Supreme Court Declines Case Challenging Workplace Discrimination Standard

Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissent, calling for a review of the 1973 McDonnell Douglas precedent.

The Supreme Court declined to hear Ronald Hittle's appeal, a case involving alleged religious discrimination in the workplace.
Hittle, a former Stockton, California fire chief, claimed he was fired for attending a Christian leadership conference during work hours.
The city argued Hittle was terminated for insubordination and poor judgment, with lower courts siding with the city and finding insufficient evidence of discrimination.
Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch, criticized the 1973 McDonnell Douglas framework for evaluating discrimination claims as confusing and unfair.
Hittle's legal team sought to make it easier for plaintiffs to prove pretext in workplace discrimination cases, but the Court's decision leaves the existing standard intact.