SCOTUS levels playing field for reverse discrimination claims in Title VII ruling

In a landmark decision issued on June 5, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) eliminated a long-standing barrier for employees filing so-called “reverse discrimination” claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, the Court struck down a requirement imposed by several federal circuits that majority-class employees—typically white, male, or heterosexual individuals—present additional evidence of “background circumstances” suggesting discrimination. The Court held that the added requirement—imposed by the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, and D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeals—unfairly burdened majority-class employees and had no basis in the text of Title VII.

Writing for the unanimous court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson unequivocally held that Title VII prohibits discrimination against “any individual” based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin without regard to whether the individual is a member of a majority or minority group: “The standard for proving disparate treatment under Title VII does not vary based on whether or not the [individual] is a member of a majority group.”

Some background: Title VII and McDonnell Douglas