Geduldig v. Aiello

Geduldig v. Aiello, 417 U.S. 484 (1974), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court.

California’s disability insurance system excluded pregnancy from covered disabilities. Women who experienced pregnancy-related medical complications challenged the exclusion as sex discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause. The state argued that the exclusion was reasonable for a self-supporting insurance program.

Significance

Justice Stewart’s 6-3 opinion upheld the exclusion, holding that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy is not, on its face, discrimination on the basis of sex. The Court reasoned that the classification differentiated between pregnant women and non-pregnant persons, not between men and women. This reasoning was effectively superseded by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, which amended Title VII to prohibit pregnancy discrimination in employment.

Category

US Federal Case Law