COM 0281.004 2016-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Title VI and.regulations promulgated.thereunder bar(I) intentional discrimination and(2) policies and practices.thatha-ve:a discriminatory impact. . • ` . APPLICABLE.LEGAL THEORIES :Intentional Discrimination/Disparate Treatment • Under intentional:discrimination; the recipient, in violation.of the statute;.engages in intentional discrimination based on:race, color,: or national origin. An intent.claim:alleges,that similarly situated persons are treated differently because of their:race;color, or national origin*. To prove intentional discrimination, one°mast show that a challenged action-was Motivated by an intent to discriminate. This.requires a showing that:;the decisionmaker was not only aware of the - . complainant's race, color,or national origin,but that the-recipient acted, at least in part,because . of the complainant's..race,color, or.national origin: Direct proof of discriminatory motive is..often unavailable: In the absence.of such evidence, • claims of intentional. :discrimination under..Title VI may be analyzed:Using the Title VII'burden shifting analytic framework..established by the Supreme Court..m McDonnell Douglas v. - Green:,4.1I.U.S.-792(1973).. Applying the:McDonnell Douglas principles to a Title VI claim, the investigating agency must . first determine if the.con plainant can raise an inference of:discrir ination:by. establishing a prima facie case. If the record contains.sufficientevidence to establish a prima facie case.of discriminat• ion,the- investigating agency must:then determine:if the recipient:can articulate-a legitimate, • nondiscriminatory reason for the challenged action...-:If the recipient can articulate a nondiscriminatory explanation,`for-the:alleged discriminatory action;the'investigating agency must determine•whether:the record contains sufficient evidence to.establish that the recipient's -stated reason.was.a pretext.for'discrimination. In other words,the-evidence must support' a . finding that the reason articulated: by the recipient was not:the true-reason for the:challenged action; and that the real reason was discrimination:based on'race,=color,.or`national origin. Disparate Impact Under the disparate impact:theory , a recipient, in violation-of agency regulations,uses a neutral • procedure or practice that.has:a disparate impact.on,.protected:ir dividuals,.and such practice: lacks a substantial.legitimate'justification. In-a disparate impact case the:focus'of the investigation concerns the consequences.-Of the=recipient's:practices,rather.that.tl the recipient's:intent. To establish liability;under'disparate impact, the investigating agency: ust•first ascertain whether the recipient utilized a-facially,neutral practice that had-a disproportionate impact:on.a group . • protected by Title VI-. : . • - - Page 2 of 6