While many people realize that it is against the law to discriminate against staff members, some people do not recognize that discrimination is also prohibited during the hiring process. In fact, it is against the law for employers to discriminate against job applicants as a result of their sex, racial background or age. If you have experienced discrimination while trying to find a job, you likely have a number of emotional and even financial hurdles to work through as a result of your experiences.
Unfortunately, discrimination frequently occurs during this phase and it is often hard to prove. Victims who have evidence that they were discriminated against while pursuing a job need to take action, not only to stand up for their own rights but to prevent future discrimination as well.
Discrimination and hiring decisions
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, some employers discriminate against applicants by rejecting an application solely because of a candidate’s age, race, sex or sexual orientation. Often, the real reasons behind an employer’s decision are not disclosed and victims have difficulty proving that they were turned down as a result of discrimination. In some instances, however, victims have evidence that their application was rejected for an unlawful reason, such as text messages, social media posts, eyewitness accounts or emails that prove discrimination occurred.
Discrimination and job advertisements
Employers are also prohibited from placing job advertisements that are discriminatory in nature. For example, job ads that indicate that a company is looking for young applicants who have recently graduated from college are preferred can discourage older applicants from applying, and this sometimes constitutes age discrimination. Moreover, job ads that indicate that a company is looking to hire a specific sex also constitute age discrimination in some instances.
