You probably know you have certain rights when you work for a company. Yet, you might not realize that you also have rights when applying to work for a firm.
Unfortunately, some employers continue to violate applicants’ rights, either intentionally or by accident. Here are some of the ways they can do so:
Discriminatory job advertisements
It’s unlikely that any employer these days is foolish enough to write “White applicants only” when advertising a post. They know they cannot use wording that discriminates against people based on race, color, or nationality. Yet many still discriminate based on other protected characteristics.
Age is a common one. Even if an employer does not specify a numerical age, the wording often suggests that they are only looking for someone young. For example, language such as:
- Recent graduate
- To join a young, energetic team
- Digital native
These could all make people over a certain age feel they should not apply.
Asking for video applications
Asking someone to apply by video is not discriminatory per se, and you could argue that it is highly relevant to some industries. Yet asking people to appear on screen makes it harder for employers to put aside any innate biases they might have and assess people only on their abilities.
Changing their mind when they meet you
Face-to-face interviews allow employers to gain a better impression of you. Yet, as with video, it creates room for discriminatory biases. If they gasp when they see your stomach bump and then turn you down, it might be to avoid giving maternity leave. Or if they tell you you do not look like a “John Smith,” it might be your race has caused them to change their mind.
Seek legal help to understand your options if you believe an employer has discriminated against you when hiring.
