Federal appeals court annuls 5'6" height requirement as discriminatory; no back pay, however, for rejected applicant who passed over in favor of taller females. Costa v. Markey, 706 F.2d 1 (1st Cir. reh. 1983).
     ALR Annotation: “Sex Discrimination - Police -- Sec. 5 Minimum height or weight”, 53 ALR Fed. 45-54 (1981).
     Federal appeals court invalidates minimum standard of city police department. Horace v. City of Pontiac, 624 F.2d 765 (6th Cir. 1980).
     Standard dropped, quota adopted in Ohio highway patrol case. United States v. Ohio State Highway Patrol, U.S. Dist. Ct. (S.D. Ohio, June 1980).
     Baltimore City police height requirement struck down. Vanguard Justice Society, Inc. v. Hughes, 471 F.Supp. 670 (D. Md. 1979).
     Federal appeals court rejects L.A. police height requirement, physical abilities test and promotional practices in sex discrimination case. United States v. City of Los Angeles, 656 F.2d 1386, 19 FEP Cases (BNA) 1455 (9th Cir. 1979).
     Minimum height requirement must be same for both sexes, rules federal court in New York. Schick v. Bronstein, 447 F.Supp. 333 (S.D.N.Y. 1978). Note, see 706 F.2d at 6 which implicitly rejects this case.
     EEOC rules against a 5'9" height requirement on the complaint of a woman applicant for a police officer position. “Respondent's height requirement tends to exclude women in significantly greater numbers than it excludes men. Because it is not non-related within the meaning of Title VII, it is unlawful.” EEOC Decis. #79-25, 1978 EEOC Lexis 38. {N/R}
     Minimum height standards come under continued legal attack; most departments fail to prove job necessity. Davis v. County of Los Angeles, 566 F.2d 1334 (9th Cir. 1977), reh. den. 1978; Torrisi v. Personnel Officer, Co. of Westchester, 400 N.Y.S.2d 578 (A.D. 1978); New York City Dept. of Personnel v. N.Y. State Div. of Human Rights, 392 N.Y.S.2d 641 (A.D. 1977).
     Federal court enjoins minimum height requirement of Washington, D.C., fire department; held not “job related.” Fox v. Washington, 396 F.Supp. 504 (D.C.C. 1975); also see Officers for Justice v. Civil Service Cmsn., C & C of S.F., 395 F.Supp. 378 (N.D.Cal. 1975).
     See also: Race Discrimination; Sex Discrimination.