Case Study: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
An employer concerned about meeting the company's workforce needs in the 21st century requests the career services office to supply him/her with a list of junior and senior African-American, Asian-American, Hispanics, Native Americans, and disabled students to invite to a special dinner at which time the company will present information about the firm and the available jobs within the company. This company has been a major financial contributor to the school's diversity retention programs. While there is no direct pressure, the career services director realizes that the company's high visibility on these issues may create some subtle pressure for her to comply with the request. In addition, the company has hired students from this school in the past and the students have done well professionally with the employer.
Questions to consider:
- Is the holding of an informational dinner for minority students
proper?
- Is the employer's request for the names of the students proper?
- What if other students want to attend the dinner?
- What if the company invites anyone interested, but the recruiter only interviews the minority students?
Steps to Resolution
1. What relevant facts are known?
a) The employer requests that the Career Services Office (CSO) supply them with a list of junior and senior minority and disabled students for the purpose of inviting them to a recruiting dinner.
b) The company has been a major financial contributor to the school's diversity efforts.
c) The company has hired students from the school in the past and they have done well with the employer.
2. Identify the NACE Principles in question.
a) Principle # 6 for Employment professionals-EEO Compliance/Affirmative Action Principles, Section a): "Employment professionals will maintain equal employment opportunity compliance and follow affirmative action principles in recruiting activities in a manner that includes the following: recruiting, interviewing, and hiring individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, and providing reasonable accommodations upon request."
b) Principle # 6 for Career Services Professionals, Sections a) and c): "Career services professionals will maintain EEO compliance and follow affirmative action principles in career services activities in a manner that includes the following: a) Referring all interested students for employment opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, and providing reasonable accommodations upon request; and c) Assisting recruiters in accessing certain groups on campus to provide a more inclusive applicant pool."
3. Is the holding of an informational dinner for minority students proper?
Yes-hosting these events can assist organizations in meeting their affirmative action goals by accessing underrepresented populations to create a more inclusive pool of candidates.
4. Is the employer's request for the names of the students proper?
No-it is possible that the employer would subsequently invite only these students to interview with their organization, and this is problematic because career services' office has a duty to refer all students for employment opportunities without regard to race or disability status, according to Principle #6 for career services professionals. Alternatively, refer the employer to the multicultural students' office so this office can assist in publicizing the event to the student organizations with whom they work, and/or offer to send the invitations for the employer to students registered with the career services office.
5. What if other students want to attend the dinner?
These students should be allowed to attend, as is the practice for minority career fairs.
6. What if the company invites anyone interested, but the recruiter only interviews the minority students?
This conflicts with Principle #6 for employment professionals that, in part, states "employment professionals will maintain equal employment opportunity compliance and follow affirmative action principles in recruiting activities in a manner that includes recruiting, interviewing and hiring individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, and providing reasonable accommodations upon request." Therefore, if the company only interviews minority students, they violate this principle and can be vulnerable to allegations of employment discrimination.
7. Decision
As noted in the response to question 4 above, the CSO should refer
the employer to the multicultural students' office so this office
can assist them in publicizing the event to student organizations
with whom they work, and/ or offer the CSO can offer to send the
invitations for the employer to students registered with their office,
if students identify themselves as minority students or students
with disabilities.
