Comments on: ‘I Didn’t Get the Job Because I’m Black’

By: Ron Marlow

Ron Marlow — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:12:28 +0000

“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both.” – Frederick Douglass

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:26:24 +0000

“The working ranks of people are chosen by those that in theory feel that only ‘Whites’ are the more superior to do certain jobs and that ‘Blacks should be only relegated to service positions and that’s that!”

I remember working at a law firm where the founding partners tried to talk a young, intelligent black woman out of going to law school every chance they got. I got the same impression as the above post suggests. They were okay with her being a paralegal at the firm, but tried to persuade her not to go to law school. Both their sons attended law school incidentally. Bet they didn’t try to talk them out of it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:56:34 +0000

This website does a great job exposing–and thoroughly discussing all sides of–employment issues as they affect women and minorities. Unfortunately, it is STILL true that people of color (especially women) must be “stellar” and three times as qualified to successfully compete for positions! We can’t just be “qualified”–we HAVE to be “outstanding candidates”, look relatively young, fit and friendly, AND have fantastic oratorical skills…and this “anti-immigrant” climate does not help matters in a time of economic decline. American workplaces today are reverting back to the “slavery
and sweatshop” mentality, wherein an employer can do or say ANYthing to employees
and employers can “fire at will.”

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:38:32 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me that there are those who feel so strongly that “reverse discrimination” is as big a problem as discrimination itself. There is no comparison and people who insist on believing there is are covert racists grasping at straws. Consider – XYZ corporation has 1500 employees and sets aside 10 positions for minorities – a fraction of its workforce. The foaming at the mouth self-righteousness begins when a white applicant is turned away when the company is specifically recruiting a minority. Keep in mind XYZ corporation, as does 99% of the other “EOE” employers, rarely exceeds that pat quota seeking only to comply with the law and nothing more – the same spirit of bigotry that exists in the hiring arena at large. The white applicant, when learning a minority is hired instead of himself is furious and alleges “reverse discrimination”. What is so compelling is that that applicant finds no fault with the 1490 white emloyees who got there ahead of him – only that minority fraction he believes somehow took something away that should belong to him. Sickening.- and those who believe it is “unfair” for them to be subjected to a quota system are unable to accept the logic of why it is necessary – only that they are the important factor in the equation and that affirmative action must be ended because it negatively affects them, while being unable to see that XYZ corporation is a nearly 99% white organization and were it not for federal law would be 100% white.

It is also true that companies are not racists – its employees in positions of authority give their own bigotry free rein and it is the company that suffers the consequences. The only way discrimination in hiring would be eradicated would be for the race of all applicants to be withheld until after the hiring decision because the interview process was put in place solely to determine the race of an applicant and give an employer an opportunity to pick and choose based on race and allows bigoted employees with power to exercise their personal ignorance and hatred.

Hatred is passed down from generaiton to generation in this country and it will be interesting, when demographics change, how those accustomed to exercising that most demoralizing trait of inhumanity,have trained their children to live with the effects of the legacy they institutionalized, and the continual disappointment, frustration and poverty it imposes.

Racism is persecution – when it occurs in big companies, small companies or sole proprietorships is irrelevant – it is inhumane and causes despair and poverty and those who exercise it are persecutors. Whether or not there is a personal belief in God or Heaven is ialso rrelevant – the Bible states only those who are not persecutors will have everlasting life, and racists cannot hide behind racist traditions, ignorance, “company cultore” or “company policy”.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:01:24 +0000

These social ills (racism, sexism, etc.) impede innovation in the workplace and society. Innovation requires collaborative relations among participants. Society as whole encompasses all humanity and each individual must live out (express) their interests while on earth. For centuries racism and sexism have been exposed and researched but change has been minimal (at least appearances of change). These social ills must be addressed from a psychological viewpoint and how environment (philosophy, religion, language, culture and norms) influences the nature of human beings.
I appreciate the legal updates.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:18:18 +0000

Despite the federal and state protections, and a lot of litigation and case law, problems continue on both sides of the equation. (Traditional discrimination, including age discrimination, and reverse discrimination). Clearly this site has a slant in favor of the view that reverse discrimination does not exist, but affirmative action and diversity hiring plans that are overly aggressive in nature, most assuredly do exist, and aggravate the problem. The most disturbing area is the consistent lack of awareness and knowledge of hiring managers and HR departments as to the true nature of the rights and duties of employer and employee (or prospect) under state and/or federal law, as enumerated in the EEOC compliance manual, and the case law. In this case, more knowledge is a good thing and people who are in a position to hire or influence hiring, promotional, performance management, discipline, or termination decisions are best served by taking time to become aware of the true status of the law, and to be diligent as to remaining up to date with the constantly changing (and/or clarifying) nature of the issues..

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:55:01 +0000

I commend anyone who still acknowledges that racism still factors in at the end of the day because it does. It is an innate hateful expression that many people cannot let go of from past generational prejudices and discriminatory practices. Racism is passed on from generation to generation just as ‘Old Money’ is passed on. I have done many surveys myself and have successfully got statistics that state the same findings that this blind survey or measure may have too. In one example I was sent the letter stating that I indeed was qualified in all areas KSAO’s etc..I was in fact a good match but there apparently was one candidate that beat me out on scores as there always is..just one and the rest is history. The working ranks of people are chosen by those that in theory feel that only ‘Whites’ are the more superior to do certain jobs and that ‘Blacks should be only relegated to service positions and that’s that! People are still firm believers on that note,however because of Civil Right Laws which for real are just words states that discriminatory practice is both wrong and unlawful that employers have to give each candidate the same opportunity it allows the next. This in essence is a bowl of crock and the predictors and other kinds of assessments are definitely stacked to be for the person that they want to obtain the position in the first place but they must put their best face forward so as not to let on that they are doing anything wrong or illegal!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:54:10 +0000

It’s really sad that we still have to deal with continued racism. Why can’t we all just be Americans? Why do we fight amongst ourselves just because someone maybe different. We all live in the same American House, and a House divided aganist itself will fall.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:25:37 +0000

I love these legal updates. Thank you so much for aggregation and assessment service.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:56:33 +0000

It was very interesting to read of these cases and their outcomes. I twice made a verbal complaint of being referred to as a “girl” during my evaluations, but they were not recorded on the summaries. After I was unfairly fired because I was denied due process according to the employee manual, I included my objection to being called as a girl in my defense before the Administrative Law judge. The company didn’t even borher to send anyone to the hearing. I understand that my objection was a personal/cultural issue, and many female co-workers did not comprehend my objection, but I did feel that the use of the term “girl” in reference to the female workers without an equal use of “boy” to refer to the males was a form of discrimination that reflected a general gender bias.