ATC, Inc offered health insurance benefits to unmarried same-sex ...

[leo leo]

ATC, Inc offered health insurance benefits to unmarried same-sex domestic partners but not to unmarried, cohabiting heterosexual couples. Ray, an employee of ATC, Inc, challenged the benefit plan, claiming that it was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Under the Civil Rights Act, an employer may not discriminate against any individual on the basis of sex. Discuss the tools that a court may use in interpreting the Civil Rights Act.

Question 2

Discuss the two federal statutes that give Americans the power to acquire or protect personal information.

[kingfahad97]

Answer to Question 1

There are three primary tools that a court may use in interpreting a statute: plain meaning rule; legislative history and intent; and public policy. According to the plain meaning rule, when a statute's words have ordinary, everyday significance, the court will simply apply the commonsense definition. If the language is unclear, the court must look at the law's history to determine the intent of the legislature. If the legislative history is unclear, courts will rely on general public policies.

Answer to Question 2


Any citizen or executive may make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to any federal government agency. It is simply a written request that the agency furnish whatever information it has on the subject specified. Two types of data are available under FOIA. Anyone is entitled to information about how the agency operates, how it spends its money, and what statistics and other information it has collected on a given subject. Second, all citizens are entitled to any records the government has about them. You are entitled to information that the Internal Revenue Service, or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has collected about you.

The statute that protects our personal information is the Privacy Act. This 1974 statute prohibits federal agencies from giving information about an individual to other agencies or organizations without written consent. There are exceptions, but overall this act has reduced the government's exchange of information about us behind our back.