A Case of Adverse Impact

In 2009, the United States Supreme Court made a decision about the presence of adverse impact on a promotional test. The New Haven, Connecticut fire department used a test to determine which employees would receive promotions. Nineteen white and one Hispanic firefighter passed the test and should have been eligible for promotion. However, the New Haven fire department decided the test was not valid. The twenty firefighters that were denied promotion argued that they were discriminated against, while the fire department claimed to fear a lawsuit over adverse impact. Continue Reading →