Final answer:
An employer cannot defend a race discrimination claim based on customer preferences, as this violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Employees must provide evidence of wage disparity in discrimination lawsuits. Market forces alone are not sufficient to prevent employment and wage discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
False. An employer cannot successfully defend a race discrimination claim by arguing that they were merely following the instructions or preferences of their customers. This justification does not align with the principles of equal employment enshrined in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Additionally, the Supreme Court ruling in Griggs v. Duke Power Co established that employment practices must be directly related to job performance and cannot disproportionately impact employees of a certain race.
To sue for racial discrimination, an employee must demonstrate that an employer paid them less compared to an employee of another race in a similar position with comparable education and expertise. Furthermore, market forces often do not provide ample incentive for businesses to act in a less discriminatory fashion, as noted by economist William A. Darity Jr. Employment and wage discrimination persist despite market competition, hence relying solely on market forces is unlikely to eliminate such discrimination.