It can be hard enough to find work sometimes without being held back by other people’s narrow-minded views. Sadly, many workers in California struggle against discrimination and unfair treatment not only in their place of work, but even during the application process. Although it is natural for an employer to seek the best-suited candidates for a position within their organization, the interview process is bound by strict regulations.
It is illegal to discriminate against an applicant for reasons of race, gender, origin or even disability. If an individual’s medical condition does not affect their ability to carry out their responsibilities, why should it be relevant at all? However, three seed and fertilizer providers fell afoul of this ruling when they probed too deeply into the medical backgrounds of several applicants.
According to the EEOC, the health questionnaires the applicants were required to fill out contained inappropriate enquiries into not only the health of the applicant but also his or her family medical history. This is known as genetic information and is completely out of bounds for employers to ask about. Applicants were also asked to undergo physical exams.
As a result of this improper conduct, the companies in question are to pay $187,500 in compensation to the affected individuals. Sadly, this sort of unfair and illegal discrimination is not uncommon. If you feel your employee rights have been breached, it is important to challenge those responsible. An attorney may be able to help you with your claim and assist you in pursuing remuneration for your mistreatment.
Source: San Diego 6, “JOB APPLICANTS SUBJECTED TO ILLEGAL QUESTIONS WIN $187,500 IN DISCRIMINATION SETTLEMENT,” Nov. 10, 2014