Discrimination at Interview - what to do?

acemoola

I recently went for an interview for a job as a Manager for a Charity. It's a charity that is involved with old people.
I was interviewed by three of the trustees - and they seemed to really like me. However, some of their comments and questions were unbelieveable. One chap made a denegratory remark against "coloured people", that I just couldn't believe. The same chap also asked me this (I'm 34 and have one child):
"Are you going to have any more children. You know there are all sorts of rights for maternity and such. I don't think the charity could manage any of that within the next 12 months to two year."

I couldn't believe it. You are not permitted to ask such questions. I replied with "yes, i will have more children, but I don't know when".

I got a rejection letter from them - I am convinced that this is because I plan to have more children - since the interview went v well otherwise and I well qualified.

What should I do. I am shocked that an organisation that represents such an often discriminated against sector of the community, acted in such a biggotted fashion - I think this needs look at. Any advice?
Thanks,
Ace

Tam_Lin

I don't know what to suggest legally, but be grateful you're not going to work with people like that!

Emmzi

I would write them a formal letter with the exact (as much as you can remember) wording of the questions and ask for their comments, in the first instance.

You would probably need some legal advice to take it further, but it may be a futile exercise because as Tam Lin says, it sounds like you wouldn't want to work there anyway - but I would be *fascinated* to hear what their reply was!!!

countingthepennys

Ive had similar experiences when asked if i was planning on more children i see this as sexist imho as men never get asked that!!Ive always been asked if i was married or had a partner when ive said yes even though i thought the interview was going well didnt get the job.But like its been said i wouldnt want to work with people like that anyway.

looby75

I was told point blank at one interview recently that I wouldn't have even got an interview if they had know I was a lone parent :mad: The interview was arranged through the jobcenter so I went back and told one of the advisor's there what they said. I was told it would be "looked into" but I've not had any feedback yet. Like other posters have said ace you have probably had a lucky escape.

Spendless

I had similar at an interview last year when I was asked about how reliable my childcare arrangements were. That was for a charity connected to old people too. With the very good help of a fellow MSE member I complained to their HR dept at their HO and I was sent a letter back apologising and telling me they had made their staff undergo interviewing procedure.

OP I would suggest you do the same as me, and looby the other piece of advice I will take is to be more vague, my CV shows gaps due to 'family committments' now and not maternity leave.

looby75

Spendless wrote: »

I had similar at an interview last year when I was asked about how reliable my childcare arrangements were. That was for a charity connected to old people too. With the very good help of a fellow MSE member I complained to their HR dept at their HO and I was sent a letter back apologising and telling me they had made their staff undergo interviewing procedure.

OP I would suggest you do the same as me, and looby the other piece of advice I will take is to be more vague, my CV shows gaps due to 'family committments' now and not maternity leave.

Yeah my cv says that too spendless lol, they caught me a bit on the hop tbh. They asked me why I haven't worked for 3 years, so I explained that my son had been ill so it wouldn't have been fair on the co i was working for for me to take so much time off to look after him, so I left (real reason was ex left me and ds got poorly about a year after that) but he has had an op and he is fine now, and one interviewer said "well couldn't your husband have helped out with looking after him" I was so shocked about being asked such a question I admitted I was a lone parent. I swear the temp in the room dropped there and then!

They um'ed and arr'ed a bit and said, well that's a shame it changes things. To be totally honest if we had known you were a lone parent we wouldn't have even asked you to come for an interview. We have had problems with lone parents working here before and have decided to avoid them.

I didn't even bother trying to argue my case, I just said "well that's your loss and goodbye" I was so annoyed I didn't dare say anything else.

nealnomoney

Nothing wrong with that, you were just not what they were looking for

ianian99

nealnomoney wrote: »

Nothing wrong with that, you were just not what they were looking for

i'd agree , too many people get refused a job and they start moaning they must have been discriminated against.
also are you black and what did the interviewer say about black people?

looby75

in my case the only thing that wasn't what they were looking for was the fact that I am a lone parent. Which has absolutely no bearing on my ability to be a part time sales assistant in a shoe shop. That is discrimination.

ianian99

looby75 wrote: »

in my case the only thing that wasn't what they were looking for was the fact that I am a lone parent. Which has absolutely no bearing on my ability to be a part time sales assistant in a shoe shop. That is discrimination.

excuse the pun but if you were in their shoes what would you have done? Maybe you were discriminated against but if it was your shop what would you have done?