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Young v. United Parcel Service

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
12-1226 4th Cir. Dec 3, 2014 Mar 25, 2015 6-3 Breyer OT 2014

Holding: A plaintiff alleging that the denial of an accommodation constituted disparate treatment under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which requires employers to treat "women affected by pregnancy . . . the same for all employment-related purposes . . . as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work," may make out a prima facie case by showing that she belongs to the protected class, that she sought accommodation, that the employer did not accommodate her, and that the employer did accommodate others similar in their ability or inability to work. The employer may then seek to justify its refusal to accommodate the plaintiff by relying on "legitimate, nondiscriminatory" reasons for denying accommodation.

Judgment: Vacated and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Breyer on March 25, 2015. Justice Alito filed an opinion concurring in the judgement. Justice Scalia filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Kennedy and Thomas joined. Justice Kennedy filed a dissenting opinion.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
04/08/2013Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 10, 2013)
05/02/2013Order extending time to file response to petition to and including June 10, 2013.
05/10/2013Brief amici curiae of Law Professors, and Women's Rights Organizations filed.
06/07/2013Brief of respondent United Parcel Service, Inc. in opposition filed.
06/12/2013Reply of petitioner Peggy Young filed.
06/19/2013DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 30, 2013.
10/07/2013The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States.
05/19/2014Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
06/02/2014Supplemental brief of petitioner Peggy Young filed.
06/03/2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 19, 2014.
06/04/2014Supplemental brief of respondent United Parcel Service, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
06/23/2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 26, 2014.
06/30/2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 30, 2014.
07/01/2014Petition GRANTED.
07/18/2014The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 4, 2014.
07/18/2014The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including October 24, 2014.
07/29/2014Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the respondent.
07/31/2014Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner.
09/04/2014SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, December 3, 2014.
09/04/2014Brief of petitioner Peggy Young filed.
09/04/2014Joint appendix filed (two Volumes). (Statement of costs filed.)
09/10/2014Brief amici curiae of Law Professors and Women's and Civil Rights Organizations filed.
09/10/2014Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union and A Better Balance, et al. filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of Black Women's Health Imperative, et al. filed.
09/11/2014Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, et al. filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of 23 Pro-Life Organizations and the Judicial Education Project filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of National Education Association, et al. filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of Bipartisan State and Local Legislators filed.
09/11/2014Brief amici curiae of Health Care Providers, et al. filed.
09/11/2014Brief amicus curiae of Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights filed.
09/22/2014Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
09/22/2014Record requested from U.S.C.A. 4th Circuit.
09/25/2014Record received from U.S.D.C. of Maryland. The record is electronic and located on PACER.
10/03/2014Record received from U.S.C.A. 4th Circuit is electronic and located on PACER. Also received from U.S.C.A. 4th Circuit is 1 Box, the records are SEALED.
10/24/2014Brief of respondent United Parcel Service, Inc. filed.
10/31/2014Brief amici curiae of Equal Employment Advisory Council, et al. filed.
10/31/2014Brief amicus curiae of American Trucking Associations, Inc. filed.
10/31/2014Brief amicus curiae of Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, Inc. filed.
10/31/2014Brief amicus curiae of U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed.
11/03/2014Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
11/07/2014CIRCULATED.
11/20/2014Reply of petitioner Peggy Young filed. (Distributed)
12/03/2014Argued. For petitioner: Samuel R. Bagenstos, Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondent: Caitlin J. Halligan, New York, N. Y.
03/25/2015Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Breyer, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Scalia, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Kennedy and Thomas, JJ., joined. Kennedy, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
03/25/2015Record from U.S.C.A. 4th Circuit has been returned.
04/27/2015JUDGMENT ISSUED