Trustees of Health v. Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

**What Happened:** Five African-American women who worked for the Trustees of Health and Hospitals of the City of Boston claimed they were discriminated against during a company layoff. They argued that their employer treated them unfairly compared to white employees and male employees when deciding who would lose their jobs. The women filed complaints with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, saying the layoff decisions were based on their race and gender rather than legitimate business reasons. **What the Court Decided:** The court sided with the five women. It upheld the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination's finding that the employer had indeed discriminated against the African-American women based on both their race and sex during the layoff process. The court agreed that these employees were treated differently than comparable white and male workers. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling reinforces important protections for workers during layoffs. Employers cannot use race or gender as factors when deciding who to lay off, even during legitimate business downsizing. Workers who believe they were unfairly targeted during layoffs because of their protected characteristics have legal recourse through state discrimination agencies, and courts will uphold findings of discrimination when the evidence supports it.