Have you ever been interviewed for a job and began to feel uncomfortable during the process? These awkward or downright unsettling interviews typically begin well but may begin to deteriorate if the interviewer begins to ask uncomfortable questions. Before you know it, the tone of the interview has made you feel more like a target instead of a potential employee.
If the above scenario sounds familiar, you may have been the target of workplace discrimination during a job interview. This can happen to anyone regardless of race or gender, but it is often women who are targeted in this manner. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 protect women from workplace discrimination, even during a job interview, but it can still happen in Detroit and other Michigan cities.
Here are a few signs that you may be experiencing gender discrimination during your job interview:
— The interviewer asks if you are pregnant.
— The interviewer asks about your plans to have children in the future.
— The interviewer asks about your childcare arrangements.
— The interviewer quotes a different rate of pay than your male counterparts receive for the same job.
— The interviewer focuses on your physical appearance.
— The interviewer makes inappropriate sexual comments during the interview.
As you might expect, it can be difficult to prove workplace discrimination occurred during your job interview. However, it could be beneficial to talk about the incident with an employment attorney. If you and your lawyer feel you have enough of a case to move forward, you have every chance of holding the responsible parties accountable for their unlawful actions.
Source: Our Everyday Life, “Job Interview Discrimination Against Women,” Lisa Finn, accessed Feb. 10, 2017