Which term describes a neutral policy that has a disproportionately adverse effect on a protected group?

• A. Disparate treatment
• B. Redlining
• C. Disparate impact
• D. Reverse discrimination

Answer: (C)

Disparate impact describes a neutral policy that, in practice, has a disproportionately adverse effect on a protected group. The important point is that discrimination can occur even without intentional bias—the policy looks neutral, but its outcomes disadvantage members of a protected class. When such impact is shown, the focus is on whether the policy serves a legitimate business or governmental objective and whether there are alternatives that would lessen the discriminatory effect. The other terms don’t fit as well because disparate treatment requires evidence of intentional discrimination, redlining is a specific geographic practice rather than a general neutral policy with unequal effects, and reverse discrimination is not the formal legal term used to describe this concept.