The EEOC has spent a lot of its time lately examining employers’ hiring practices. For example, it has held public meetings looking at whether certain neutral hiring practices—such as the use of credit, employment status, and criminal and arrest records—have a disparate impact based on race. It is also currently litigating a class action in federal court in Cleveland challenging an employer’s use of credit as a hiring criteria.
Next week, the EEOC will turn its attention from unintentional hiring discrimination to intentional hiring discrimination. It has announced that it will hold a public meeting entitled, Disparate Treatment in 21st Century Hiring Decisions. Little else is known about this meeting, including the specific hiring tactics and criteria the EEOC will examine. The use of “21st century,” however, suggests that the EEOC’s agenda may include current cutting-edge hiring practices, such as the use of social media by employers to vet potential candidates (a topic I’ve covered before).
I will have much more to say about this important topic after the EEOC publishes its agenda and speakers' commentary.
Presented by Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, with offices in Cleveland and Columbus. For more information, contact Jon Hyman, a partner in our Labor & Employment group, at (216) 736-7226 or jth@kjk.com.