Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Arabian American Oil Co.

499 U.S. 244 (1991)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

Boureslan (P), a naturalized United States citizen born in Lebanon and working in Saudi Arabia, was discharged by his employer, Arabian (D), a Delaware corporation. D's principal place of business is Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and it is licensed to do business in Texas. After filing a charge with the EEOC (P), P instituted suit in a Texas District Court, seeking relief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the ground that he had been discriminated against because of his race, religion, and national origin. D filed a motion for summary judgment on the ground that the District Court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction over Boureslan's (P) claim because the protections of Title VII do not extend to United States citizens employed abroad by American employers. D filed a motion for summary judgment on the ground that the District Court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction over Boureslan's (P) claim because the protections of Title VII do not extend to United States citizens employed abroad by American employers. The District Court dismissed the Title VII claim; it also dismissed Boureslan's (P) state-law claims for lack of pendent jurisdiction and entered final judgment in favor of Ds. A panel of Fifth Circuit affirmed. After vacating the panel's decision and rehearing the case en banc, the court affirmed the District Court's dismissal of Boureslan's (P) complaint. Both Ps petitioned for certiorari.