A job interview can be a grueling experience even for the most experienced and qualified candidate. If all goes well, this could mark the beginning of an exciting chapter in your life. But what happens if you are discriminated against during the recruitment process?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) prohibits all forms of discrimination during the recruitment process. If you believe you have been discriminated against during the hiring process, you may need to explore your legal options in order to protect your rights. But, to succeed in your case against the defendant, you must prove discrimination.
Here are the questions you need to answer when proving discrimination during the hiring process.
Were you subjected to an extraneous test during the interview?
It is perfectly right for the recruiting panel or officer to test your skill and knowledge with respect to the role you are applying for. However, if the interviewing panel attempts to test you on issues that are clearly biased against your economic, racial or religious background, then chances are you are being discriminated against. For instance, an employer cannot demand that you take a polygraph test unless you are applying for a role in law enforcement.
Were you offered an extremely low salary?
During the job interview process, it is not unusual for some hiring officers to offer unusually low pay for a role with the goal of discouraging a certain group of people from taking the job. If you notice that other candidates for the same role, and with the same qualification as yours, were given a higher offer during the interview process, then you might want to file a discrimination complaint.
Were you asked inappropriate questions?
Every question you are asked during the interview process should be related to the role you are applying for. Questions that break the employment code should be a red flag. Questions that touch on your age, nation of origin, religion, marital status and pregnancy may violate the EEOC code on employment discrimination.
Everyone deserves fair treatment during recruitment. If you believe that you were discriminated against during the hiring process, it is important that you put your evidence together in order to seek justice and safeguard your rights.