United Teachers-Los Angeles v. Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS BELOW

Pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement, the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles (“BELA”) offers its teaching employees a choice of five different health insurance or health maintenance plans. All plans cover both employees and their spouses for most medical treatments, including pregnancy-related conditions. None of the plans, however, cover medical services related to pregnancy of male employees’ spouses at the same levels as other medical conditions of employees’ spouses.

The United Teachers of Los Angeles (“UTLA”) sought prospective injunctive relief requiring BELA to provide insurance coverage for pregnancy-related medical expenses for the spouses of male teachers at the same level that non-pregnancy-related benefits are provided for the spouses of all teachers. The district court concluded that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., and the amendments thereto known as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-(k) (“PDA”), requires insurance benefits be provided for the employees’ spouses for pregnancy-related medical conditions at the same level as coverage for other medical conditions.…