do you think i have a case for discrimination?

Question

i recently applied for a temporary job in woolworths over the christmas period. The application was only 1 page and consisted of asking for my name, address, telephone number, and the hours i am available to work.

I put down that i am available to work any hours any day of the week, so expected to at least get an interview. Yet for some reason i was not even offered an interview. I think this is because i am male, i know several other male friends who had the same experience and to make it worse i have one female friend who i know is unavailable to work evenings or weekends yet she got an interview.

I don't think i'm being paranoid because i walked through the shop and counted 13 female employees and 0 male employees.

Do you think this is enough evidence to take them to court?

Answer 1

Hard to say. There are a lot of variables. Go have a chat with a lawyer and see what the lawyer says.

Answer 2

It rather sounds like the store has a bunch of pervy old men in charge, who will only give jobs to young women. This is certainly illegal, but difficult to prove, and remember that a company as big as Woolworths is likely to have a seriously hot legal team.

You would probably get more of a result if you reported that store to Woolworths HQ (Woolworths Group plc, Woolworth House, 242-246 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JL), mentioning your friends' experiences as well as yours, and the fact that you're considering consulting a solicitor.

I'd also consider applying again with identical details but with a female name and a friend's address, to see what happens (check that this is actually legal first though!). If you get asked in for an interview this time, you've got some more ammunition.

To anybody who thinks this sort of thing doesn't happen, you're wrong. I've worked for two companies which had men in charge who deliberately only employed attractive young women at the lower levels. One was a major supermarket (one of the top three). They asked for a photo with the application form; 'Males and Mingers' (their words) went straight in the bin. The rest would be passed around all the guys in the office for 'assessment', and only the best and/or sluttiest looking (seriously!) would get asked in for an interview. Promotions were given on the same basis (one girl got promoted to supervisor because she had sex with the manager, something she openly admitted). Not very moral, nor particularly legal, but that's how it is.

EDIT Just an afterthought; Woolworths' response will probably be something along the lines of what someone says above, about not being able to interview absolutely everyone and having to pick some out 'at random'. Looking out for their own and all that.

Also, they could be discriminating against you for other reasons; if you live in a dodgy area or went to a rough school, they might think you're lazy or dishonest because of it.

Answer 3

It's a "dirty little secret" that males are discriminated against in retail...on the rank and file level. However, most are in management and make a helluva lot more money than female managers...so no sympathy there.

I doubt you could prove discrimination...but it's always your right to file a complaint with some governmental agency that deals with that sort of thing....that is if they can get through the mountain of complaints they have now for LEGIT cases of discrimination.

In other words, find another place to apply for work and get over being rejected for the pink collar ghetto, ok?

Answer 4

No. Just because you fit there criteria doesn't mean you get an interview, I am a manager of a small business and when we en-roll new employees we don't offer everyone an interview because its not cost effective nor practical to interview everybody that's fills the criteria required. Also the company i work for there is 10 men to 1 woman, and i don't see it as discriminative.

Answer 5

Are you kidding me?

Of course you do not. You are not entitled to an interview, as a matter of fact you could have been screened for various reasons. when you went to fill out he applications, were you personable. Did you make an attempt to speak with the manager or HR department? Did you even ask? How were you dressed? What time of day was it? Finally did you make any spelling or grammatical errors on your application.

Applicants are screened for what many may see as petty reasons. Nobody is entitled to an interview, as stated you may have just broken one of the unwritten rules of the job application process.

Answer 6

Perhaps they think females are more suited for this particular job. It's a fact women are better then men at certain tasks especially if they require dexterity or repetition. Women have more patients for that sort of thing.

I used to work in a factory that made outdoor lighting and agricultural fountains. In a couple of the assembly areas they only employed women for precisely that reason.

Answer 7

Have you been there all day every day? How about checking out the stockers at night or in the office? Are you absolutely sure this company has no male employees at all? Just a few things you might want to check out before you start talking law suit.

Answer 8

I dont think you have a case BUT there is something going on with Woolies. My daughter went for a job there for weekends. Her application was perfect, her grades are amazing, it should have been easy for her. She has worked summer jobs in banks and well known companies but she was refused! I seriously couldn't understand the reasoning unless she was over qualified and they knew she would get bored. This could be the same reason for you.

Answer 9

I applied for Argos and didn't get anything back and I applied online to Marks and Spencer's but got turned by down an email because my personality is wrong for stacking shelves and working on tills. They asked about my personality but not about my experience and I have stacked shelves and work on tills before. I think companies can be very choosy because they have so many people applying for Christmas jobs.

Answer 10

Let me guess, the boss is male....well you might have a case if you contact the right people to help you fight it, i.e Citizen's Advice, but I don't personally think it's worth it, go for another job in another shop, there are always plenty going at this time of year too so you should not have too much trouble.

Answer 11

Get advice from your citizens advice bureau.
It DOES sound very off - it would be worth contacting Woolworth's head office and asking what their rules are regarding the hiring of temporary staff and letting them know that you believe you have been treated unfairly.