Brennan, Secretary of Labor v. Corning Glass Works

Opinion summary

Etalia.ai summary of the majority opinion

The case addressed gender-based wage discrimination under the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Corning Glass Works paid male night shift inspectors more than female day shift inspectors, arguing that the work conditions were different and thus justified higher pay for men. The Supreme Court ruled against Corning Glass Works, stating that differences in working hours did not justify a wage disparity when both genders performed substantially equal work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions. The decision emphasized that employers could not use historical or traditional practices as a defense to perpetuate discriminatory wages based on sex. This ruling reinforced the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' regardless of gender and clarified interpretations related to job shifts and compensation disparities.