Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Appellee/cross-Appellant v. Dial Corporation, Appellant/cross-Appellee

**What Happened** The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued The Dial Corporation over sex discrimination in hiring. The case involved claims that Dial's hiring practices unfairly excluded women from certain positions, both through intentional discrimination and through policies that had a disproportionate negative impact on female job applicants. **What the Court Decided** The court ruled largely in favor of the EEOC. A jury found that Dial intentionally discriminated against women and awarded compensatory damages. The district court also determined that some of Dial's hiring practices created unfair barriers for women, even if not intentionally discriminatory, and ordered the company to pay back wages and benefits totaling $30,003. However, the court sent one issue back to the lower court for further review regarding whether a particular job applicant with a criminal record was eligible for back pay. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that employers can be held accountable for both obvious discrimination and policies that seem neutral but unfairly impact women or other protected groups. Workers who believe they've been denied jobs due to discrimination may have legal recourse, and employers must ensure their hiring practices don't create unnecessary barriers for qualified candidates.