McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green

McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green (1973) is a key Supreme Court case that established a framework for proving workplace discrimination. It clarified the process for employees claiming they were fired for illegal reasons, like racial bias. The court outlined a "burden-shifting" method: the employee first shows evidence of discrimination; the employer then must provide a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the action; finally, the employee can prove that the reason was a pretext to hide discrimination. This case set important standards for handling employment discrimination claims in the U.S. legal system.