Johnson v. Transportation Agency of Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County's Transportation Agency (defendant) adopted an Affirmative Action Plan letting it weigh sex as one factor among others in promotions to traditionally segregated positions, without fixed quotas. Johnson (plaintiff) and Joyce, comparably qualified candidates, both sought promotion to road dispatcher, a position no woman then held; after a second interview panel recommended Johnson, Joyce raised concerns about bias with the Agency's Affirmative Action Office, and the director ultimately promoted Joyce after weighing both candidates' qualifications, backgrounds, interviews, and the Plan's goals. Johnson sued under Title VII, and the district court found sex was the determining factor and invalidated the Plan, but the court of appeals reversed.