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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power v. Manhart (1978)

In this class action suit, Marie Manhart, and other female employees of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, claimed the department discriminated against them on the basis of sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Because women statistically live longer than men and their pensions would cost more than men’s pensions, the department required women to make larger contributions to the pension fund than men. The women wanted their contributions reduced and the excess contributions refunded to them.

The U.S. Supreme Court found that the policy discriminated against women in violation of Title VII and said that the higher contributions could no longer be required of women. At the same time, the Court decided against refunding the excess the women had contributed to the pension fund, explaining that it could jeopardize the fund’s solvency.

See also: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII; Discrimination

References: Cushman, Supreme Court Decisions and Women’s Rights: Milestone to Equality, 2001, pp. 148-150; Los Angeles Department of Water and Power v. Manhart, 435 U.S. 702 (1978).

Citation Types

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Format
MLA 9th
"Los Angeles Department Of Water And Power V. Manhart (1978)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0575.
APA 7th
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power v. Manhart (1978). From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0575.
CMOS 17th
"Los Angeles Department Of Water And Power V. Manhart (1978)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0575.