Agencies Sleuths Looking For Code Words In Job Ads

A post from  Fox Rothschild attorneys reports that the New York City Commission on Human Rights is scrutinizing Craigslist, on the lookout for job ads that designate a preferred gender or age group. In some cases the Commission has responded to ads that appear to favor one gender over another with pairs of nearly identical mock applications, one coming from a male name, the other from a female, then using tracking software to see if some applications don’t get opened. Apparent violators are sent a complaint, followed by a quick offer to settle by accepting training and paying a fine in the $2,500 to $5,000 range. According to the writers, other states besides New York as well as the EEOC have been doing something similar for years. Employers are advised to be vigilant about avoiding infractions, to check their procedures and keep good records of what they do.