Littler | High Court Lowers the Bar on Title VII Claims: “Significant” Harm No Longer Required

On April 17, 2024, the Supreme Court decided that employees do not need to suffer “significant” harm to state a claim of discrimination under Title VII. In so ruling, the Court rejected a level of proof as to harm that many lower courts had long required Title VII plaintiffs establish in suing their employers. That level of proof effectively often limited actionable claims only to those that involved “ultimate employment decisions,” such as hiring, firing, promotions, and compensation setting. Accordingly, the Court’s ruling may well mean that discrimination claims that would have failed in the past for lack of “tangible harm” will now be allowed to proceed. Learn More