e t e a c t o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and a
c o n t i n u i n g p r a c t i c e o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n
a p p l y i n g t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d . I f
t h e r e i s a c o n t i n u i n g p r a c t i c e o f r a c i a l
s t e e r i n g , a c o u r t may remedy i n s t a n c e s o f
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s t e e r i n g w h i c h o c c u r r e d
p r i o r t o th e 1 8 0 -d a y p e r i o d f o r f i l i n g an
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e s o l o n g as a t l e a s t
one a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e s t e e r i n g p r a c t i c e
o c c u r r e d w i t h i n t h e f i l i n g p e r i o d . Where
t h e r e i s a c o n t i n u i n g p r a c t i c e , n o t o n l y
d o e s " t h e s t a l e n e s s c o n c e r n [ o f s t a t u t e s
o f l i m i t a t i o n s ] d i s a p p e a r [ ] , " bu t a l s o a
" w o o d e n a p p l i c a t i o n " o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s
p e r i o d " u n d e r m i n e s t h e b r o a d r e m e d i a l
20 The F a i r H ous in g A c t p r o v i s i o n ,
42 U . S . C . § 3 6 1 2 ( a ) , w h ich r e q u i r e s the
f i l i n g o f an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a r g e w i t h i n
180 d a y s o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t , " i s
c o m p a r a b l e t o t h e one im posed by t h e Age
Act* [and by T i t l e V I I ] . " T a y l o r v . Home
I n s u r a n c e Company, 777 F . 2d a t 856 .
36
i n t e n t o f C o n g r e s s e m b o d i e d i n t h e
A c t . . . . " Havens R e a l t y C o r p . v . C o le m a n ,
455 U. S . 363 , 3 8 0 -8 1 ( 1 9 8 2 ) .
T h i s C o u r t has e s t a b l i s h e d a s i m i l a r
" g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e " f o r i n t e r p r e t i n g
T i t l e V I I l i m i t a t i o n s p r o v i s i o n s . " [ A ]
t e c h n i c a l r e a d i n g [ o f t h o s e p r o v i s i o n s ]
w ou ld be ' p a r t i c u l a r l y i n a p p r o p r i a t e i n a
s t a t u t o r y s c h e m e i n w h i c h l a y m e n ,
u n a s s i s t e d b y t r a i n e d l a w y e r s , i n i t i a t e
t h e p r o c e s s . ' " Z i p e s__v . Tr a n s W o r l d
A i r l i n e s , I n c . , 455 U. S. a t 397 , q u o t i n g ,
L o v e v . P u l l m an C o . , 404 U. S. 522 , 527
( 1 9 7 2 ) . J u s t a s t h e C o u r t has d e f i n e d
t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a r a c i a l s t e e r i n g
p o l i c y as a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n o f f a i r
h o u s i n g law , s o s h o u l d t h e C ou rt d e f i n e
t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a g e n d e r - m o t i v a t e d
s e n i o r i t y p o l i c y a s a c o n t i n u i n g
v i o l a t i o n o f f a i r employment law .
T h e Lo r a n e e r u l e i s p a r t i c u l a r l y
u n f a i r s i n c e i t r e q u i r e s a w o r k e r t o
37
b r i n g s u i t w henever t h e r e i s an a r g u a b l y
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s t a n d a r d ^ 1 i m p o s e d e v e n
t h o u g h i t h a s n o t b e e n a p p l i e d . As in
L o r a n c e , a c h a n g e d s e n i o r i t y s y s te m m ight
e v e n t u a l l y r e s u l t i n a w o r k e r b e i n g
"bumped" t o a l o w e r - p a y i n g j o b . But th e n
a g a i n a s a r e s u l t o f a n y n u m b e r o f
p o s s i b l e o c c u r r e n c e s , s u c h as a ch an g e in
t h e s y s t e m , a w o r k e r ’ s p r o m o t i o n t o a
s u p e r v i s o r y p o s i t i o n n o t c o v e r e d by t h e 21
21 The L o r a n c e r u l e m ight a p p l y t o
t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f a n y d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p r a c t i c e . F o r e x a m p l e , a c o m p a n y may
e s t a b l i s h an e d u c a t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t f o r
p r o m o t i o n w h i c h i s u n l a w f u l b e c a u s e i t
d i s q u a l i f i e s d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y m ore
b l a c k s t h a n w h i t e s and i t i s n o t " j o b
r e l a t e d . " C f . , Gr i g g s v . Duke Power C o . ,
401 U. S. 424 ( 1 9 7 1 ) . Under L o r a n c e , an
e m p l o y e e m ust s u e when t h e p o l i c y i s
i m p o s e d o r f o r f e i t h i s o r he r T i t l e VI I
r i g h t s . H o w e v e r , a b s e n t t h e
c o n f r o n t a t i o n a l L o r a n c e r u l e , an e m p lo y e e
m i g h t d e c i d e t o a t t e m p t t o a c h i e v e t h e
r e q u i r e d e d u c a t i o n a l d e g r e e and t h e r e b y
q u a l i f y p r i o r t o t h e n e x t p r o m o t i o n a l
o p p o r t u n i t y . R a t h e r t h a n e n c o u r a g i n g
a c c o m m o d a t io n , th e L o r a n c e r u l e r e q u i r e s
t h e w o r k e r t o c o n f r o n t t h e c o m p a n y ' s
p o l i c y e v e n b e f o r e i t i s a p p l i e d , b e f o r e
t h e w o r k e r i s harmed, and e v e n th o u g h th e
w o rk e r may n e v e r be harmed by t h e new p r a c t i c e .
38
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m o r t r a n s f e r t o a n o t h e r
d e p a r t m e n t , t h e n e w l y i m p o s e d
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s y s te m may n e v e r a p p l y t o
a p a r t i c u l a r w o r k e r . A w o r k e r may
r e a s o n a b l y d e c i d e t h a t i t i s b e t t e r n o t
t o t i l t a t h y p o t h e t i c a l w i n d m i l l s .
I t i s c o u n t e r - p r o d u c t i v e t o a n y
s e n s i b l e a t t e m p t t o l i m i t l i t i g a t i o n t o
r e q u i r e , a s t h e S e v e n t h C i r c u i t d i d i n
L o r a n c e , w o r k e r s t o s u e b e f o r e t h e y have
b e e n h a r m e d and e v e n t h o u g h t h e y may
n e v e r b e h a r m e d s i m p l y b e c a u s e a
p o t e n t i a l l y d i s c r i m i n a t o r y e m p l o y m e n t
s t a n d a r d has b e e n im p o s e d . As t h e F i r s t
C i r c u i t r e c e n t l y c o n c l u d e d i n r e j e c t i n g
th e Lor a n c e d e c i s i o n , " [ i ] t i s u n w is e t o
e n c o u r a g e l a w s u i t s b e f o r e t h e i n j u r i e s
r e s u l t i n g from v i o l a t i o n s a r e d e l i n e a t e d ,
o r b e f o r e i t i s e v e n c e r t a i n t h a t
i n j u r i e s w i l l o c c u r a t a l l . " J o h n so n v .
G enera l E l e c t r i c , s l i p o p . a t 10. I t i s
e s p e c i a l l y i n a p p r o p r i a t e t o r e q u i r e
39
p r e m a t u r e a n d p o s s i b l y u n n e c e s s a r y
l i t i g a t i o n a b o u t t h e h y p o t h e t i c a l
a p p l i c a t i o n o f a n e w ly im p osed p r a c t i c e
s i n c e C o n g r e s s e s t a b l i s h e d " [ c ] o o p e r a t i o n
a n d v o l u n t a r y c o m p l i a n c e . . . a s t h e
p r e f e r r e d m e a n s f o r a c h i e v i n g [ T i t l e
V I I ' s ] g o a l s . " A l e x a n d e r v . __Ga r d n e r -
Denver C o . , 415 U. S. 36 , 44 ( 1 9 7 4 ) .
M o r e o v e r , t h e S e v e n th C i r c u i t f a i l s
t o a c c o m p l i s h i t s p u r p o r t e d g o a l o f
e n c o u r a g i n g prompt l i t i g a t i o n o v e r n ew ly
e s t a b l i s h e d p r a c t i c e s . S i n c e f e m a l e
w o r k e r s who p r o m o t e i n t o t h e T e s t e r
p o s i t i o n i n t h e f u t u r e may s u e , t h e
s y s te m may be c h a l l e n g e d f o r y e a r s a f t e r
i t s a d o p t i o n . The S e v e n th C i r c u i t t a k e s
t h e u n t e n a b l e p o s i t i o n t h a t w o r k e r s who
a r e dem oted on t h e same day as a r e s u l t
o f t h e s a m e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s y s t e m h a v e d i f f e r e n t
T i t l e V I I r i g h t s . A f e m a l e w o rk e r who
p r o m o t e d t o t h e T e s t e r p o s i t i o n w i t h i n
40
300 d ays o f t h e d e m o t i o n may s u e , w h i l e a
w o r k e r who p r o m o t e d more than 300 d a y s
b e f o r e t h e d e m o t i o n h a s f o r f e i t e d h e r
T i t l e V I I r i g h t s .
T h e L o r a n c e - e n g e n d e r e d c o n f l i c t
r e g a r d i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I t o
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s i s e s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t
b e c a u s e " [ s j e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s a n d t h e
e n t i t l e m e n t s c o n f e r r e d by c r e d i t s e a r n e d
t h e r e u n d e r a r e o f v a s t and i n c r e a s i n g
i m p o r t a n c e i n t h e e c o n o m i c e m p l o y m e n t
s y s te m o f t h i s N a t i o n . " Franks v . Bowman
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n C o . , 424 U . S . 7 4 7 , 766
( 1 9 7 6 ) ; 22 s e e a l s o , Trans W or ld A i r l i n e s ,
22 In a r e c e n t s u r v e y o f 400 m a jo r
c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t s , t h e
B u r e a u o f N a t i o n a l A f f a i r s d e t e r m i n e d
t h a t 9 0 p e r c e n t o f t h e c o n t r a c t s
c o n t a i n e d s e n i o r i t y p r o v i s i o n s . 2
C o l l e c t i v e B a r g a i n i n g N e g o t i a t i o n s and
C o n t . ( BNA) a t 7 5 : 1 ( A p r i l 4 , 1 9 8 6 ) . In
i t s m o s t r e c e n t c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t u d y o f
c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t s , w h ich
was u n d e r t a k e n i n 1 9 7 2 , t h e B u r e a u o f
La bor S t a t i s t i c s s u r v e y e d t h e 1974 m a jo r
c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t s w h ich
c o v e r e d 8 . 2 m i l l i o n w o r k e r s . Of t h e 1974
a g r e e m e n t s , 1501 a g r e e m e n t s c o v e r i n g 6 . 1
m i l l i o n w o r k e r s c o n t a i n e d s e n i o r i t y
41
I n c , v . H a r d i s o n , 432 U. S . 63, 79 ( 1 9 7 7 ) .
C o n g r e s s and t h i s C ou rt have r e c o g n i z e d
t h a t " o n o c c a s i o n " t h e p u r p o s e o f T i t l e
V I I t o e l i m i n a t e d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w o u l d
" c o n f l i c t w i t h p o l i c y f a v o r i n g m inim al
s u p e r v i s i o n b y c o u r t s " o f c o l l e c t i v e
b a r g a i n i n g a g r e e m e n t s and t h e s e n i o r i t y
p r o v i s i o n s w h i c h " a r e o f ' o v e r r i d i n g
i m p o r t a n c e 1 i n c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g
a g r e e m e n t s " A m e r i c a n __T o b a c c o C o .__v .
P a t t e r s o n , 4 5 6 U . S . a t 7 6 - 7 7 .
A c c o r d i n g l y , o n a t l e a s t e i g h t
o c c a s i o n s , * 23 t h i s C ou rt has r e v i e w e d th e
a p p r o p r i a t e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e f a i r
employment laws t o s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s . I t
p r o v i s i o n s . Bureau o f Labor S t a t i s t i c s ,
U. S . D e p t , o f L a b o r B u l l . No. 1 4 2 5 - 1 1 ,
Admini s t r a t i o n o f S e n i o r i t y a t 2 ( 1 9 7 2 ) .
23 F ran ks v . __Bowman T r a n s p o r t a t i o n
Co ■ , s u p r a ; T e a m s t e r s v . U n i t e d S t a t e s ,
s u p r a ; U n i t e d A i r L i n e s v , E v a n s , s u p r a ;
T r a n s W o r l d A i r l i n e s , I n c , v . Hard i s o n ,_
s u p r a ; C a l i f o r n i a B rew ers A s s o c i a t i o n v .
B r y a n t , s u p r a ; Z i p e s v . T r a n s W o r l d
A i r l i n e s , _I n c . , s u p r a ; A m er ican T o b a c c o
Co. v . P a t t e r s o n , s u p r a ; P u l l m a n -S t a n d a r d
Co. v . S w i n t , s u p r a .
42
i s now t im e f o r t h e C o u r t t o r e s o l v e t h e
i m p o r t a n t i s s u e r e g a r d i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n
o f t h e T i t l e V I I p r o c e d u r a l r e q u i r e m e n t s
f o r f i l i n g c h a r g e s a l l e g i n g t h a t a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m o r a s i m i l a r c o n t i n u i n g
p o l i c y i s i l l e g a l .
43
CONCLUSION
F o r t h e a b o v e r e a s o n s a w r i t o f
c e r t i o r a r i s h o u l d i s s u e t o r e v i e w t h e
j u d g m e n t a n d o p i n i o n o f t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t .
R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,
JULIUS LeVONNE CHAMBERS
NAACP L e g a l D e f e n s e and
E d u c a t i o n a l Fund, I n c .
S i x t e e n t h F l o o r
99 Hudson S t r e e t
New Y o r k , New York 10013
BARRY GOLDSTEIN*
SHEILA Y. THOMAS
NAACP L e g a l D e f e n s e and
E d u c a t i o n a l Fund, I n c .
806 15th S t r e e t , N.W.
S u i t e 940
W a s h in g t o n , D. C. 20005
( 202 ) 6 3 8 -3 2 7 8
BRIDGET ARIM0ND
14 West E r i e S t r e e t
C h i c a g o , I l l i n o i s 60610
COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS
* C o u n se l o f R e c o r d
February 26, 1988
APPENDIX
la
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60604
O c t o b e r 30 , 1987.
B e f o r e
Hon. W i l l i a m J . B a uer , C h i e f Judge
Hon. R i c h a r d D. Cudahy, C i r c u i t Judge
Hon. J o e l M. Flaum, C i r c u i t Judge
PATRICIA A. LORANCE,
JANICE M. KING, and
CAROL S. BUESCHEN,
P l a i n t i f f s -
A p p e l l a n t s ,
No. 8 6 - 2 5 8 4 v s .
AT&T TECHNOLOGIES,
INC. , and LOCAL
1942 INTERNATIONAL
BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS,
AFL-CIO,
D e f e n d a n t s -
A p p e l l e e s .
) A p p e a l f rom t h e
) U n i t e d S t a t e s
) D i s t r i c t C ou rt
) f o r t h e N o r t h e r n
) D i s t r i c t o f
) I l l i n o i s , E a s t e r n
) D i v i s i o n .
)
) No. 83 C 6602
) Harry D.
) L e i n e n w e b e r ,
) J u d g e .
O R D E R
On c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e p e t i t i o n f o r
r e h e a r i n g and s u g g e s t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g en
ban c f i l e d i n t h e a b o v e - e n t i t l e d c a u s e by
p 1 a i n t i f f s - a p p e l l a n t s , a v o t e o f t h e
a c t i v e members o f t h e C o u r t was
r e q u e s t e d , and a m a j o r i t y o f t h e a c t i v e
members o f t h e C ou rt have v o t e d t o deny a
2a
r e h e a r i n g en b a n c . * A m a j o r i t y o f t h e
j u d g e s on t h e o r i g i n a l p a n e l have v o t e d
t o d e n y t h e p e t i t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g .
A c c o r d i n g l y ,
IT IS ORDERED t h a t t h e a f o r e s a i d
p e t i t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g b e , and t h e same
i s h e r e b y , DENIED.
* C i r c u i t J u d g e s Cudahy, E a s t e r b r o o k ,
and R i p p l e v o t e d t o g r a n t r e h e a r i n g en
banc .
3a
3n tljc
Eniteii Spates Court o f Appeals
Ifor tt}E êucntl] (Efrcuit
N o. 86-2584
Patricia A . Lorance, Janice M . K ing ,
and Carol S. Bueschen ,
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
A T & T Technologies, Inc . and Local 1942,
International Brotherhood of E lectrical
W orkers, A F L -C I O ,
Defendants-Appellees.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District o f Illinois, Eastern Division.
No. 83 C 6602—Harry D. Leinenweber, Judge.
Argued April 24, 1987-Decided August 19, 1987
B e fo re Bau er , C hief Judge, and C udahy and F laum ,
Circuit Judges.
F laum , Circuit Judge. T h e pla in tiffs are fem ale h ou rly
w a g e w ork ers em p loyed b y A T & T T ech n ologies. B etw een
1978 and 1980, th e p la in tiffs w e re req u ired to su rren d er
th e ir p lan t-w ide sen iority in o rd e r to b e p ro m o te d to the
position o f “ te s te r ,” a com paratively h igh-paying jo b w hich
had cu stom a rily b een held b y m en. In 1982, A T & T re
duced its em ploym ent force . In carry ing out its reductions,
A T & T con sidered on ly the sen iority that the plaintiffs had
accru ed d u rin g th e tim e th at th e y had b een testers . A s
4a
a resu lt, A T & T d e m o te d th e p la in tiffs to le ss d esira b le
position s. T h e p la in tiffs su b sequ en tly filed th is su it u n d er
T itle V I I o f th e C iv il R ig h ts A c t o f 1964, 42 U .S .C .
§ 2000e - 2000e-17 (1982), a lleg in g th a t th e ir d em otion s
constituted illegal d iscrim ination based on sex. T h e district
cou rt g ra n te d su m m ary ju d g m e n t fo r th e d e fen d an ts on
th e g rou n d th at th e p la in tiffs ’ cla im s w e re u n tim ely . W e
affirm .
I.
T h e p la in tiffs , P a tr icia A . L ora n ce , Janice M . K in g , and
C arol S. B u esch en , are h ou rly w a g e e m p loy ees o f th e d e
fen dan t e m p loy er , A T & T T ech n o log ies , and are m em b ers
o f the defendant union, L oca l 1942. L oran ce and B ueschen
have b een e m p loy ed at A T & T ’s M on tgom ery W o rk s facil
ity in A u rora , Illinois since 1970. K in g began w o rk at that
fa cility in 1971. A t th e tim e th e p la in tiffs b e g a n th e ir
e m p loy m en t at M o n tg o m e ry W o rk s , sen iority w a s ca lcu
la ted on a p la n t-w id e basis . P rom otion s and d em otion s
w ith in th e h ou rly w a g e jo b s at th e fa cility w e re b ased
on p la n t-w id e sen iority .
A m o n g th e h ou rly w a g e jo b s at M o n tg o m e ry W o r k s is
a ca te g o ry o f jo b s co lle c t iv e ly k n ow n as th e “ te s te r un i
v e r s e .” T h e se p os ition s a re a m on g th e h igh est-p a y in g
h ou rly w a g e jo b s at th e fa cility . A lth ou g h th ese p osition s
tra d ition a lly had b e e n filled b y m en , b y 1978 an in crea s
in g n u m b er o f w om en had u sed th e ir p lan t-w ide se n ior
ity to ob ta in jo b s as te s te rs . In la te 1978, the p la in tiffs ’
union en tered into d iscussions w ith A T & T con cern in g the
sen iority ru les g o v e rn in g th e te s te r p os ition s . T h e e m
p lo y e r and th e u n ion u ltim ate ly d e v e lo p e d a p rop osa l,
k n ow n as th e “ T e s te r C o n c e p t .” U n d e r th is p lan , on ce
an e m p lo y e e b e ca m e a te s te r , p rom otion s and d em otion s
w e re to b e b ased on th e len gth o f tim e that th e em p loyee
had b een a te s te r (“ te s te r se n io r ity ” ), ra th er than on the
len gth o f tim e the em p loy ee had b een at the M on tgom ery
W o r k s fa cility .
T h e T e s te r C o n cep t w as e x te n s iv e ly d iscu ssed at a
series o f union m eetings. On June 28, 1978, the union held
a special m eetin g to v o te on the T e ste r C on cept. T he plan
w as a p p ro v e d b y a m argin o f n in e ty v o te s to s ix ty —ap
p ro x im a te ly the ra tio o f m en to w om en . A ll th ree p la in
tiffs a tten d ed th e m eetin g , and v o te d again st th e plan.
On July 23, 1979, the union and the em p loyer en tered into
a le t te r o f a g reem en t a d op tin g the T e s te r C on cep t.
A t the tim e the T e s te r C o n cep t w as a d op ted , L ora n ce
w as em p loy ed as a tester. K in g w as p rom oted to a tester
p os ition in F e b ru a ry , 1980. B u esch en ob ta in ed a te s te r
jo b in N o v e m b e r , 1980. B y the su m m er o f 1982, L ora n ce
and K in g had b een p ro m o te d to sen ior te s te r position s.
A t th at tim e, A T & T b eg a n a red u ction in fo rce , w h ich
it co n d u cted in a ccord an ce w ith th e te rm s o f th e co lle c
tive b arga in in g a greem en t. B ased on th e ir te s te r sen ior
ity , L ora n ce and K in g w e re d em oted to low er-p a y in g ,
m ore ju n io r te s te r position s. B u esch en w as d em oted to
a n on -tester jo b . T h e p la in tiffs a llege that th ey w ou ld not
have been d em oted had the decision b een based on plant
w id e sen iority .
O n A p ril 13, 1983, L ora n ce and B u esch en filed com
plaints w ith the E qual E m p loym en t O pportu n ity C om m is
sion. K in g filed a com pla in t w ith th e C om m ission e igh t
days la ter . A fte r ob ta in in g righ t-to -su e le tte rs , the p la in
tiffs b rou gh t this action on S ep tem ber 30, 1983. T he plain
tiffs a lleged that th e ir dem otions v io la ted T itle V I I . T h ey
also sou gh t certifica tion o f a class con sistin g o f all w om en
e m p loy ees at th e M o n tg o m e ry W o rk s fa cility w h o e ith er
w e re te s te rs and had lo st th e ir p lan t-w ide sen iority , o r
w h o had b e e n d e terred from b e co m in g testers b eca u se o f
the re q u irem en t that th ey g iv e up th e ir p lant sen iority .
T he defendants m oved fo r sum m ary ju d gm en t on the ground
that the p la in tiffs ’ suit w as tim e-barred . T he d istrict court
g ra n ted th e d e fe n d a n ts ’ m otion , h o ld in g th at th e lim ita
tions p e r io d had b eg u n at th e tim e th e y k n ew o r should
6a
h ave k n ow n th at th e y had lo st th e ir p lan t-w ide sen ior
ity . T h e p la in tiffs th en b ro u g h t th is a p p ea l.1
II .
T itle V I I cla im s b ro u g h t in Illinois a re g e n era lly su b je ct
to a 300-day p e r io d o f lim ita tion . See 42 U .S .C . § 2000e-5(e)
(1982).1 2 In o rd e r to sa tis fy th e tim elin ess req u irem en t, a
p la in tiff m u st a lleg e th at a sp ecific action taken b y the
d e fen d an t d u rin g th e p re ce d in g 300 days v io la ted T itle
V I I . See Nazaire v. Trans World Airlines, 807 F .2d 1372,
1376 (7th C ir . 1986), cert, denied, 107 S .C t. 1979 (1987).
A cla im is n o t t im ely i f it m e re ly a sserts that a d iscr im
in a tory a ct th a t o ccu rre d p r io r to the lim itation s p er iod
had an e ffe c t that o ccu rre d d u rin g the lim itations p eriod .
See id.
1 The district court granted summary judgment without first con
sidering the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. This is a viola
tion of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, which requires the
district court to decide the question of class certification “ as soon
as practicable,” Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(cXl). Although a district court’s
deliberate decision not to certify a class deprives us of appellate
jurisdiction, Glidden v. Chromalloy Am erican Corporation, 808
F.2d 621 (7th Cir. 1986), we are not deprived of jurisdiction in
a case, such as the present one, in which the district court in
advertently does not act on the certification motion, see Bennett
v. Tucker, No. 86-2628, slip op. at 5-6 (7th Cir. Aug. 11, 1987).
Nonetheless, this case illustrates the problem that may arise when
a court does not comply with Rule 23. Because the district court
did not decide the class certification motion, we do not know who
is bound by our judgment. This may raise a significant res judicata
problem in any future litigation that may arise out of the defen
dants’ administration of the tester seniority system.
2 The 300-day limitations period is based on the fact that Illinois
has a state agency to which employment discrimination complaints
may be referred. In states that do not have their own agencies,
the deadline is only 180 days. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e) (1982).
The defendants argue that because the plaintiffs did not make use
of the existing state procedures, the 180-day period applies. How
ever, we need not resolve this question, because the plaintiffs’
claims are untimely under either standard.
D eterm in in g w h eth er a p la in tiff is ch a llen g in g an act o f
d iscrim in ation , ra th er than th e e ffe c ts o f a p r io r act o f
d iscr im in a tion , is e sp ec ia lly im p orta n t w h en sen iority
sy stem s are in v o lv ed . T h is is b eca u se a se n ior ity system
m a y p e rp e tu a te th e e ffe c ts o f a p a st a ct o f d iscrim in a
tion. F o r exa m p le , in United Airlines v. Evans, 431 U .S .
553 (1977), th e defen d an t fired th e p la in tiff fo r a d iscrim i
n a tory reason , bu t la ter reh ired her. H o w e v e r , th e d e fen
dant did n ot g iv e the p la in tiff sen iority cred it fo r the four-
y e a r p e r io d d u rin g w h ich she had b e e n ou t o f w ork . A s
a resu lt, th e p la in tiff w as at a co m p e tit iv e d isa d van ta ge
in ob ta in in g sen iority -b a sed b e n e fits , such as w a g e in
crea ses and p rom otion s . T h e p la in tiff filed su it, a lleg in g
th at th e e m p lo y e r w as v io la tin g T it le V I I . T h e S u p rem e
C o u rt n o te d th at th e p la in t if fs fir in g had b e e n an act o f
d iscrim in ation , w h ich th e p la in tiff cou ld h ave co n te s te d
w ith in th e lim itation s p eriod . H o w e v e r , th e C o u rt w en t
on to hold th a t th e d isa d van ta ges th a t th e e m p lo y e e in
cu rred b eca u se o f h er loss o f sen iority w e re m e re ly the
e ffe c t o f th e p r io r d iscr im in a tory fir in g . See id. at 558.
T h e p la in tiffs in th is ca se a rgu e th at th e ir d em otion s
con stitu ted acts o f d iscrim ination . T h e y reco g n ize that,
u nder Evans, the fact that a sen iority system perpetu ates
th e e ffe c t o f p r io r d iscrim in ation d o e s n ot con stitu te an
act o f d iscrim ination . H o w e v e r , th e y argu e th at Evans
does not apply in this case, because A T & T and L oca l 1942
a lleg ed ly a d op ted the sen iority sy stem fo r the v e r y p u r
p ose o f d iscrim inating. T he plaintiffs con ten d that the con
tin u ed a p p lica tion o f any in te n tion a lly d iscr im in a tory
sen iority system con stitu tes a continu ing v iolation o f T itle
V I I . See Patterson v. Am erican Tobacco Com pany, 634
F .2d 744, 750-51 (4th C ir. 1980), vacated on other grounds,
456 U .S . 63 (1982); c f M orelock v. N C R , 586 F .2 d 1096,
1102-03 (6th C ir. 1978), cert, denied, 441 U .S . 906 (1979)
(op era tion o f d iscr im in a tory sen iority system con stitu tes
o n g o in g v io la tion u n d er A D E A ) . T h e re fo re , th e y reason ,
each action taken pu rsu an t to th e sen iority system that
d isadvan tages an em p loy ee con stitu tes an act o f d iscrim i
nation.
8a
A lth ou gh th e p la in tiffs ’ a rgu m en t is log ica lly appealing ,
w e are com p e lled to r e je c t it. I f w e w e re to hold that
each app lica tion o f an a lle g e d ly d iscr im in a tory sen iority
sy stem con stitu te d an act o f d iscrim in ation , e m p lo y e e s
cou ld challenge a sen iority system indefin itely . This w ou ld
run cou n ter to the stron g p o licy fa vorin g the p rom p t re s o
lution o f d iscrim in ation d ispu tes. See Delaware State Col
lege v. Ricks, 449 U .S . 250, 259-60 (1980). T h is p o licy is
especia lly im portant w h ere sen iority system s are involved.
I f a cou rt fin d s th a t a sen iority sy stem w as a d o p te d fo r
a d iscr im in a tory p u rp o se , it m a y b e ob lig a ted to o rd e r
d rastic re s tru ctu r in g o f th e sy stem . See, e.g., Teamsters
v. United States, 431 U .S . 324, 371-77 (1977). T h e lo n g e r
a p la in tiff delays, the m ore d ifficult it b ecom es fo r a court
to cra ft r e lie f th a t str ik es th e cr itica l ba lan ce b e tw e e n
era d ica tin g e x is t in g d iscrim in ation and p ro te c t in g th e
righ ts o f all em p loyees. A ccord in g ly , w e cannot a ccep t the
p la in tiffs ’ su g g e stio n th a t any a d v e rse action taken p u r
suant to an a lleged ly d iscrim in atory sen iority system con
stitu tes an a ct o f d iscrim in ation .
T h e d e fen d an ts a rg u e th a t th e ir ad op tion o f th e T e s te r
C o n cep t co n stitu ted th e re le v a n t a ct that tr ig g e r e d the
p e r io d o f lim ita tion s. H o w e v e r , w e m u st a lso r e je c t th is
p os ition . A t th e tim e th e d e fen d a n ts a d o p te d the T e s te r
C on cept, neith er K in g n or B u eschen w e re testers . W e can
see no reason w h y th ey should have been req u ired to con
te s t a se n ior ity sy s te m th at d id n ot ap p ly to th em . R e
qu irin g e m p lo y e e s to co n te s t any sen iority sy s te m that
m igh t som e day ap p ly to th em w ou ld en cou rag e n eed less
litigation . M o re o v e r , v ie w in g th e a d op tion o f a d iscr im i
n a tory se n io r ity sy s te m as th e a ct o f d iscrim in ation that
tr ig g e rs th e lim ita tion s p e r io d w ou ld fru stra te th e r e
m edial policies that are the foundation o f T itle V I I . U n der
th is ap p roa ch , any se n io r ity sy stem w ou ld b e im m u n e to
ch a llen ge 300 d a ys a fte r its adoption . F u tu re e m p loy ees
w ou ld th e re fo re h a ve no re co u rse w h en con fro n te d w ith
an e x is t in g se n ior ity sy s te m th at th e y b e lie v e to b e d is
cr im in a tory .
9a
W e b e lie v e th a t it is essen tia l to str ik e a ba lan ce th at
r e fle c ts b oth th e im p ortan ce o f e lim in atin g e x is t in g d is
crim in ation , and the n eed to in su re th a t cla im s are filed
as p ro m p tly as p oss ib le . W e th e re fo re con clu d e th at the
re le v a n t d iscr im in a tory a ct th at tr ig g e rs th e p e r io d o f
lim ita tion s o ccu rs at the tim e an e m p lo y e e b e co m e s su b
je c t to a facia lly -n eu tra l b u t d is cr im in a tory sen iority
sy stem th at th e e m p loy ee k n ow s, o r rea son a b ly should
k n ow , is d iscr im in a tory . W e em ph asize th a t o u r h old in g
is a n a rro w one. W e reco g n ize th at an act o f d iscrim i
nation m ay o ccu r w h en an e m p lo y e r a cts pu rsu an t to a
sen iority sy s te m th at is facia lly d iscr im in atory . See Bart-
m ess v. D rewrys, U .S .A ., 444 F .2 d 1186 (7th C ir.), cert,
denied, 404 U .S . 939 (1971). A v io la tion m a y a lso occu r
w h e re an e m p lo y e r u ses an y d iscre tion th at it m ay have
u n d er a co lle ct iv e b arga in in g a g re e m e n t in a d iscrim in a
to ry m anner. See generally Stewart v. C P C International,
679 F .2 d 117, 120-21 (7th C ir. 1982) (per curiam ) (d iscu ss
in g va riou s “ con tin u in g v io la tio n ” th eories).
In this case, the em p loyer com plied fu lly w ith the facial
ly -n eu tra l se n ior ity system . A lth o u g h th e p la in tiffs w e re
a w a re o f th e p o ten tia lly d iscr im in a tory im pact o f this
sy s te m at th e tim e th e y b eca m e su b je c t to it ,3 th ey did
n ot file ch a rges w ith the E E O C fo r p e r iod s ran gin g from
tw o-an d -a -h a lf to fiv e y e a rs a fter A T & T ’s a lleged ly d is
crim inatory act. T his is w ell beyon d the 300-day m axim um
th at T itle V I I req u ires . A cco rd in g ly , w e m u st conclude
th at th e p la in tiffs ’ cla im s are tim e-b arred . T h e decision
o f the d is tr ic t cou rt is, th e re fo re , A ffirmed.
3 On appeal, the plaintiffs suggest that a genuine issue of material
fact exists as to when they became aware that they had lost their
plant-wide seniority. However, the affidavits that the plaintiffs sub
mitted to the district court conclusively prove that the plaintiffs
were aware that they had forfeited their plant-wide seniority on
the day they became subject to the Tester Concept.
ID a
Cudahy, Circuit Judge, dissenting:
I am w h o lly in sy m p a th y w ith th e m a jo r ity ’s o b je c t iv e
o f ob ta in in g a p ro m p t reso lu tion o f ch a llen ges to sen ior
ity system s. T h is is con s is ten t w ith th e S u p rem e C o u r t ’s
po licy concerns in United Airlines, Inc. v. Evans, 431 U .S .
553 (1977) and Delaware State College v. Ricks, 449 U .S .
250 (1980). U n fortu n a te ly , I do n ot b e lie v e th e m a jo r ity ’s
resu lt h ere fu rth e rs th is o b je c t iv e . T h e re a re a lm ost c e r
tain to b e o th e r m em b ers o f th e class w h o are n ot b arred
b y the statute o f lim itations and w ho can b r in g challenges
to te s te r sen iority in th e fu tu re . P erh a p s th is is w h y the
de fen d an ts have n ot a rgu ed in su p p ort o f the resu lt reach ed
b y th e d is tr ict cou rt and a ffirm ed h ere ; th e de fen d an ts
h ave a rgu ed in stead fo r th e date o f a d op tion o f the
sen iority p lan as tr ig g e r in g th e s ta tu te o f lim ita tion s—an
ou tcom e that w ou ld e ffective ly im m unize the sen iority sys
tem from fu tu re ch a llen ges.
T h e p la in tiffs have a lleg ed th a t th e sen iority system in
q u estion w a s d iscr im in a tory in p u rp ose and e ffe c t . T h e
m ere fa ct th at it w as n ot facially d iscrim in atory does not
seem to m e re leva n t fo r p u rp oses o f th e statu te o f lim ita
tions. See Bartm ess v. D rew rys U .S .A ., Inc., 444 F .2 d
1186 (7th Cir.), cert, denied, 404 U .S . 939 (1971). T he plain
tiffs filed com pla in ts at th e tim e th e y w e re in ju red (by
d em otion ) in th e w a y th e d e fen d an ts a lleg ed ly in ten d ed
them to b e in jured . V ie w e d in that d irect and unclu ttered
fash ion , th e ir com pla in ts w e re tim ely .
T he m a jority says that the plaintiffs are too late because
th e y k n ew ea rlier th a t th e y had b e co m e su b je c t to the
a lleged ly d iscr im in a tory sy stem . A t th is e a rlie r tim e,
h o w e v e r , th e y h ad n o t rea lly b e e n in ju red and m igh t
n e v e r b e in ju red . T h e m a jo r ity ’ s ru le , th e re fo re , m ay en
cou ra g e p rem a tu re law su its .
C a ses such as Evans, supra, on w h ich the m a jor ity
re lies , d id n o t in v o lv e sen io r ity sy s te m s th at w e re th em
se lves a lleged to b e d iscr im in atory . In Evans, th e sen ior
ity sy stem m ere ly m agn ified th e im pacts o f o th e r acts al
le g e d to b e d iscr im in atory .
11a
T h e re fo re , a lth ou gh I th ink th e m a jo r ity ’ s p o licy con
cern s are im p orta n t, th ey fin d d u b iou s app lica tion in the
resu lt h ere , and I th e re fo re re sp e c tfu lly d issent.
A tru e C op y :
T e ste :
Clerk o f the United States Court o f
Appeals fo r the Seventh Circuit
12a
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
PATRICIA A. LORANCE, )
JANICE M. KING and )
CAROL S. BUESCHEN, )
i n d i v i d u a l l y and on )
b e h a l f o f a l l o t h e r s )
s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d , )
)
P l a i n t i f f s , )
) NO. 83 C 6602
v . )
) JUDGE LEINENWEBER
AT&T TECHNOLOGIES, )
INC. and LOCAL 1942 , )
INTERNATIONAL )
BROTHERHOOD OF ELEC- )
TRICAL WORKERS, )
AFL-CIO, )
)
D e f e n d a n t s . )
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
P l a i n t i f f s , P a t r i c i a A . L o r a n c e
( " L o r a n c e " ) , J a n i c e M. King ( " K i n g " ) , and
C a r o l S . B u e s c h e n ( " B u e s c h e n " ) , b r i n g
t h i s s u i t i n d i v i d u a l l y and on b e h a l f o f
a l l o t h e r s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d w omen
a g a i n s t d e f e n d a n t s , AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s ,
13a
I n c . ( " A T & T " ) * 1 a n d L o c a l 1 9 4 2 ,
I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r o t h e r h o o d o f E l e c t r i c a l
W o r k e rs , AFL-CIO. T h i s a c t i o n i s b r o u g h t
u n d e r T i t l e V I I o f th e C i v i l R i g h t s Act
o f 1 9 6 4 , 42 U . S . C . 2 0 0 0 e , e t s e q . , and
s e e k s t o r e d r e s s and e n j o i n u n l a w f u l
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t women e m p l o y e e s .
D e fe n d a n t AT&T has moved f o r summary
j u d g m e n t o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t t h e
p l a i n t i f f s ' f i r s t am end ed c o m p l a i n t i s
t i m e - b a r r e d under S e c t i o n 7 0 6 ( e ) o f T i t l e
V I I , 42 U . S . C . 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( e ) . The m o t i o n
w a s b r i e f e d b y t h e p a r t i e s a n d w a s
r e f e r r e d t o t h e m a g i s t r a t e f o r a r e p o r t
a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n . T h e m a g i s t r a t e
r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e c o u r t g r a n t
d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t i o n f o r summary ju d g m en t .
1 T h i s c a s e was o r i g i n a l l y s t y l e d
" G e o r g i a G o n z a l e s v . W e s t e r n E l e c t r i c
C o . , I n c . " G o n z a l e s w a s v o l u n t a r i l y
d i s m i s s e d form t h e a c t i o n . S i n c e Jan u ary
1 , 1 9 8 4 , W e s t e r n E l e c t r i c Company, I n c .
has b e e n known as AT&T T e c h n o l o g i e s , I n c .
and t h e p l e a d i n g s w ere amended t o r e f l e c t
t h e name c h a n g e .
14a
P l a i n t i f f s f i l e d o b j e c t i o n s t o t h e r e p o r t
a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n and d e f e n d a n t h a s
r e s p o n d e d t o p l a i n t i f f s ' o b j e c t i o n s . The
m o t i o n i s now r i p e f o r d e c i s i o n . For t h e
r e a s o n s s t a t e d h e r e i n , t h e c o u r t d e c l i n e s
t o a d o p t t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s r e p o r t b u t
g r a n t s d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t i o n f o r summary
judgment on a l t e r n a t i v e g r o u n d s .
BACKGROUND2
P l a i n t i f f s , P a t r i c i a A. L o r a n c e ,
J a n i c e M. King and C a r o l S. B u eschen a r e
h o u r l y - r a t e d e m p l o y e e s o f d e f e n d a n t
A T & T ' s M o n t g o m e r y W o r k s f a c i l i t y i n
A u r o r a , I l l i n o i s . T h e f a c i l i t y
m a n u f a c t u r e s d a t a s e t s , c i r c u i t p a c k s ,
p r i n t e d w i r i n g b o a r d s and e l e c t r i c a l
c o m p o n e n t s . Montgomery Works 1 e m p lo y e e s
f a l l i n t o s e v e r a l c a t e g o r i e s , o n e o f
w h i c h i s h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d p e r s o n n e l .
2 T h e b a c k g r o u n d f a c t s w e r e s e t
f o r t h a t p p . 2 - 5 o f t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s
r e p o r t a n d a r e r e p e a t e d h e r e f o r
d i s c u s s i o n p u r p o s e s .
15a
H o u r ly wage r a t e s a r e b a s e d on j o b g r a d e s
s o t h a t h i g h e r r a t e s a t t a c h t o t h e
h i g h e r - g r a d e d j o b s . The m a j o r i t y o f t h e
h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d j o b s a r e s e m i - s k i l l e d
p o s i t i o n s . P l a i n t i f f s c o n t e n d t h a t t h e s e
s e m i - s k i l l e d p o s i t i o n s h a v e b e e n
t r a d i t i o n a l l y f i l l e d by women e m p l o y e e s .
W i t h i n t h e h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d j o b
c a t e g o r y a r e j o b s c a l l e d " t e s t e r "
p o s i t i o n s t h a t a r e c o l l e c t i v e l y known as
t h e " t e s t e r u n i v e r s e . " P l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e
t h a t t h e t e s t e r p o s i t i o n s t r a d i t i o n a l l y
h a v e b e e n v i e w e d a s m e n ' s j o b s .
M o r e o v e r , p l a i n t i f f s c l a i m t h a t t e s t e r
p o s i t i o n s w e re f i l l e d e i t h e r by p r o m o t i n g
t h e f e w men t h a t w e r e l o c a t e d i n t h e
1 o w e r - g r a d e d , n o n - t e s t e r j o b s o r by
h i r i n g men f r o m o u t s i d e t h e p l a n t . In
1 9 7 0 , w om en b e g a n t o i n f i l t r a t e t h e
" t e s t e r u n i v e r s e " and become " t e s t e r s . "
P l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e t h a t i n 1979 AT&T
and t h e u n i o n c o n s p i r e d t o m a n i p u l a t e the
16a
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m t h e n i n e f f e c t a t
Montgomery Works by i m p le m e n t in g a s y s t e m
known as t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " i n o r d e r t o
p r o t e c t m a l e t e s t e r s f r o m women h a v in g
g r e a t e r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y and t o d i s c o u r a g e
women from s e e k i n g e n t r y i n t o t h e t e s t e r
u n i v e r s e . P r i o r t o 1 9 7 9 , a l l h o u r l y
i n t e r - g r a d e p r o m o t i o n s and d i s p l a c e m e n t s
a t M o n t g o m e r y W ork s w e r e made on t h e
b a s i s o f p l a n t s e n i o r i t y . U nder t h e
T e s t e r C o n c e p t , a l l new e n t r a n t s , male o r
f e m a l e , i n t o t h e t e s t e r u n i v e r s e w e r e
a s s i g n e d d u a l s e n i o r i t y d a t e s . The d a t e
o f e n t r y t o t h e t e s t e r u n i v e r s e g o v e r n e d
a l l u p w a r d a n d dow n w ard j o b m ovem ent
w i t h i n t h e t e s t e r u n i v e r s e , and p l a n t
s e n i o r i t y g o v e r n e d a l l o t h e r m a t t e r s .
The T e s t e r C o n c e p t o r i g i n a t e d w i t h
t h e u n i o n i n l a t e 1978 o r e a r l y 197 9 .
The c o n c e p t was h e a t l y d e b a t e d i n s e v e r a l
u n i o n m e e t i n g s and was p a s s e d on June 28,
1 9 7 9 b y a h a n d v o t e o f 9 0 t o 6 0 ,
17a
r e f l e c t i n g t h e a p p r o x i m a t e p r o p o r t i o n s o f
men and women i n a t t e n d a n c e . On J u l y 23 ,
19 7 9 , t h e u n i o n and AT&T e n t e r e d i n t o a
l e t t e r o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h ich made t h e
T e s t e r C o n c e p t p l a n t p o l i c y . T h i s
a g r e e m e n t w a s i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e
m a s t e r c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n AT&T and t h e
u n i o n i n A u g u s t , 1980.
On N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 8 2 , p l a i n t i f f
L o r a n c e , w h i l e w o r k in g as a t e s t e r , was
d o w n g r a d e d a s p a r t o f t h e c o m p a n y ' s
r e d u c t i o n i n f o r c e p o l i c i e s . P l a i n t i f f
K i n g was d o w n g r a d e d o n August 23 , 1982
and p l a i n t i f f B u e s c h e n was d o w n g r a d e d
f i r s t o n N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 8 2 and t h e n
a g a i n , on J a n u a r y 23 , 1984. A l l t h r e e
p l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t
h a v e b e e n downgraded i f t h e y c o u l d have
r e t a i n e d t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y when t h e y
became t e s t e r s . In a d d i t i o n , p l a i n t i f f s
c l a i m t h a t t h e y w ere d e n i e d p r o m o t i o n s t o
w h i c h t h e y w ere e n t i t l e d a s a r e s u l t o f
18a
d e f e n d a n t ' s m a n i p u l a t i o n o f t h e s e n i o r i t y
r u l e s .
On A p r i l 1 3 , 1 9 8 3 , p l a i n t i f f s
L o r a n c e and B u eschen f i l e d c h a r g e s w i t h
t h e E q u a l E m p l o y m e n t O p p o r t u n i t y
C o m m i s s i o n ( "E E O C " ) c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e y
w e r e d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t on t h e b a s i s
o f t h e i r s e x . P l a i n t i f f King f i l e d her
c h a r g e s w i t h t h e EEOC on A p r i l 21 , 1983 .
On J u n e 2 4 , 1 9 8 3 , t h e EEOC i s s u e d t o
p l a i n t i f f s N o t i c e s o f R i g h t t o Sue AT&T,
and l e s s than 90 d a y s l a t e r , on
S e p t e m b e r 2 0 , 1 9 8 3 , p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d
t h e i r p r o s e c o m p l a i n t . P l a i n t i f f s then
r e t a i n e d c o u n s e l and f i l e d t h e i r f i r s t
a m en d ed c o m p l a i n t on F e b r u a r y 14, 1984.
The amended c o m p l a i n t named t h e u n i o n as
an a d d i t i o n a l d e f e n d a n t and c h a r g e d b o t h
d e f e n d a n t s w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n o n t h e
b a s i s o f s e x .
DISCUSSION
A p r e r e q u i s i t e t o commencement o f a
19a
T i t l e V I I a c t i o n i s t h e t i m e l y f i l i n g o f
a c h a r g e o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w i t h t h e EEOC,
42 U . S .C . 2 0 0 0 e ( f ) . "A c h a r g e i s t i m e l y
i f i t i s f i l e d w i t h i n 180 d a y s o f th e
a l l e g e d a c t o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , e x c e p t i n
s t a t e s t h a t , l i k e I l l i n o i s , have t h e i r
own a g e n c i e s f o r i n v e s t i g a t i n g c o m p l a i n t s
o f e m p lo y m e n t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . In t h e s e
s t a t e s , known as ' d e f e r r a l ' s t a t e s , t h e
f i l i n g i s e x p a n d e d t o 3 0 0 d a y s . 3 42
3 T h e i s s u e o f w h e t h e r a
c o m p l a i n a n t i n a d e f e r r a l s t a t e i s
e n t i t l e d t o 300 d a y s i f he o r s h e e l e c t s
n o t t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h e s t a t e a g e n c y
h a s n o t b e e n d e c i d e d b y t h e S e v e n t h
C i r c u i t o r t h i s c o u r t . As n o t e d i n S e r e ,
h o w e v e r , s e v e r a l j u d g e s i n t h i s d i s t r i c t
h a v e h e l d t h a t a p l a i n t i f f who f a i l s t o
t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h e s t a t e a g e n c y s h o u l d
n o t be p e r m i t t e d t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f the
300 day f i l i n g p e r i o d . P r o f f i t v . __Keycom
E l e c t r o n i c P u b l i s h i n g , No. 85 C 3 2 9 9 ,
s l i p o p . a t 1 2 - 1 6 ( N .D . 1 1 1 . D e c . 11,
1985) ( d i c t u m ) ; 0 ' Young v . H obart C o r p . ,
579 F. Supp. 4 18 , 421 (N.D. 111 . 1 9 8 3 ) ;
L o w e l l v . G l i d d e n - D u r k e e , D i v . SCM C o r p . ,
529 F. Supp. 17 ( N . D . , 111 . 1 9 8 1 ) ; C o n tr a
F l a g g v . A t c h i s o n , Topeka & S anta Fe R . R .
C o . , No. 84 C 10972 , s l i p o p . (N.D. 111 .
D e c . 1 8 , 1 9 8 5 ) . The c o u r t s p e c i f i c a l l y
d e c l i n e s t o r u l e on t h i s p o i n t b e c a u s e i t
i s n o t d e t e r m i n a t i v e i n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e .
S e e , i n f r a , n . 6 . The c o u r t w i l l r e f e r t o
20a
U . S . C . 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( e ) . " S e r e_v . B o a r d o f
T r u s t e e s , No. 85 C 7 89 9 , s l i p o p . (N.D.
111 . F e b r u a r y 28 , 1 9 8 6 ) .
D e f e n d a n t a s s e r t s t h a t p l a i n t i f f s '
c l a i m s a r e n o t t i m e l y b e c a u s e t h e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t c o m p l a i n e d o f , t h e
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " ,
o c c u r r e d o v e r 180 d a y s p r i o r t o t h e 1983
f i l i n g o f p l a i n t i f f s ' EEOC c h a r g e s .
P l a i n t i f f s a r g u e t h a t c o n t i n u e d
e n f o r c e m e n t o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m i s an o n g o i n g v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e
V I I t h a t c a n b e c h a l l e n g e d a t any t im e
under th e " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n " t h e o r y .
The m a g i s t r a t e r e j e c t e d p l a i n t i f f s '
a r g u m e n t a n d h e l d t h a t t h e u s e o f a
f a c i a l l y n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y s y s te m i s n o t
a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I . He
r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e c o u r t g r a n t
d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t i o n f o r summary judgment
b e c a u s e p l a i n t i f f s f a i l e d t o f i l e s u i t
t h e 1 8 0 -d a y p e r i o d .
21a
w i t h i n 180 d a y s o f t h e d a t e t h e s e n i o r i t y
s y s te m was a d o p t e d o r i m p l e m e n t e d . 4
The c o u r t a g r e e s w i t h t h e m a g i s t r a t e
t h a t t h e u s e o f a f a c i a l l y n e u t r a l
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m i s n o t o n g o i n g
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . However, t h e c o u r t f i n d s
t h a t t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s u se o f t h e " d a t e o f
a d o p t i o n " o f t h e s y s te m f o r p u r p o s e s o f
c a l c u l a t i n g t h e f i l i n g p e r i o d i s
p r o b l e m a t i c . Under Evans v ■__U n i t e d Ai r
L i n e s , 431 U .S . 553 ( 1 9 7 7 ) , t h e r e l e v a n t
d a t e s h o u l d be t h e d a t e o f im p ac t o r th e
d a t e t h e p l a i n t i f f s knew o r s h o u l d have
known t h a t t h e i r s e n i o r i t y r i g h t s had
b e e n a f f e c t e d by t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " .
In Evan s , t h e p l a i n t i f f was a f l i g h t
a t t e n d a n t who was t e r m i n a t e d i n 1968
p u r s u a n t t o an U n i t e d A i r L i n e s p o l i c y o f
t e r m i n a t i n g f e m a l e f l i g h t a t t e n d a n t s when
t h e y m a r r i e d . The p o l i c y was a d o p t e d
4 The s y s t e m was i n c o r p o r a t e d i n
t h e 1980 u n i o n c o n t r a c t . P l a i n t i f f s '
c h a r g e s w ere n o t f i l e d u n t i l A p r i l , 1983.
22a
p r i o r t o J u n e o f 1 9 6 6 a n d w a s
s u b s e q u e n t l y f o u n d t o be d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
i n S p r o q i s v .__U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , I n c . , 444
F . 2 d 1194 ( 7 t h C i r . 1 9 7 1 ) . U n i t e d A i r
L i n e s a b a n d o n e d t h e p o l i c y i n 1 9 7 1 .
Evans was r e h i r e d by U n i t e d A i r L i n e s i n
1972 and was c l a s s i f i e d f o r s e n i o r i t y
p u r p o s e s a s a new e m p l o y e e . She f i l e d
s u i t t o e s t a b l i s h h e r e n t i t l e m e n t t o
s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t b a s e d on h e r p r e - 1 9 7 2
w o r k w i t h U n i t e d . S h e a r g u e d t h a t
U n i t e d ' s r e f u s a l t o c r e d i t h er w i t h p r e -
1972 s e n i o r i t y c o n s t i t u t e d a c o n t i n u i n g
v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I . The S up rem e
C ou rt r e f u s e d t o v i e w U n i t e d ' s a c t i o n as
a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n and r e c o g n i z e d
t h a t w h i l e t h e n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y s y s te m
d i d g i v e p r e s e n t e f f e c t t o a p a s t a c t o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i t d i d n o t c o n s t i t u t e a
p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I , 431 U.S.
a t 5 5 8 . T h e c o u r t r e a s o n e d t h a t a
c h a l l e n g e t o a n e u t r a l s y s te m may n o t be
23a
p r e d i c a t e d on t h e mere f a c t t h a t a p a s t
e v e n t , w h i c h h a s " n o p r e s e n t l e g a l
s i g n i f i c a n c e " , 5 h a s a f f e c t e d t h e
c a l c u l a t i o n o f s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t e v e n i f
t h e p a s t e v e n t m i g h t h a v e j u s t i f i e d a
v a l i d c l a i m a g a i n s t t h e e m p l o y e r . I d .
The c o u r t was c o n c e r n e d t h a t "a c o n t r a r y
v i e w w o u l d s u b s t i t u t e a c l a i m f o r
s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t f o r a l m o s t e v e r y c l a i m
w h ich i s b a r r e d by l i m i t a t i o n s . I d .
I n EE PC v . I l l i n o i s Be l l T e l e p h o n e ,
No. 80 C 2576 , s l i p o p . ( N. D. 111 .
A p r i l 1, 1 9 8 2 ) , t h e c o u r t c i t i n g R o b e r t s
5 IcL J u s t i c e S t e v e n s s t a t e d :
" U n i t e d was e n t i t l e d t o t r e a t t h a t
p a s t a c t a s l a w f u l a f t e r r e s p o n d e n t
f a i l e d t o f i l e a c h a r g e o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
w i t h i n t h e 90 d a y s t h e n a l l o w e d b y
§ 7 0 6 ( d ) . A d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t w h ich i s
n o t made t h e b a s i s f o r a t i m e l y c h a r g e i s
th e l e g a l e q u i v a l e n t o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
a c t w h ich o c c u r r e d b e f o r e t h e s t a t u t e was
p a s s e d . I t may c o n s t i t u t e r e l e v a n t
b a c k g r o u n d e v i d e n c e i n a p r o c e e d i n g i n
w h ich t h e s t a t u s o f a c u r r e n t p r a c t i c e i s
a t i s s u e , b u t s e p a r a t e l y c o n s i d e r e d , i t
i s m e r e l y an u n f o r t u n a t e e v e n t i n h i s t o r y
w h ich has no p r e s e n t l e g a l c o n s e q u e n c e s " .
24a
v . N or t h __A m e r i c a n R o c k w e l l C o r p . , 6 5 0
F . 2 d 823 , 827 ( 6 t h C i r . 1 9 8 1 ) , r e c o g n i z e d
t h a t d e f i n i n g t h e l e g i t i m a t e s c o p e o f a
c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n t h e o r y a f t e r Evans
" r e q u i r e s a c o u r t t o j u x t a p o s e a b r o a d
r e m e d i a l r e a d i n g o f T i t l e V I I , l i b e r a l l y
c o n s t r u i n g t h e a c t t o e n c o u r a g e t h e
e r a d i c a t i o n o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w i t h a
n a r r o w i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t h a t r e s p e c t s t h e
p o l i c y u n d e r l y i n g t h e 1 8 0 -d a y l i m i t a t i o n
p e r i o d " , t h a t i s , " t o p r o t e c t e m p l o y e r s
f r o m t h e b u r d e n o f d e f e n d i n g c l a i m s
a r i s i n g f r o m e m p l o y m e n t d e c i s i o n s t h a t
a r e l o n g p a s t . " S e e , D e l a w a r e S t a t e
Co l l e g e v . R i c k s , 449 U .S . 250 , 2 5 6 -5 7
( 1 9 8 0 ) . The c o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t t o
s t r i k e t h i s b a l a n c e i t i s n e c e s s a r y i n
e v e r y c a s e t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r " a
p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n " e x i s t s o r ,
a l t e r n a t i v e l y , w h e t h e r t h e a l l e g e d
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t s m e r e l y " g i v e p r e s e n t
e f f e c t t o a p a s t a c t o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . "
25a
P l a i n t i f f s a r g u e t h a t t h e y a r e
d i s c r i m i n a t e d on a c o n t i n u a l b a s i s due t o
t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y s u r r e n d e r e d s e n i o r i t y
t o become t e s t e r s . They a l l e g e t h a t t h e y
have b e e n d e n i e d p r o m o t i o n s and have b e e n
dow ngraded b e c a u s e o f th e o n g o i n g u s e o f
t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t . " They c o n t e n d t h a t
a f a c i a l l y n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y s y s te m i s an
o n g o i n g v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I i f i t was
d e s i g n e d , o p e r a t e d and m a i n t a i n e d w i t h
t h e i n t e n t t o d i s c r i m i n a t e and c a n ,
t h e r e f o r e , be c h a l l e n g e d a t any t i m e .
T h e c o u r t f i n d s , h o w e v e r , t h a t
a l t h o u g h p l a i n t i f f s ' a r g u m e n t s h a v e
i m m e d i a t e a p p e a l t h e y must be r e j e c t e d
u n d e r E v a n s and i t s p r o g e n y . I n t h i s
c a s e , p l a i n t i f f s s e e k t o c h a l l e n g e th e
o n e - t i m e a c t o f d e f e n d a n t i n
r e c a l c u l a t i n g t h e i r s e n i o r i t y . The g i s t
o f t h e i r a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t h e y a r e
s u b j e c t t o c o n t i n u o u s a c t s o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n due t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y
26a
l o s t v a l u a b l e s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t . The
p r o b le m w i t h t h e i r argument i s t h a t u nd er
E v a n s n o p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I
e x i s t s . H e r e , t h e o n l y a l l e g e d
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t was f o r c i n g p l a i n t i f f s
t o s u r r e n d e r t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y under
t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " t o become o r rem ain
t e s t e r s . T h e r e s u l t i n g d e n i a l s o f
p r o m o t i o n and d o w n g r a d i n g s a r e p r e s e n t
e f f e c t s o f t h e p a s t d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t o f
r e c a l c u l a t i n g s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t f o r
p u r p o s e s o f p r o m o t i o n s o r d o w n g r a d i n g s .
I f t h e c o u r t a l l o w e d p l a i n t i f f s ' c l a i m s
t o s u r v i v e t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s a s
u n t i m e l y , t h e c o n c e r n s o f t h e S up rem e
C o u r t i n E v a n s w o u l d b e r e a l i z e d ;
p l a i n t i f f s w o u l d b e a b l e t o s u b s t i t u t e
t h e i r c l a i m s c h a l l e n g i n g t h e m and atory
s u r r e n d e r o f t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y r i g h t s
f o r a c l a i m f o r s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , p l a i n t i f f s h a v e s a t on
t h e i r r i g h t s t o c h a l l e n g e t h e f a c t t h a t
27a
t h e y w e r e f o r c e d t o s u r r e n d e r t h e i r
s e n i o r i t y u n d e r t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " .
T h e c o u r t d o e s a g r e e w i t h
p l a i n t i f f s , h o w e v e r , on t h e i s s u e o f th e
a p p l i c a b l e d a t e t o commence c o u n t i n g t h e
1 8 0 - d a y p e r i o d . T h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s
r e c o m m e n d a t io n i s r e j e c t e d i n s o f a r as he
s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e t i m e p e r i o d s h o u l d
b e g i n t o r u n f r o m t h e d a t e t h e T e s t e r
C o n ce p t was a d o p t e d . T h ree h y p o t h e t i c a l s
p r e s e n t e d b y p l a i n t i f f s i l l u s t r a t e th e
i n h e r e n t i n e q u i t i e s i n h o l d i n g t h a t
p l a i n t i f f s must f i l e s u i t w i t h i n 180 days
o f th e d a t e o f a d o p t i o n o r i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
o f t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " . F i r s t ,
p l a i n t i f f s u r g e t h e c o u r t t o c o n s i d e r th e
e f f e c t upon a 2 5 - y e a r o l d e m p lo y e e o f a
c o m p a n y 's a d o p t i o n o f a p o l i c y r e q u i r i n g
a l l e m p l o y e e s t o r e t i r e a t a g e 6 5 .
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e m a g i s t r a t e , p l a i n t i f f
p o i n t s o u t , an e m p l o y e e w o u l d h a v e t o
c h a l l e n g e t h e p o l i c y a t a g e 25 o r 26
28a
d e s p i t e t h a t f a c t t h a t i t may n e v e r
a f f e c t h im . S e c o n d , p l a i n t i f f p o n d e r s
t h e e f f e c t upon an u n m a r r ie d woman, w i t h
n o p l a n s o f h a v i n g c h i l d r e n , o f a
c o m p a n y ' s p o l i c y g r a n t i n g d i s a b l e d
e m p l o y e e s ' g r e a t e r b e n e f i t s t h a t t h o s e
a c c o r d e d p r e g n a n t e m p l o y e e s . Under t h e
m a g i s t r a t e ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , sh e w ou ld
have t o c h a l l e n g e t h e p o l i c y on t h e d a t e
s h e l e a r n e d o f i t and n o t when sh e was
d e n i e d b e n e f i t s . T h i r d , p l a i n t i f f
s u g g e s t s t h a t u n d e r t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s
r e c o m m e n d a t io n a low l e v e l e m p lo y e e must
f i l e a c h a r g e o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n as s o o n
a s he o r s h e l e a r n s o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p o l i c y a f f e c t i n g o n l y h i g h e r l e v e l
e m p l o y e e s . P l a i n t i f f s r e a s o n t h a t t h i s
" a w a r e n e s s o f a n a p p a r e n t l y
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o l i c y w h i c h a f f e c t s any
j o b t h a t he s e e k s bu t d o e s n o t y e t h o l d
i s enough t o t r i g g e r t h e r e q u i r e m e n t t h a t
he f i l e a c h a r g e . " The h y p o t h e t i c a l s
29a
c l e a r l y e v i d e n c e t h e i m p r a c t i c a b i l i t y o f
r e q u i r i n g p l a i n t i f f s t o b r i n g s u i t w i t h i n
180 d a y s f r o m t h e d a t e t h e p o l i c y was
a d o p t e d .
M o r e o v e r , n o t o n l y i s t h e d a t e o f
a d o p t i o n t h e o r y i m p r a c t i c a b l e , i t i s
d o u b t f u l w h e t h e r a n y o f t h e s e
h y p o t h e t i c a l p l a i n t i f f s w ou ld e v e n have
s t a n d i n g t o s u e . 42 U . S . C . 2 0 Q 0 e - 5 ( b )
r e q u i r e s t h a t a p e r s o n b e " a g g r i e v e d "
b e f o r e he o r s h e can f i l e s u i t . None o f
t h e h y p o t h e t i c a l p e r s o n s w ou ld a p p e a r t o
q u a l i f y a s a g g r i e v e d p e r s o n s . T h e
m a g i s t r a t e ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n e n c o u r a g e s
p e o p l e t o b r i n g u n r i p e c l a i m s a l l e g i n g
harms t h a t t h e y may n e v e r e x p e r i e n c e . In
t h e i n s t a n t c a s e , t w o o f t h e t h r e e
p l a i n t i f f s w ere n o t " t e s t e r s " a t th e t im e
o f t h e c h a n g e i n s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s .
U n d e r t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s r e p o r t t h e s e
p l a i n t i f f s w ou ld be r e q u i r e d t o f i l e s u i t
p r i o r t o t h e t i m e t h a t t h e y b e c a m e
30a
t e s t e r s e v e n t h o u g h t h e i r i n t e r e s t o r
s t a n d i n g a t t h a t t i m e w a s r e m o t e o r
p e r i p h e r a l . Such a r e s u l t w i l l o n l y c l o g
t h e a l r e a d y o v e r b u r d e n e d c o u r t s w i t h
l a w s u i t s t h a t a r e n o t r i p e .
The c o u r t a l s o f i n d s i t s i g n i f i c a n t
t h a t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t d i d n o t r e q u i r e
E v an s t o b r i n g s u i t w i t h i n 180 d a y s o f
t h e a d o p t i o n o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p o l i c y . R a t h e r , t h e f o c a l d a t e o f th e
E v a n s d e c i s i o n was t h e d a t e E v a n s was
d i s c h a r g e d . As r e c o g n i z e d by t h e S e v e n th
C i r c u i t i n S p r o g i s v . Un i t e d Ai r__L i n e s ,
I n c . , 4 4 4 F . 2 d 1194 ( 7 t h C i r . 1 9 7 1 ) ,
U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , I n c . e m p l o y e d o n l y
u n m a r r i e d s t e w a r d e s s e s as e a r l y as June
1 9 , 1 9 6 6 , t h e d a t e S p r o g i s w a s
d i s c h a r g e d . E v a n s was e m p l o y e d a s a
s t e w a r d e s s f r o m N o v e m b e r 1 9 6 6 u n t i l
F e b r u a r y 1 9 6 8 . U nder t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , Evans s h o u l d have b r o u g h t
s u i t w i t h i n 180 d a y s o f t h e d a t e t h e
31a
p o l i c y was e n a c t e d , w h i c h was p r o b a b l y
p r i o r t o h e r f i r s t d a y o f w o r k w i t h
U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , o r s h e s h o u l d h a v e
b r o u g h t s u i t when s h e l e a r n e d o f t h e
p o l i c y , w h i c h w o u l d h a v e b e e n t h e d a t e
s h e was h i r e d . O b v i o u s l y , t h e Supreme
C ou rt had l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y f i n d i n g t h a t
Evans c o u l d have c h a l l e n g e d h e r d i s c h a r g e
b y f i l i n g a t i m e l y c h a r g e w i t h t h e EEOC
w i t h i n 180 d a y s f r o m t h e d a t e s h e was
t e r m i n a t e d . As d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , t h e
Supreme C o u rt was c o n c e r n e d b e c a u s e Evans
a l l o w e d t h e t e r m i n a t i o n c l a i m t o g o
s t a l e . T h e h o l d i n g o f E v a n s o n l y
p r e c l u d e s t h e r e v i v a l o f t h a t s t a l e c l a i m
and p r e s u m a b l y t h e s u i t w ou ld have b e e n
t i m e l y i f t h e c h a r g e s w ere f i l e d w i t h i n
180 d a y s o f Evans ' d i s c h a r g e .
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h i s c o u r t a g r e e s w i t h
t h e m a g i s t r a t e t h a t p l a i n t i f f s w ere n o t
s u b j e c t t o a c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n o f
T i t l e V I I . H o w e v e r , t h e c o u r t r e j e c t s
32a
t h e m a g i s t r a t e ' s u s e o f t h e " d a t e o f
a d o p t i o n " a n d f i n d s t h a t p l a i n t i f f s '
c l a i m s m ust b e d i s m i s s e d b e c a u s e t h e y
f a i l e d t o f i l e a t i m e l y s u i t w i t h i n 180
d a y s o f t h e d a t e t h e y w e r e f o r c e d t o
s a c r i f i c e t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y r i g h t s
u n d e r t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " . A t t h a t
p o i n t i n t i m e p l a i n t i f f s had l o s t a
v a l u a b l e e m p l o y m e n t r i g h t . I t w a s
i n e v i t a b l e t h a t t h e y w ou ld be s u b j e c t t o
d o w n g r a d in g s o r d e n i a l o f p r o m o t i o n s due
t o t h e i r d e c r e a s e d s e n i o r i t y u nd er t h e
" t e s t e r c o n c e p t " . S i n c e n o n e o f t h e
p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d c h a r g e s w i t h i n 180 d ays
o f t h e d a t e t h a t t h e y w e r e f o r c e d t o
s a c r i f i c e t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y . 6
6 F o r p l a i n t i f f L o r a n c e , t h e t im e
p e r i o d b e g a n t o r u n o n t h e d a t e t h e
T e s t e r C o n c e p t was a d o p t e d b e c a u s e a t
t h a t t i m e s h e w a s a t e s t e r a n d w as
t h e r e b y r e q u i r e d t o s a c r i f i c e h e r n o n
t e s t e r s e n i o r i t y . F o r p l a i n t i f f K ing ,
t h e t im e p e r i o d b e g a n t o run on
F e b r u a r y 25 , 1980 , t h e d a t e sh e became a
t e s t e r . For p l a i n t i f f B u e sc h e n , t h e t im e
p e r i o d beg an t o run on November 30 , 1980,
t h e d a t e sh e became a t e s t e r . See amended
33a
Summary judgment i s e n t e r e d i n f a v o r o f
a l l d e f e n d a n t s . 7
IT IS SO ORDERED.
_______ / s / ___________ _________________
HARRY D. LEINENWEBER, Judge
U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C ou rt
DATED: AUG 27 1986
c o m p l a i n t , <|| 19 ( a ) ( b ) ( c ) . None o f t h e
p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d c h a r g e s w i t h i n 300 d a y s .
S e e , s u p r a , n . 3 .
7 The c o u r t e n t e r s summary judgment
i n f a v o r o f L o c a l 1942 s u a s p o n t e a s
A T & T 's m o t i o n i s e q u a l l y e f f e c t i v e i n
b a r r i n g t h e c l a i m a g a i n s t L o c a l 1942 and
p l a i n t i f f s h a v e h a d a n a d e q u a t e
o p p o r t u n i t y t o a r g u e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o the
m o t i o n . S e e , e . g . , Malak v . A s s o c i a t e d
P h y s i c i a n s , I n c . , 784 F .2d 277 , 280 ( 7 t h
C i r . 1 9 8 6 ) .
34a
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
PATRICIA A. LORANCE, )
JANICE M. KING and )
CAROL S. BUESCHEN, i n d i - )
v i d u a l l y and on b e h a l f )
o f a l l o t h e r s s i m i l a r l y )
s i t u a t e d , )
)
P l a i n t i f f s , )
) NO. 83 C 6602
v s . )
)
AT&T TECHNOLOGIES, IN C . , )
and LOCAL 1942 , INTER- )
NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF )
ELECTRICAL WORKERS, )
AFL-CIO, )
)
D e f e n d a n t s . )
REPORT AMD RECOMMENDATION
TO THE HONORABLE HARRY D. LIENENWEBER,
o n e o f t h e J u d g e s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
D i s t r i c t C o u r t f o r t h e N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t
o f I l l i n o i s .
T h i s i s an a c t i o n f o r d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
i n employment b a s e d on s e x b r o u g h t under
T i t l e V I I o f t h e C i v i l R i g h t s A c t o f
1964 , 42 U. S . C . § § 2 0 0 0 e - 2 0 0 0 e - 1 7 (1982 )
35a
( " T i t l e V I I " ) . The P l a i n t i f f s s e e k ,
i n d i v i d u a l l y and on b e h a l f o f a l l o t h e r
women s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d , t o r e d r e s s and
e n j o i n u n l a w f u l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t
w o m e n e m p l o y e e s b y d e f e n d a n t s AT&T
T e c h n o l o g i e s , I n c . ( " A T & T " ) 1 and L o c a l
1 9 4 2 , I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r o t h e r h o o d o f
E l e c t r i c a l W orkers AFL-CIO ( " t h e u n i o n " ) .
D e f e n d a n t AT&T h a s m oved f o r summary
judgment on t h e g r o u n d s t h a t p l a i n t i f f s '
f i r s t a m e n d e d c o m p l a i n t i s t i m e - b a r r e d
u n d e r S e c t i o n 7 0 6 ( e ) o f T i t l e V I I , 42
U. S . C. § 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( e ) .
S um m ary j u d g m e n t i s a p p r o p r i a t e
w h e r e t h e c o n t r o l l i n g f a c t s a r e
u n c o n t e s t e d and when r e a s o n a b l e m in d s
c o u l d n o t d i f f e r o n t h e i n f e r e n c e s
a r i s i n g f r o m s u c h f a c t s . 2 The d a t e o f
1 P r i o r t o J a n u a r y 1 , 1 9 8 4 ,
p l a i n t i f f s ' e m p lo y e r was known as W e s te rn
E l e c t r i c Company, I n c .
2 M ull v . A r c o D u re th e n e P l a s t i c s ,
I n c . , No. 8 5 - 1 0 2 3 , s l i p o p . a t 6 ( 7 t h
C i r . F eb . 24 , 1 9 8 6 ) .
36a
t h e a l l e g e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t t r i g g e r i n g
t h e r u n n i n g o f t h e 1 8 0 d a y f i l i n g
l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d u n d e r T i t l e V I I , a s
w e l l a s t h e d a t e when p l a i n t i f f s knew o r
r e a s o n a b l y s h o u l d h a v e k n o w n o f t h e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t , c a n b e d e t e r m i n e d
c o n c l u s i v e l y f r o m t h e r e c o r d . T h e
r e m a i n i n g i s s u e i n t h e c a s e , w h e th e r th e
a l l e g e d l y u n l a w f u l l y a d o p t e d s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m c o n s t i t u t e s a " c o n t i n u i n g
v i o l a t i o n " , i s a l e g a l o n e . A c c o r d i n g l y ,
u n d e r t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , s u m m a r y
j u d g m e n t i s an a p p r o p r i a t e v e h i c l e f o r
r e s o l v i n g t h e c a s e .
I .____ BACKGROUND.
P l a i n t i f f s P a t r i c i a A. L o r a n c e ,
J a n i c e M. King and C a r o l S. B u eschen a r e
h o u r l y - r a t e d e m p l o y e e s o f d e f e n d a n t
A T & T ' s M o n t g o m e r y W o r k s f a c i l i t y i n
A u r o r a , I l l i n o i s . T h e f a c i l i t y
m a n u f a c t u r e s d a t a s e t s , c i r c u i t p a c k s ,
p r i n t e d w i r i n g b o a r d s , a n d e l e c t r i c
37a
c o m p o n e n t s . M ontgomery Works e m p lo y e e s
f a l l i n t o s e v e r a l c a t e g o r i e s , o n e o f
w h i c h i s h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d p e r s o n n e l .
H o u r l y w a g e r a t e s a r e b a s e d o n j o b
g r a d e s , s o t h a t h i g h e r r a t e s a t t a c h t o
t h e h i g h e r - g r a d e d j o b s . The m a j o r i t y o f
t h e h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d j o b s a r e s e m i
s k i l l e d p o s i t i o n s . P l a i n t i f f s c o n t e n d
t h a t t h e s e s e m i - s k i l l e d p o s i t i o n s have
b e e n t r a d i t i o n a l l y f i l l e d b y w om en
e m p l o y e e s .
W i t h i n t h e h o u r l y - r a t e d g r a d e d j o b
c a t e g o r y a r e j o b s c a l l e d " t e s t e r "
p o s i t i o n s t h a t a r e c o l l e c t i v e l y known as
t h e " t e s t e r u n i v e r s e . " P l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e
t h a t t h e t e s t e r p o s i t i o n s t r a d i t i o n a l l y
h a v e b e e n v i e w e d a s m e n ’ s j o b s .
M o r e o v e r , p l a i n t i f f s c l a i m t h a t t e s t e r
p o s i t i o n s w ere f i l l e d e i t h e r by p r o m o t i n g
t h e f e w men t h a t w e r e l o c a t e d i n t h e
1 o w e r - g r a d e d , n o n - t e s t e r j o b s o r by
h i r i n g men f r o m o u t s i d e t h e p l a n t . In
38a
1 9 7 0 , w om en b e g a n t o I n f i l t r a t e t h e
" t e s t e r u n i v e r s e " and become " t e s t e r s " .
P l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e t h a t i n 1979 , AT&T
and t h e u n i o n c o n s p i r e d t o m a n i p u l a t e t h e
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m t h e n i n e f f e c t a t
Montgomery Works by im p le m e n t in g a s y s te m
known as t h e " T e s t e r C o n c e p t " i n o r d e r t o
p r o t e c t m a l e t e s t e r s f r o m women h a v i n g
g r e a t e r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y , a n d t o
d i s c o u r a g e women from s e e k i n g e n t r y i n t o
t h e t e s t e r u n i v e r s e . P r i o r t o 1979 , a l l
h o u r l y i n t e r - g r a d e p r o m o t i o n s a n d
d i s p l a c e m e n t s a t M o n t g o m e r y Works w ere
made on t h e b a s i s o f p l a n t s e n i o r i t y .
U n d e r t h e T e s t e r C o n c e p t , a l l new
e n t r a n t s , male o r f e m a l e , i n t o t h e t e s t e r
u n i v e r s e w e r e a s s i g n e d d u a l s e n i o r i t y
d a t e s . The d a t e o f e n t r y t o t h e t e s t e r
u n i v e r s e g o v e r n e d a l l upward and downward
j o b movement w i t h i n t h e t e s t e r u n i v e r s e ,
and p l a n t s e n i o r i t y g o v e r n e d a l l o t h e r
m a t t e r s .
39a
The T e s t e r C o n c e p t o r i g i n a t e d w i t h
t h e u n i o n i n l a t e 1978 o r e a r l y 1 9 7 9 .
The c o n c e p t was h e a t l y d e b a t e d i n s e v e r a l
u n i o n m e e t i n g s , and was p a s s e d on
June 28 , 1979 by a hand v o t e o f 90 t o 60 ,
r e f l e c t i n g t h e a p p r o x i m a t e p r o p o r t i o n s o f
men and women i n a t t e n d a n c e . On J u l y 23 ,
19 79 , t h e u n i o n and AT&T e n t e r e d i n t o a
l e t t e r o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h ic h made t h e
t e s t e r c o n c e p t p l a n t p o l i c y . T h i s
a g r e e m e n t w a s i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e
m a s t e r c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n AT&T and t h e
u n i o n i n August 1980 .
On N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 8 2 , p l a i n t i f f
L o r a n c e , w h i l e w o r k i n g as a t e s t e r , was
d o w n g r a d e d a s p a r t o f t h e c o m p a n y ' s
r e d u c t i o n i n f o r c e p o l i c i e s . P l a i n t i f f
K i n g was d o w n g r a d e d on August 23 , 1982
and P l a i n t i f f B u e s c h e n was d o w n g r a d e d
f i r s t , o n N o ve m b e r 1 5 , 1 9 8 2 , and t h e n
a g a i n , on J a n u a r y 23 , 1984 . A l l t h r e e
p l a i n t i f f s a l l e g e t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t
40a
h a v e b e e n dow ngraded i f t h e y c o u l d have
r e t a i n e d t h e i r p l a n t s e n i o r i t y when t h e y
became t e s t e r s . In a d d i t i o n , p l a i n t i f f s
c l a i m t h a t t h e y w ere d e n i e d p r o m o t i o n s t o
w h i c h t h e y w e re e n t i t l e d as a r e s u l t o f
d e f e n d a n t ' s m a n i p u l a t i o n o f t h e s e n i o r i t y
r u l e s .
On A p r i l 1 3 , 1 9 8 3 , p l a i n t i f f s
L o r a n c e and B u eschen f i l e d c h a r g e s w i t h
t h e E q u a l E m p l o y m e n t O p p o r t u n i t y
C o m m i s s i o n ( " EEOC" ) c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e y
w e r e d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t on t h e b a s i s
o f t h e i r s e x . P l a i n t i f f King f i l e d h er
c h a r g e s w i t h t h e EEOC on A p r i l 21 , 1983 .
On J u n e 2 4 , 1 9 8 3 , t h e EEOC i s s u e d t o
p l a i n t i f f s N o t i c e s o f R i g h t t o Sue AT&T,
and l e s s than 90 d ays l a t e r , on
S e p t e m b e r 2 0 , 1 9 8 3 , p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d
t h e i r p r o s e c o m p l a i n t . P l a i n t i f f s th e n
r e t a i n e d c o u n s e l and f i l e d t h e i r f i r s t
a m en d ed c o m p l a i n t on F e b r u a r y 14, 1984 .
The amended c o m p l a i n t , named t h e u n i o n as
41a
an a d d i t i o n a l d e f e n d a n t and c h a r g e d b o t h
d e f e n d a n t s w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n o n t h e
b a s i s o f s e x .
I I . DEFENDANTS' AND PLAINTIFFS' LEGAL
ARGUMENTS.
D e f e n d a n t AT&T a c c u r a t e l y s t a t e s
t h a t § 7 0 6 ( e ) o f T i t l e V I I r e q u i r e s an
a g g r i e v e d p e r s o n t o f i l e a c h a r g e w i t h
t h e EEOC w i t h i n 180 d ays o f an a l l e g e d
u n l a w f u l e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e . 3
A c c o r d i n g l y , a r g u e s AT&T, b e c a u s e t h e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t c o m p l a i n e d o f , t h e
J u l y 2 3 , 1 9 7 9 i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e
T e s t e r C o n c e p t , o c c u r r e d o v e r 180 d a y s
p r i o r t o t h e 1983 f i l i n g o f p l a i n t i f f s '
r e s p e c t i v e EEOC d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
c o m p l a i n t s , summary ju d g m e n t s h o u l d be
e n t e r e d f o r AT&T and a g a i n s t p l a i n t i f f s
f o r t h e i r f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e
T i t l e V I I 180 day l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d .
P l a i n t i f f s a d v a n c e s e v e r a l argum ents
3 See 42 U. S . C. § 2 0 0 0 e - 5 ( e ) .
42a
o p p o s i n g d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t i o n f o r summary
ju d g m e n t . F i r s t , p l a i n t i f f s c o n t e n d t h a t
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s
r e j e c t e d t h e " d a t e o f a d o p t i o n " t h e o r y as
a c o g n i z a b l e c h a l l e n g e t o an a l l e g e d l y
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m . S e c o n d ,
p l a i n t i f f s a r g u e t h a t c o n t i n u e d
e n f o r c e m e n t o f a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y
s y s t e m i s an o n g o i n g v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e
V I I , and c a n b e c h a l l e n g e d a t any t im e
u n d e r t h e " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n "
d o c t r i n e . T h i r d , p l a i n t i f f s c l a i m t h a t
t h e y w ere n o t f u l l y aware o f t h e change
i n s e n i o r i t y r u l e s b y J u l y 1 9 7 9 , and
t h e r e f o r e , t h e r u n n i n g o f t h e 180 d a y
l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d was t o l l e d . F i n a l l y ,
p l a i n t i f f s m a i n t a i n t h a t a c c e p t a n c e o f
d e f e n d a n t ' s d a t e o f a d o p t i o n t h e o r y w ou ld
l e a d t o n e e d l e s s l i t i g a t i o n .
I I I . RECOMMENDATION■
The f i l i n g o f a t i m e l y c h a r g e w i t h
t h e EEOC i s a p r e r e q u i s i t e t o a p r i v a t e
43a
s u i t u nd er T i t l e V I I . 4 A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e
i s s u e p r e s e n t e d i s w h e th e r t h e p l a i n t i f f s
f i l e d t h e i r c h a r g e s w i t h t h e EEOC w i t h i n
1 8 0 d a y s o f t h e a l l e g e d l y u n l a w f u l
employment p r a c t i c e .
The d a t e o f t h e u n l a w f u l employment
p r a c t i c e . T h e u n l a w f u l e m p l o y m e n t
p r a c t i c e c o m p l a i n e d o f was d e f e n d a n t s '
c h a n g e - o v e r f r o m p l a n t s e n i o r i t y t o
" t e s t e r " s e n i o r i t y f o r t h e t e s t e r
u n i v e r s e , w h ich change was im p lem en ted on
J u l y 2 3 , 1979 t h r o u g h AT&T's and t h e
u n i o n ' s l e t t e r o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f th e
same d a t e . Assuming t h a t t h e l e t t e r o f
u n d e r s t a n d i n g d i d n o t make t h e change i n
s e n i o r i t y r u l e s o f f i c i a l , t h e r u l e s
u n q u e s t i o n a b l y b e c a m e o f f i c i a l p l a n t
4 U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , I n c , v . E v a n s ,
431 U. S. 553 , 555 , n. 4 ( 1 9 7 7 ) ; L o w e l l v .
G l i d d e n - D u r k e e , D i v . o f SCM C o r p . , 529 F .
S u p p . 1 7 , 1 8 - 1 9 ( N . D . 1 1 1 . 1 9 8 1 ) ( The
s t a t u t o r y s c h e m e o f T i t l e V I I c o n f e r s
j u r i s d i c t i o n on t h e f e d e r a l c o u r t s o n l y
i f a c h a r g e i s f i l e d w i t h t h e EEOC w i t h i n
c e r t a i n l i m i t a t i o n p e r i o d s ) .
44a
p o l i c y when i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e AT&T-
u n i o n m a s te r c o n t r a c t i n August o f 1980.
T h e f i l i n g d a t e s o f t h e __E EOC
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c h a r g e s . The p l e a d i n g s
i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d EEOC
c h a r g e s i n A p r i l 1 98 3 . G ive n t h e f a c t
t h a t d e f e n d a n t ' s a l l e g e d u n l a w f u l
e m p l o y m e n t p r a c t i c e e i t h e r o c c u r r e d i n
t h e summer o f 1 9 7 9 , o r a t t h e l a t e s t
A u g u s t 1 9 8 0 , p l a i n t i f f s ' f i l i n g o f
c h a r g e s i n A p r i l 1983 , g r e a t l y e x c e e d e d
t h e 1 8 0 d a y l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d .
C o n s e q u e n t l y , p l a i n t i f f s ' EEOC c l a i m s
w e r e n o t t i m e l y f i l e d , and t h e c o u r t i s
w i t h o u t j u r i s d i c t i o n . T h e r e f o r e ,
d e f e n d a n t A T & T ' s m o t i o n f o r sum mary
judgment s h o u l d be g r a n t e d . None o f t h e
a rgu m en ts a d v a n c e d by p l a i n t i f f s p e r s u a d e
t h i s c o u r t t o a l t e r i t s r e c o m m e n d a t io n .
P l a i n t i f f s ' a r g u m e n t t h a t summary
judgment s h o u l d be d e n i e d b e c a u s e u s e o f
a d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y s y s te m i s an
45a
o n g o i n g v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I , a n d ,
t h e r e f o r e , ca n be c h a l l e n g e d a t any t im e
u n d e r t h e " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n "
d o c t r i n e , i s t o t a l l y w i t h o u t m e r i t . In
a p p l y i n g t h e 180 day f i l i n g l i m i t a t i o n s
p e r i o d u nd er T i t l e V I I , t h e p r o p e r f o c u s
i s on t h e t im e o f t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t ,
n o t t h e p o i n t a t w h ich t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s
o f t h e a c t o c c u r . 5 I t i s now e s t a b l i s h e d
la w t h a t w h e r e a c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g
a g r e e m e n t and i t s e n f o r c e m e n t a r e b o t h
n e u t r a l o n t h e i r f a c e , a n d t h e
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t c o m p l a i n e d o f i s th e
t i m e - b a r r e d u n l a w f u l e x e c u t i o n o f t h e
a g r e e m e n t , a T i t l e V I I e m p l o y m e n t
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c a s e c a n n o t b e
e s t a b l i s h e d . As s t a t e d by t h e Supreme
C o u r t , " [ m ] e r e c o n t i n u i t y o f em ploym ent ,
w i t h o u t m ore , i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o p r o l o n g
t h e l i f e o f a c a u s e o f a c t i o n f o r
5 M ull v . A r c o D u re th e n e P l a s t i c s ,
I n c . , No. 8 5 - 1 0 2 3 , s l i p o p . a t 6 ( 7 t h
C i r . F eb . 24 , 1 9 8 6 ) .
46a
employment d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . " 6 A p p l i c a t i o n
o f t h e " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n " d o c t r i n e t o
T i t l e V I I c a s e s i n v o l v i n g n e u t r a l
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s and t h e t i m e - b a r r e d a c t
o f t h e s y s t e m ' s d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n has b e e n f i r m l y r e j e c t e d
b y t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t . ^ I t i s
6 D e la w a re S t a t e C o l l e g e v . R i c k s ,
449 U. S. 250 , 257 ( 1 9 8 0 ) /
̂ S e e U n i t e d A i r L i n e s , I n c . v .
E v a n s , 4 3 1 U . S . 5 5 3 , 5 6 0 ( 1 9 7 7 f ( a
c h a l l e n g e t o a n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y s y s te m
may n o t b e p r e d i c a t e d on t h e mere f a c t
t h a t a p a s t e v e n t w h i c h has no p r e s e n t
l e g a l s i g n i f i c a n c e h a s a f f e c t e d t h e
c a l c u l a t i o n o f s e n i o r i t y c r e d i t , e v e n i f
t h e p a s t e v e n t m i g h t a t o n e t i m e hav e
j u s t i f i e d a v a l i d c l a i m o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
a g a i n s t t h e e m p l o y e r ) . See a l s o , B e r t h e a s
v . T r a n s W o r l d A i r l i n e s , __ I n c . , 4 5 0 F .
S u p p . 1069 ( E . D . N . Y . ' 1 9 7 8 ) ( w h e r e t h e
a l l e g e d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a c t i s t h e a c t u a l
c h a n g e i n s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s a n d
c h a l l e n g e s t o t h i s a c t a r e t i m e - b a r r e d ,
no p r e s e n t v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I e x i s t s
b y v i r t u e o f t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e new
s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m , w h i c h i s n o t
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y o n i t s f a c e , s o a s t o
v a l i d a t e p l a i n t i f f ' s o t h e r w i s e u n t i m e l y
EEOC c h a r g e u n d e r t h e t h e o r y o f
" c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n s " ) and Grimes v .
L o u i s v i l l e and N a s h v i l l e R. C o . , 583 F .
S u p p . 6 4 2 , 647 a nd 648 ( S . D . I n d . 1984)
( t h e s i m p l e a c t o f b e i n g l a i d o f f due t o
a l a c k o f s e n i o r i t y i s n o t o f i t s e l f
47a
u n f o r t u n a t e , bu t p l a i n t i f f s have s l e p t on
t h e i r T i t l e V I I r i g h t s and c a n n o t now
r e v i v e them by means o f t h e " c o n t i n u i n g
v i o l a t i o n " d o c t r i n e . * 8
P l a i n t i f f s ' k n o w le d g e o f th e ch an g e
i n s e n i o r i t y r u l e s . P l a i n t i f f s ' sworn
s t a t e m e n t s c o n t a i n e d i n t h e i r a f f i d a v i t s
u n l a w f u l , and t o a l l o w p l a i n t i f f t o c l o a k
w i t h i l l e g a l i t y h i s l a y o f f by r e l i a n c e
u p o n e a r l i e r e v e n t s w h ich a r e now t i m e -
b a r r e d w o u l d r e s u l t i n t h e r e v i v a l o f
what a r e now l e g a l l y d e f u n c t c l a i m s ) .
8 P l a i n t i f f s ' a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e
Supreme C ou rt has r e j e c t e d t h e c o n t e n t i o n
t h a t p e r s o n s a g g r i e v e d b y a
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s e n i o r i t y s y s te m must f i l e
EEOC c h a r g e s w i t h i n 1 8 0 d a y s o f t h e
a d o p t i o n o f t h e c h a l l e n g e d s y s t e m
( c h a r a c t e r i z e d by p l a i n t i f f a s a " d a t e o f
a d o p t i o n " t h e o r y ) , i s but a n o t h e r way o f
a d v a n c i n g i t s " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n "
a r g u m e n t , and i s r e j e c t e d on t h e same
g r o u n d s as n o t e d a b o v e . The c a s e s c i t e d
b y p l a i n t i f f s d o n o t s u p p o r t t h i s
p o s i t i o n .
P l a i n t i f f ' s argument t h a t t h i s " d a t e
o f a d o p t i o n " t h e o r y l e a d s t o n e e d l e s s
l i t i g a t i o n i s bu t y e t a n o t h e r c o l l a t e r a l
c h a l l e n g e t o e s t a b l i s h e d Supreme C ou rt
d e c i s i o n a l l a w r e j e c t i n g a p p l i c a t i o n o f
t h e " c o n t i n u i n g v i o l a t i o n " t h e o r y t o
n e u t r a l s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m , a n d i s
r e j e c t e d .
48a
t h a t t h e y w e r e n o t f u l l y a w a r e o f t h e
c h a n g e i n s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s u n t i l t h e
t i m e o f t h e i r d o w n g r a d i n g s , i s n o t
s u p p o r t e d b y t h e r e c o r d . P l a i n t i f f s '
d e p o s i t i o n t e s t i m o n y c o n t r a d i c t s t h e i r
a f f i d a v i t s . I n p l a i n t i f f K i n g ' s
d e p o s i t i o n , s h e a d m i t s t h a t s h e was aware
t h a t t e s t e r s e n i o r i t y was i n e f f e c t when
s h e b e c a m e a t e s t e r i n 1 9 8 0 . 9 I n
a d d i t i o n , a l l t h r e e p l a i n t i f f s w e r e
p r e s e n t a t t h e J u n e 1979 u n i o n m e e t i n g
where th e c h a n g e i n s e n i o r i t y s y s t e m s was
a p p r o v e d . 10 11 F u r t h e r m o r e , p l a i n t i f f
L o r a n c e a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t s h e f e l t
d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t on t h e b a s i s o f h e r
s e x a t t h e June 1979 m e e t i n g . 11 F i n a l l y ,
th e ch an g e from p l a n t t o t e s t e r s e n i o r i t y
was i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e m a s te r c o n t r a c t
9 K ing Dep. 1 2 2 - 1 2 3 .
10 L o r a n c e D e p . 98 ; B u eschen Dep.
40 ; K ing Dep. 102.
11 L o r a n c e Dep. 118 .
49a
b e t w e e n AT&T and t h e u n i o n i n August o f
1 9 8 0 a n d , t h u s , was p u b l i s h e d t o t h e
w o r l d . 12 A v i o l a t i o n o f T i t l e V I I o c c u r s
and t r i g g e r s t h e 180 day t im e l i m i t f o r
f i l i n g EEOC c h a r g e s when t h e e m p l o y e e
knew o r s h o u l d h a v e known t h a t s h e was
d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t . 13 The u n c o n t e s t e d
f a c t s show t h a t p l a i n t i f f s e i t h e r knew o r
s h o u l d have known by August 1980 , a t th e
l a t e s t , t h a t t e s t e r s e n i o r i t y wa s
o f f i c i a l company p o l i c y .
IV . CONCLUSION.
T h is c o u r t f i n d s t h a t p l a i n t i f f s d i d
n o t f i l e t h e i r EEOC c h a r g e s w i t h i n th e
180 day s t a t u t o r y t im e p e r i o d o f S e c t i o n
7 0 6 ( e ) o f T i t l e V I I . C o n s e q u e n t l y ,
p l a i n t i f f s ' c l a i m i s t i m e - b a r r e d .
T h e r e f o r e , i t i s r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t
12 D e f e n d a n t s ' R e p l y Memorandum a t
19; n. 10; L o r a n c e Dep. 1 7 2 -1 7 3 .
13 S t e w a r t v . CPC I n t e r n . ,
679 F . 2d 1 17, 120 ( 7 t h ..C i r . 1 9 8 2 ) .
I n c . ,
50a
D e f e n d a n t A T & T ' s M o t i o n f o r Summary
Judgement be g r a n t e d . 14
R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,
______ / s / ________
W. Thomas Rosemond, J r .
U n i t e d S t a t e s M a g i s t r a t e
D ated : March 21, 1986
14 C o u n se l a r e g i v e n t e n d a y s f rom
t h e d a t e h e r e o f t o f i l e e x c e p t i o n s t o
t h i s R e p o r t and Recom m endat ion w i t h t h e
H o n o r a b le Harry D. L i e n e n w e b e r .