Final answer:
The Griggs v. Duke Power Co. case was a landmark Supreme Court decision that defined unfair discrimination by ruling that employment practices must be directly related to job performance and not have a disparate impact on protected groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court case Griggs v. Duke Power Co. played a pivotal role in defining and combating unfair discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it unlawful for employers to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in any aspect of employment. The Griggs case extended this by ruling that job requirements, such as educational qualifications, cannot negatively impact one race over another unless directly related to job performance.
This ruling was instrumental in the fight against practices that may appear neutral but have a disproportionate negative effect on a protected group, a concept known as disparate impact. In 2013, the EEOC received over 94,000 charges of employment discrimination, highlighting the ongoing nature of employment discrimination issues. The case also sets precedent for future discrimination lawsuits, allowing individuals to challenge discriminatory practices that lack a clear business necessity.