Last January Microsoft commissioned a survey  involving 2500 Recruiting Professionals, HR and consumers.  The results were startling for job seekers in the US.  Three out of four said that reviewing online information has become a part of the formal hiring process. 79% said that they research on candidates online, Googling or trolling Facebook or YouTube and picture sharing sites. A whooping 70% admitted that they have rejected candidates based on what they saw in the online profiles!!!

Law Governing Equal Opportunity

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Title VII goes further to prohibits discrimination against an individual because of his or her association with another individual of a particular race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Is the act of rejecting an applicant based on his/her social media profile an act of denying opportunity without any sufficient cause? Is EEOC aware of this widespread practice?

Continue reading »