Imagine having all the qualifications for the job and more only to find out that the color of your skin negates all that. A technology company was under fire for posting a job listing that was discriminatory for only accepting Caucasians for the job. Apparently, it was solely the work of a disgruntled recruiter.
Company Points to Employee for Racist Job Listing
Whether it's true or just another common tactic companies usually use, information technology services firm Arthur Grand specializes in government contracts in the US, which is what makes the listing somewhat more scandalous than it already is.
The mentioned listing was from March 2023, which states that the job opening is restricted to "US-born citizens" who are white, as well as a local resident who lives within 60 miles of Dallas Texas, the Justice Department states.
The company claims that it was a recruiter based in India who posted the listing, which of course, removes any blame from the company. The employee was supposedly trying to embarrass the firm and that it was not authorized to post.
Still, Arthur Grand is paying a civil penalty of $7,500 and promises to make changes in its hiring practices, as per NBC News. It even has a separate agreement with the Labor Department, showing just how big of a mess it made.
Justice Department's Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke expressed her disappointment. "It is shameful that in the 21st century, we continue to see employers using 'whites only' and 'only US born' job postings to lock out otherwise eligible job candidates of color"
"I share the public's outrage at Arthur Grand's appalling and discriminatory ban on job candidates based on citizenship status, national origin, color and race," she added. As for now, the company has nothing to say about the issue.
Not the Only Discrimination Issue in the Tech Industry
The sad reality is that racial discrimination is not the only problem within the tech sector, whether or not Arthur Grand really did approve of that job listing. There have also been cases where a person's gender was the cause of unfair treatment.
According to WeForum, about 57% of women working in tech experience gender discrimination in the workplace. That is more than half of all female employees. It's a huge difference compared to the same issue applying to men, which is only at 10%.
About 48% of women say that they have seen or have been seeing discrimination regarding technical abilities, which is likely prompted by the preconceived notion that men are better at anything technical. The percentage is double the percentage in the case of male workers.
As for racial discrimination, Black staffers experience it the most with 48% saying that they have, while Hispanic workers are at 30%. In comparison, only about 9% of White workers have experienced discrimination in the workplace.
With career satisfaction, White employees are happier with their standing at 69%, while Hispanic workers are at 66%, Black people at 61%, Asian or Pacific Islanders at 61%, and Asian Indian workers at 58%.
