newport news shipbuilding dry dock eeoc argued april decided june section title vii civil rights act makes unlawful employment practice employer discriminate employee respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment employee race color religion sex national origin title vii amended pregnancy discrimination act prohibit discrimination basis pregnancy petitioner employer amended health insurance plan provide female employees hospitalization benefits conditions extent medical conditions plan provided less extensive pregnancy benefits spouses male employees petitioner filed action federal district challenging eeoc guidelines indicated amended plan unlawful eeoc turn filed action petitioner alleging discrimination basis sex male employees petitioner provision hospitalization benefits district upheld lawfulness petitioner amended plan dismissed eeoc complaint consolidated appeal appeals reversed held pregnancy limitation petitioner amended health plan discriminates male employees violation pp congress enacting pregnancy discrimination act overturned holding general electric gilbert exclusion disabilities caused pregnancy employer disability plan providing general coverage constitute discrimination based sex also rejected reasoning employed case differential treatment pregnancy discrimination women become pregnant pp pregnancy discrimination act makes clear discriminatory exclude pregnancy coverage otherwise inclusive benefits plan thus petitioner health plan unlawfully gives married male employees benefit package dependents less inclusive dependency coverage provided married female employees pp merit petitioner argument prohibitions title vii extend pregnant spouses statute applies discrimination employment since pregnancy discrimination act makes clear discrimination based pregnancy face discrimination based sex since spouse sex always opposite employee sex discrimination female spouses provision fringe benefits also discrimination male employees pp stevens delivered opinion burger brennan white marshall blackmun joined rehnquist filed dissenting opinion powell joined post andrew kramer argued cause petitioner briefs gerald skoning deborah crandall harriet shapiro argued cause respondent brief solicitor general lee deputy solicitor general wallace philip sklover vella fink briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed stephen bokat cynthia wicker chamber commerce frederick shea robert mcroberts john gibbons thomas walsh emerson electric benjamin boley michael giannotto national railway labor conference robert williams douglas mcdowell lorence kessler equal employment advisory council briefs amici curiae urging affirmance filed lawrence trygstad richard schwab angeles judith lichtman judith schaeffer american association university women et al albert woll marsha berzon laurence gold bernard kleiman carl frankel carole wilson winn newman american federation labor congress industrial organizations et al justice stevens delivered opinion congress decided overrule decision general electric gilbert amending title vii civil rights act prohibit sex discrimination basis pregnancy effective date act petitioner amended health insurance plan provide female employees hospitalization benefits conditions extent medical conditions plan continued however provide less favorable pregnancy benefits spouses male employees question presented whether amended plan complies amended statute petitioner plan provides hospitalization coverage defined category employees defined category dependents dependents covered plan include employees spouses unmarried children days years age older dependent children prior april scope plan coverage eligible dependents identical coverage employees covered males whether employees dependents treated alike purposes hospitalization coverage covered females whether employees dependents also treated alike moreover one relevant exception coverage males females identical exception limitation hospital coverage pregnancy apply hospital confinement plan amended provided hospitalization coverage male female employees medical conditions differentiated female employees spouses male employees provision benefits booklet describing plan petitioner explained amendment gave rise litigation way effective april maternity benefits female employees paid hospital confinement described question applies deliveries beginning april thereafter maternity benefits wife male employee continue paid described part question app pet cert passage pregnancy discrimination act amendment petitioner plan became effective equal employment opportunity commission issued interpretive guidelines form questions answers two questions numbers made clear eeoc consider petitioner amended plan unlawful number read follows must employer provide health insurance coverage medical expenses conditions spouses male employees dependents employees employer provides coverage dependents employer required institute coverage however employer insurance program covers medical expenses spouses female employees must equally cover medical expenses spouses male employees including arising conditions insurance cover conditions dependents long excludes conditions dependents male female employees equally fed reg apr divided panel appeals fourth circuit reversed reasoning since company health insurance plan contains distinction based pregnancy results less complete medical coverage male employees spouses female employees spouses impermissible statute rehearing case en banc reaffirmed conclusion panel dissent three judges believed statute intended protect female employees ability inability work protect spouses male employees important question presented case decided differently appeals ninth circuit eeoc lockheed missiles space granted certiorari ultimately question must decide whether petitioner discriminated male employees respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment sex within meaning title vii although pregnancy discrimination act clarified meaning certain terms section neither act underlying statute contains definition word discriminate order decide whether petitioner plan discriminates male employees sex must therefore go beyond bare statutory language accordingly shall consider whether congress enacting pregnancy discrimination act overturned specific holding general electric gilbert also rejected test discrimination employed case believe proper test petitioner plan unlawful protection affords married male employees less comprehensive protection affords married female employees issue general electric gilbert legality disability plan provided company employees weekly compensation periods disability resulting nonoccupational causes plan excluded disabilities arising pregnancy district appeals concluded discriminated female employees sex reversed noting title vii define term discrimination applied analysis derived cases construing equal protection clause fourteenth amendment constitution gilbert opinion quoted length geduldig aiello case upheld constitutionality excluding pregnancy coverage california disability insurance plan since finding discrimination must trigger case finding unlawful employment practice added geduldig precisely point holding exclusion pregnancy plan providing general coverage discrimination dissenters gilbert took issue majority assumption fourteenth amendment standard discrimination coterminous applicable title vii brennan dissenting stevens dissenting matter statutory interpretation dissenters rejected holding plan exclusion disabilities caused pregnancy constitute discrimination based sex justice brennan explained facially discriminatory company devise policy pregnancy offers protection risks even unique men heavily male dominated inaccurate describe program dividing potential recipients two groups pregnant women nonpregnant persons insurance programs deal future risks rather historic facts rather appropriate classification persons face risk pregnancy stevens dissenting company plan intended provide employees protection risk uncompensated unemployment caused physical disability discriminated basis sex giving men protection categories risk giving women partial protection thus dissenters asserted statute violated conditions employment females less favorable similarly situated males congress amended title vii unambiguously expressed disapproval holding reasoning gilbert decision incorporated new subsection definitions applicable purposes subchapter supp first clause act quite simply terms sex basis sex include limited basis pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions house report stated committee view dissenting justices correctly interpreted act similarly senate report quoted passages two dissenting opinions stating correctly express principle meaning title vii proponents bill repeatedly emphasized erroneously interpreted congressional intent amending legislation necessary reestablish principles title vii law understood prior gilbert decision many expressly agreed views dissenting justices petitioner argues congressional discussion focused needs female members work force rather spouses male employees create negative inference limiting scope act specific problem motivated enactment see turkette cf mcdonald santa fe trail transp congress apparently assumed existing plans included benefits dependents typically provided less coverage wives male employees female employees question differential coverage dependents addressed senate report committee indicated resolved basis existing title vii principles legislative context makes clear congress thereby referring view title vii reflected gilbert opinion proponents legislation stressed throughout debates congress always intended protect individuals sex discrimination employment including limited pregnant women workers background review terms amended statute decide whether petitioner unlawfully discriminated male employees ii section makes unlawful employment practice employer discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual race color religion sex national origin health insurance fringe benefits compensation terms conditions privileges employment male well female employees protected discrimination thus private employer provide complete health insurance coverage dependents female employees coverage dependents male employees violate title vii practice pass simple test title vii discrimination enunciated los angles dept water power manhart treat male employee dependents manner person sex different result reached even magnitude discrimination smaller example plan provided complete hospitalization coverage spouses female employees cover spouses male employees broken bones violate title vii discriminating male employees petitioner practice unlawful plan provides limited benefits employees wives affords extensive coverage employees spouses medical conditions requiring hospitalization thus husbands female employees receive specified level hospitalization coverage conditions wives male employees receive coverage except conditions although gilbert concluded otherwise inclusive plan singled benefits exclusion nondiscriminatory face women become pregnant congress unequivocally rejected reasoning act makes clear discriminatory treat conditions less favorably medical conditions thus petitioner plan unlawfully gives married male employees benefit package dependents less inclusive dependency coverage provided married female employees merit petitioner argument prohibitions title vii extend discrimination pregnant spouses statute applies discrimination employment analysis demonstrates fallacy contention pregnancy discrimination act made clear title vii purposes discrimination based woman pregnancy face discrimination sex since sex spouse always opposite sex employee follows inexorably discrimination female spouses provision fringe benefits also discrimination male employees cf wengler druggists mutual ins making clear employer discriminate basis employee pregnancy congress erase original prohibition discrimination basis employee sex short congress rejection premises general electric gilbert forecloses claim insurance program excluding pregnancy coverage female beneficiaries providing complete coverage similarly situated male beneficiaries discriminate basis sex petitioner plan mirror image plan issue gilbert pregnancy limitation case violates title vii discriminating male employees judgment appeals affirmed footnotes terms sex basis sex include limited basis pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions women affected pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions shall treated purposes including receipt benefits fringe benefit programs persons affected similar ability inability work nothing section title shall interpreted permit otherwise supp amendment title vii became effective date enactment october requirements apply fringe benefit program days enactment april stat amendment petitioner plan became effective april first day following three months continuous service every active production maintenance technical clerical area bargaining unit employee becomes plan participant app pet cert example unmarried children age college students solely dependent employee certain mentally physically handicapped children also covered amount payable plan medical expenses incurred dependent however take account amounts payable expenses group insurance plans employee personal coverage affected spouse participation group health plan hospitalization caused uncomplicated pregnancy petitioner plan paid reasonable customary physicians charges delivery anesthesiology hospital charges hospital confinement plan paid full semiprivate room days surgical procedures covered first reasonable customary charges hospital services including general nursing care examinations drugs necessary services hospitalization paid charges exceeding services maximum days question see differentiation coverage employee termination thus equal employment opportunity commission found investigation record reveals present disparate impact male employees genesis distinction accorded female employees past app interim interpretive guidelines published comment federal register march fed reg final guidelines published federal register april eeoc explained commission desire interested parties made aware eeoc view rights obligations advance april may compliance date questions answers reprinted appendix cfr question equally clear reads must employer provide level health insurance coverage medical conditions spouses male employees provides female employees necessary provide level coverage medical conditions spouses male employees female employees however employer provides coverage medical conditions spouses employees level coverage medical conditions spouses male employees must level coverage medical conditions spouses female employees example employer covers employees percent reasonable customary expenses sustained medical condition covers dependent spouses percent reasonable customary expenses medical conditions expenses male employee spouse must covered percent level fed subsequently appeals seventh circuit agreed ninth circuit eeoc joslyn mfg supply section provides pertinent part shall unlawful employment practice employer fail refuse hire discharge individual otherwise discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual race color religion sex national origin true women become pregnant follow every legislative classification concerning pregnancy classification like considered reed reed frontiero richardson normal pregnancy objectively identifiable physical condition unique characteristics absent showing distinctions involving pregnancy mere pretexts designed effect invidious discrimination members one sex lawmakers constitutionally free include exclude pregnancy coverage legislation reasonable basis respect physical condition lack identity excluded disability gender insurance program becomes clear upon cursory analysis program divides potential recipients two groups pregnant women nonpregnant persons first group exclusively female second includes members sexes text geduldig opinion makes clear evaluating constitutionality california insurance program focused character state legitimate fiscal interest excluding pregnancy coverage justification relevant statutory issue presented gilbert see infra meaning first clause limited specific language second clause explains application general principle women employees legislative history pregnancy discrimination act committee print prepared senate committee labor human resources hereinafter leg pp leg bill merely reestablishing law understood prior gilbert eeoc lower courts supra cong rec remarks hawkins really add anything title vii believe colleagues congress title vii enacted amended understood prohibition sex discrimination employment seems commonsense since women become pregnant discrimination pregnant people necessarily discrimination women forbidding discrimination based sex therefore clearly forbids discrimination based pregnancy remarks javits bill simply corrective legislation designed restore law respect pregnant women employees point last year decision gilbert remarks javits leaving situation way decided gilbert case last year cong rec remarks sarasin bill restore interpretation title vii prior decision statements expressly approving views dissenting justices pregnancy discrimination discrimination basis sex see leg remarks bayh mar cong rec remarks hawkins apr cong rec remarks javits cong rec remarks bayh cong rec remarks mathias cong rec remarks sarasin july cong rec see also discrimination basis pregnancy hearings subcommittee labor senate committee human resources statement bayh statement assistant attorney general civil rights drew days mcdonald held gives persons within jurisdiction right every state territory make enforce contracts enjoyed white citizens protects whites discrimination basis race even though immediate impetus bill necessity relief constitutionally emancipated former negro slaves course true petitioner plan prior enactment statute see supra see supra leg presumably plans provide comprehensive medical coverage spouses women employees spouses male employees rare aware title vii litigation concerning plans certainly committee desire encourage institution plans cong rec remarks cranston brief respondent questions raised committee deliberations regarding bill affect medical coverage dependents employees opposed employees context must remembered basic purpose bill protect women employees alter basic principles title vii law regards sex discrimination rather legislation clarifies definition sex discrimination title vii purposes therefore question regard dependents benefits determined basis existing title vii principles supra leg statement imply new statutory definition applicability merely acknowledges new definition resolve question dissent quotes extensive excerpts exchange senate floor senators hatch williams post taken context colloquy clearly deals second clause bill see supra senator williams principal sponsor legislation addressed bill effect income maintenance plans leg senator williams first stated response senator hatch regard maintenance plans disabilities see language misunderstood upon inquiry senator hatch replied ambiguity regard income maintenance plans see end response stated narrowly drawn give employee right obtain income maintenance result pregnancy someone employee ibid comments clearly limited scope senator williams responses omitted dissent lengthy quotation post omitted portions colloquy make clear logical discuss pregnancies employees spouses connection income maintenance plans senator hatch asked status woman coworker pregnant rides pregnant woman get work pregnant female commences maternity leave employed mother stays home nurse pregnant daughter leg reference spouses male employees must understood light hypothetical questions seems address situation male employee wishes take time work wife pregnant see cong rec remarks williams ignored congressional intent enacting title vii civil rights act intent protect individuals unjust employment discrimination including pregnant workers light statements anomalous hold congress provided employee pregnancy spouse pregnancy course senate debate pregnancy discrimination act senator bayh senator cranston expressed belief new act prohibit exclusion pregnancy coverage spouses spouses otherwise fully covered insurance plan see holding relies legislation extent unequivocally rejected gilbert decision ultimately rely understanding general title vii principles attach significant two statements many comments senators congressmen disapproving reasoning conclusion gilbert see supra consistently since eeoc considered unlawful title vii employer provide different insurance coverage spouses male female employees see guidelines discrimination sex cfr commission decision cch eeoc decisions accident sickness insurance commission decision cch eeoc decisions death benefits surviving spouse commission decision cch eeoc decisions health insurance commission decision cch eeoc decisions group insurance similarly equal protection clause cases repeatedly held spouses female employees receive less favorable treatment provision benefits practice discriminates spouses also female employees basis sex frontiero richardson opinion brennan increased quarters allowances medical dental benefits powell concurring judgment weinberger wiesenfeld social security benefits surviving spouses see also powell concurring califano goldfarb opinion brennan social security benefits surviving spouses wengler druggists mutual ins workers compensation death benefits surviving spouses manhart case decided several months pregnancy discrimination act passed although expressly discussed legislative history set forth existing title vii principles congress relied cf cannon university chicago manhart struck employer policy requiring female employees make larger contributions pension fund male employees women class tend live longer men employment practice requires individuals contribute money fund employees simply woman rather man direct conflict language policy act practice pass simple test whether evidence shows treatment person manner person sex different constitutes discrimination unlawful unless exempted equal pay act affirmative justification policy analogous exclusion broken bones wives male employees except employees wives employees husbands may suffer broken bones employees wives become pregnant see supra reasoning require medical insurance plan treat pregnancies employees wives pregnancies female employees example eeoc recognizes see supra question employer might provide full coverage employees coverage dependents similarly disability plan covering employees children may exclude limit maternity benefits although distinction pregnancy conditions according act discrimination basis sex exclusion affects male female employees equally since may pregnant dependent daughters eeoc guidelines permit differential treatment pregnancies dependents spouses see fed reg act expressly exclusion pregnancy coverage discrimination face eliminates need consider average monetary value plan coverage male female employees cf gilbert cost providing complete health insurance coverage dependents male employees including pregnant wives might exceed cost providing coverage dependents female employees although type cost differential may properly analyzed passing constitutionality state health insurance plan see geduldig aiello justification recognized title vii discrimination shown manhart cfr shall defense title vii charge sex discrimination benefits cost benefits greater respect one sex justice rehnquist justice powell joins dissenting general electric gilbert held exclusion pregnancy plan discrimination individual sex within meaning title vii civil rights act stat view therefore title vii violated employer disability plan provided employees nonoccupational sickness accident benefits excluded plan coverage disabilities arising pregnancy decision gilbert petitioner otherwise inclusive benefits plan excludes pregnancy benefits male employee spouse clearly violate title vii different result obtain gilbert judicially overruled congress legislatively overrule decision entirety amending title vii today purports find latter relying pregnancy discrimination act pub stat supp statute plainly speaks female employees affected pregnancy says nothing spouses male employees congress course free legislatively overrule gilbert whole part question pregnancy discrimination act manifests congressional dissatisfaction result reached gilbert think reads far pregnancy discrimination act congress put therefore congress overruling gilbert case presenting relatively simple question statutory construction pays virtually attention language pregnancy discrimination act legislative history pertaining language act provides relevant part terms sex basis sex include limited basis pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions women affected pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions shall treated purposes including receipt benefits fringe benefit programs persons affected similar ability inability work supp shall unlawful employment practice employer fail refuse hire discharge individual otherwise discriminate individual respect compensation terms conditions privileges employment individual race color religion sex national origin result inadvertent part congress made evident second clause act language essentially ignores opinion congress clause explained proscription creating saying women affected pregnancy shall treated persons affected similar ability inability work referring female employees appeals stands alone thinking otherwise concedes correct reading second clause ante apparent effort escape impact provision asserts meaning first clues limited specific language second clause ibid disagree conclusion help explained definitional provision first clues inserted says thing proscription added title vii applies female employees plain language pregnancy discrimination act leaves little room conclusion act intended extend beyond female employees concedes congressional discussion focused needs female members work force rather spouses male employees ante fact singular focus discussion problems pregnant worker striking introducing senate report bill later became pregnancy discrimination act principal sponsor senator williams explained decision gilbert case legislation necessary provide fundamental protection sex discrimination nation million working women protection go long ways toward insuring american women permitted assume rightful place nation economy addition providing protection working women regard fringe benefit programs health disability insurance programs legislation prohibit employment policies adversely affect pregnant workers cong rec emphasis added trays avoid impact legislative history saying create negative inference limiting scope act specific problem motivated enactment ante reasoning might force legislative history silent arguably related issue legislative history silent senate report provides questions raised committee deliberations regarding bill affect medical coverage dependents employees opposed employees context must remembered basis purposes bill protect women employees alter basic principles title vii law regards sex discrimination question regard dependent benefits determined basis existing title vii principles question whether employer cover dependents either without additional cost employee may exclude conditions related pregnancy coverage different matter presumably plans provide comprehensive medical converge spouses women employees spouses male employees rare aware title vii litigation concerning plans certainly committee desire encourage institution plans plans instituted future question remain whether title vii affected employees discriminated basis sex regards extent coverage dependents pp leg emphasis added hatch phrase women affected pregnancy childbirth related medical conditions appears overly board limited terms employment even require person affected pregnant indeed present language bill arguable spouses male employees covered civil rights amendment sponsors clarify exactly phrase intends cover williams see one read pregnancy pregnancy relates employee ambiguity let clear precise deals woman woman employee employee work situation disabilities covered company plan provides income maintenance event medical disability particular period disability work childbirth anything related childbirth excluded hatch senator satisfied though committee language brought woman affected pregnancy seems ambiguous means act applies particular woman actually pregnant employee become pregnant employment williams exactly cong rec leg emphasis added although pregnancy discrimination act clarified meaning certain terms section neither act underlying statute contains definition word discriminate order decide whether petitioner plan discriminates male employees sex must therefore go beyond bare statutory language accordingly shall consider whether congress enacting pregnancy discrimination act overturned specific holding general electric gilbert supra also rejected test discrimination employed case believe ante crux reasoning even though pregnancy discrimination act redefines phrases sex basis sex include discrimination female employees affected pregnancy congress also expressed view gilbert erroneously interpreted congressional intent ante see also ante somehow concludes renders gilbert obsolete support argument points passages congressional reports several statements various members congress tot effect gilbert construed title vii misperceived intent congress ante also pints members congress expressly agreed views dissenting justices ante certainly various members congress said much fact remains congress body expressed sweeping views pregnancy discrimination act decision general electric gilbert petitioner exclusion pregnancy benefits male employees spouses violate title vii since nothing pregnancy discrimination act even arguably reaches beyond female employees affected pregnancy gilbert requires reverse appeals concludes otherwise dissent gilbert leave open possibility violation showing distinction involving pregnancy mere pretexts designed effect invidious discrimination members one sex quoting geduldig aiello referring female employees intend imply pregnancy discrimination act also apply female applicants employment simply used former reference matter convenience see eeoc joslyn mfg supply eeoc lockheed missiles space appeals majority responding dissent reliance language excused import language saying statutory reference ability inability work denotes disability suggest spouse must employee employer providing coverage fact statute says persons affected say employees affected conclusion obviously comport understanding language logical explanation congress reference persons rather employees congress intended amendment also apply applicants employment reprinted committee print prepared senate committee labor human resources legislative history pregnancy discrimination act pp hereinafter referred leg foreword official printing act legislative history senator williams described purpose act saying act provides essential protection working women number women labor force increased dramatically recent years women working seeking work economic need support families expected trend increasing participation women workforce continue future increasing proportion working women mothers essential women children fully protected harmful effects unjust employment discrimination basis pregnancy iii see cong rec leg remarks bayh bill help provide true equality working women nation cong rec leg remarks williams central purpose bill require women workers treated equally employees basis ability inability work cong rec leg remarks javits bill represents basis fairness women employees cong rec leg remarks sen stafford bill end major source discrimination unjustly afflicting working women america cong rec leg remarks green bill provide rights workingwomen years ago cong rec leg remarks quie bill necessary order women employees enjoy equal treatment fringe benefit programs cong rec leg remarks akaka bill simply requires pregnant workers fairly equally treated see also cong rec leg remarks brooke cong rec leg remarks mathias cong rec leg remarks kennedy cong rec leg remarks biden cong rec leg remarks cranston cong rec leg remarks culver cong rec leg remarks corrada cong rec leg remarks hawkins cong rec leg remarks sarasin cong rec leg remarks chilsholm cong rec leg remarks lafalce cong rec leg remarks collins cong rec leg remarks whalen cong rec leg remarks burke cong leg remarks tsongas see report senate committee human resources leg report house committee education labor leg report committee conference cong leg suggests exchange senator williams explaining spouses male employees put income maintenance plans pregnant ante utterly illogical spouses employees income relevant employer maintained senator williams clearly says act limited female employees employees ensure income maintenance male employees receive similar disability benefits senator hatch final question senator williams response clearer act intended affect pregnant workers exactly senate report said senator williams confirmed exactly congress intended indications arguably contrary views reflected senate report exchange senator hatch williams found two isolated remarks senators bayh cranston cong rec leg statements however concern two senators views concerning title vii sex discrimination existed prior pregnancy discrimination act conclusions completely odds decision general electric gilbert entitled deference consistently said views members later congress concerning different unamended sections title vii entitled little weight intent congress enacted title vii controls teamsters see also southeastern community college davis also concedes one point senate report pregnancy discrimination act acknowledges new definition act resolve question presented case ante