Supreme Court curtails rights of public employees

[babylonsister]

Supreme Court curtails rights of public employees
The justices reject an Oregon woman's discrimination lawsuit, saying it threatened to turn millions of ordinary job grievances into federal cases.
By David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
June 10, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday limited the rights of public employees, ruling that a state worker who said she was fired by a supervisor who was out to "get rid of" her could not sue the government for denying her equal protection of the laws.

In a 6-3 ruling, the justices refused to open the courthouse door to what some have called discrimination lawsuits by a "class of one."

Typically, employees sue in federal court because they say they were subjected to illegal discrimination based on race, gender, religion or national origin. The court labeled such lawsuits "class-based" because the employees said they suffered discrimination as part of a group.

In recent years, however, some judges have allowed individual public employees to sue a state, city or school board claiming they were singled out for discrimination by a vindictive supervisor. Some of the employees were fired; others claimed they were denied promotions or raises.

The Constitution says the government may not "deny to any person . . . the equal protection of the laws." Public employees can bring job bias lawsuits that claim constitutional violations. Lawyers say only a handful of public employees have won such claims, which have been filed with increasing frequency.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-scotus10-2008jun10,0,317500.story

[BigDaddy44]

1. Very odd

How was it the SC agreed with the 9th Circuit on this? The 9th Circuit is arguably the most liberal in the country.