Job applications with ethnicity/color box

[Koke]

What is this?

Why would the employer wanna know what your ethnicity is if you have the qualifications and experience for the job? Why is it even relevant?

It is said that its required for employers to report the ethnicity of who they are hiring - Is that correct?

[Tommy G]

I'd guess its the law to be honest mate. You can't do anything these days without some kind of sh!tty law. I doubt window cleaners can even put a ladder up without some kind of health and safety procedure goin on...

[NorthernFox]

I have to say that I check every question that asks; English, not British.

(Cos I am so there!)

[Koke]

I'd guess its the law to be honest mate. You can't do anything these days without some kind of sh!tty law. I doubt window cleaners can even put a ladder up without some kind of health and safety procedure goin on...

I'm actually surprised that none of those so-called activists have addressed this as "blatant act of discrimination".

I always used to check "Other" when I was applying for jobs.

[Tommy G]

I'm actually surprised that none of those so-called activists have addressed this as "blatant act of discrimination".

I always used to check "Other" when I was applying for jobs.

It's got nothing to do with discrimination. It's just some kind of shitty law. If your that worried I would look it up on google or wikipedia or something?

[lookwhaticando]

It's a common enough question.

There's two typical explanations: firstly, the information is statistically interesting; secondly, it may be for the purposes of 'affirmative action'.

In some states/countries, information on sexual orientation and ethnicity for example, is required. In others it's entirely optional.

I know in Ontario (outside government positions) it's not required information - it's merely gathered for statistical purposes (and any good, well behaved, socially responsible company collects the information to show they're not racist etc etc). In government positions, however, some positions are filled based upon such factors as the employee being a member of a 'visible minority'. Frankly that's a practice I don't believe in/agree with at all, but that's for another time.

Airport security is one area where I know affirmative action is practised. In the application process, it states quite clearly that preference will be given to those candidates (deemed suitable) who are from visible minorities. The same is also true for many internship schemes with government departments for full-time students during the summer months - the Revenue service, for one, discriminates based upon ethnicity.

It's often the case that the question is used to help those from ethnic minorities find themselves employment. If the numbers are gathered for statistical reasons only, then "bad" companies will have no ethnic peoples while "good" (i.e. socially responsible or whatever they call such companies these days) companies will be more diverse than the UN.

I find the whole situation somewhat amusing and somewhat bizarre at the same time. It seems that some governments believe the best way to combat discrimination by employers is to be a discriminating employer themselves. Affirmative action is, after all, just another form of discrimination. It's sometimes called "positive discrimination" but I really can't see why.

[Webbo]

It's not just job applications, you need to tick these boxes on all sorts of forms, even applying for a library card. Personally I always leave them unticked as I find them offensive. It shouldn't matter what race/colour you are, we should all be treated the same.

[Asha]

I'm actually surprised that none of those so-called activists have addressed this as "blatant act of discrimination".

I always used to check "Other" when I was applying for jobs.

I always check 'Caucasian' but i have no idea what that means...

[Steven]

If anyone asks I put down Norman.

[Zingari]

If anyone asks I put down Norman.

thats shows wisdom

[Lillehamring]

i think i must technically be an ethnic minority, now...

although no one is positively discriminating towards me, typical

[Phube]

It was a story in a paper the other week about a woman who applied for a job in a Government department. She ticked the "White - English" box. And was subsequently declined to proceed any further... the Department had enough "White - English" people, now if she was "White -Welsh", "White Irish" etc, she would have proceded further!!!

It's Political Correction GONE MAD!!!!!

P.s. In my eyes 'Positive' discrimination is just as bad as discrimintion. Can't people just get jobs on ability???

[Lillehamring]

It was a story in a paper the other week about a woman who applied for a job in a Government department. She ticked the "White - English" box. And was subsequently declined to proceed any further... the Department had enough "White - English" people, now if she was "White -Welsh", "White Irish" etc, she would have proceded further!!!

It's Political Correction GONE MAD!!!!!

P.s. In my eyes 'Positive' discrimination is just as bad as discrimintion. Can't people just get jobs on ability???

No.

How many jobs, especially in certain fields such as media, entertainment and politics are staffed purely on a 'who you know' basis? A few years back i was applying to work for record labels in london, and they wouldn't touch me, eventually i went to an agency to see if i could get an entry level/admin position, and the specialist agency actually said that you really need to have experience, i asked how i get this and the guy just says: 'well, do you know anyone who works in the industry...'

discrimination works in many ways on many levels...

for the record, i think positive discrimination is abohrent, and merely serves to emphasis superficial differences. skin colour seems to be the flimsiest defining factors of race these days, compared to 'cultural racism' (cf.the home nations football thread), but is obviously the easiest to apply, thus at the same time enforcing the nonsense that colour=personality, when it is much more the case these days that dislike of a person(s) is founded mainly on attitude, manners or behaviour, rather than simply a person's skin colour.

[Bryn]

I always check 'Caucasian' but i have no idea what that means...

It's come to mean "white", but it has a more complex origin than that.

[jaffa1970]

In Australia, to teach in Catholic Schools you have to be Catholic...now as a phys ed teacher..how the fcuk is that relevant..will you tell the kids that Muzzy Izzet is the real god?...

Go figure

[Kilworthfox]

It is an optional question anyway! you never have to declare that information!

[Bluefoxtim]

Companies like to have a balance of race/gender/disabled etc - makes them look 'better'.

[Webbo]

Companies like to have a balance of race/gender/disabled etc - makes them look 'better'.

If you do any work for the government/local government it's a requirement.

[davieG]

If you do any work for the government/local government it's a requirement.

And being English isn't an option it's White British

However I believe in most cases it's so companies and organisations can prove they aren't discriminating. Whenever i've been involved in recruitment this form never reaches the person short-lisiting those for interview.

[Rossatron]

i thought that in some workplaces, there has to be 1 asian/african or we to every soo many white people

[Lillehamring]

And being English isn't an option it's White British

However I believe in most cases it's so companies and organisations can prove they aren't discriminating. Whenever i've been involved in recruitment this form never reaches the person short-lisiting those for interview.

according to your passport (and thus i suspect EU law) we're all british, english doesn't exist in this area of consular administration.

[Rincewind]

I doubt many jobs are given based purely on the application form. In a lot of work places there is a mixture of races so your attitude towards colour/race will be important. The ones with the right qualifications are shortlisted and because most people know what qualifications are reqired before applying this is bound to include a wide range of colours and races. I have never really thought about the box when filling forms. It is a standard form for anything. Also the questions you are asked at the interview could be based on what you put down on the form and are pre-prepared in advance as standard.

[Trumpet]

I don't think its discrimination, in some cases it could help someone of a different ethnicity get the job so to speak, not ruling out any qualifications of course. but if there does have to be one black/asian/other to every white person, it could give a black person a better chance of getting the job in some cases.

Im ticking the black box next time i apply for a job

[Lillehamring]

I don't think its discrimination, in some cases it could help someone of a different ethnicity get the job so to speak, not ruling out any qualifications of course. but if there does have to be one black/asian/other to every white person, it could give a black person a better chance of getting the job in some cases.

Im ticking the black box next time i apply for a job

but then you have to ask why should someone get help just because they have a certain ethinicty.

there are many many people in britain of 'different' ethnicity - that are fifth or sixth generation british born, perhaps even more, why should they get any help simply because of their ethnicity?

[Geo V]

I doubt many jobs are given based purely on the application form. In a lot of work places there is a mixture of races so your attitude towards colour/race will be important. The ones with the right qualifications are shortlisted and because most people know what qualifications are reqired before applying this is bound to include a wide range of colours and races. I have never really thought about the box when filling forms. It is a standard form for anything. Also the questions you are asked at the interview could be based on what you put down on the form and are pre-prepared in advance as standard.

I can confirm that a lot of employers do look at the ethnicity and name of the application and make judgments based solely on this two factors. At one big Sportswear company I joined as store manager, I "inherited" about 100 staff members and were told to try and get rid of some of the African origin male staff members who they think may have been nicking trainers . I was so shocked by my area`s manager comments that I had to hold my tongue as he obviously didn't realize I had a mixed-raced son but I made his life a misery and ultimately got him the sack for this when he continued. I was also advised not to bring in African origin staff when a manger of a big Furniture outlet in Lakeside as the area is mainly white and the locals wouldn't want a "one of them" to by serving them. I did the opposite and hired a gorgeous and well stacked Black girl (not hired for the right reasons ) and she became their best salesperson. Guys used to drool over her and she managed to get sale after sale.