Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Greyhound Lines, Inc.

# Greyhound Lines Discrimination Case Summary ## What Happened Greyhound Lines had a company policy requiring all employees to be clean-shaven. Jeffrey Ferguson, a black employee, challenged this rule because he suffered from pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB)—a skin condition that causes painful razor bumps, primarily affecting black men. When Ferguson grew a beard for medical reasons, Greyhound disciplined him for violating the grooming policy. ## Court's Decision The court ruled in Ferguson's favor, finding that while the no-beard policy appeared neutral on its surface, it unfairly hurt black employees more than white employees. Greyhound argued the policy was necessary for business reasons, but the court disagreed. The company was ordered to pay Ferguson back wages for the time he lost. ## Why This Matters for Workers This case established an important principle: companies cannot enforce rules that look fair but actually harm certain groups more than others. Even neutral-sounding policies must consider real-world impacts on protected groups. Workers with medical conditions affecting grooming have legal protection, and employers must show genuine business needs before enforcing strict appearance rules.