City of Los Angeles Department of Water v. Manhart

As a class, women live longer than men. For this reason, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power required its female employees to make larger contributions to its pension fund than its male employees. We granted certiorari to decide whether this practice discriminated against individual female employees because of their sex in violation of § 703 (a)(1) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.1

For many years the Department2 has administered retire*705ment, disability, and death-benefit programs for its employees. Upon retirement each employee is eligible for a monthly retirement benefit…