
The concept of BFOQ can be linked to Disparate Treatment (DT). According to Skrentny (2014, p. 3012), “ disparate treatment is a form of discrimination whereby an employer treats some individuals as less favorite for specific jobs”. This treatment is usually based on the religion, color, race, or sex of the targeted people.
What is BFOQ and disparate treatment (DT)?
The concept of BFOQ can be linked to Disparate Treatment (DT). According to Skrentny (2014, p. 3012), “ disparate treatment is a form of discrimination whereby an employer treats some individuals as less favorite for specific jobs”.
What are the consequences of poor implementation of BFOQs?
A poorly incorporated BFOQ will result in legal issues. For instance, issues of discrimination might arise in the organization. Poor implementation of such BFOQs will also affect the performance of the targeted organization (Dreher & Dougherty, 2002). A poor implementation of such BFOQs will violate the civil rights of different workers.
How do you prove disparate impact or disparity of treatment?
To prove a disparate impact or disparate treatment claim, you must secure evidence that strengthens your claim of discrimination. If you believe you have been discriminated against in the California workplace, it’s important to document every event.
What is “disparate treatment” in failure to hire?
Disparate treatment in failure to hire is evident through employer policies and practices. Disparate treatment policies and practices purposely eliminate a protected group of individuals from the hiring process.

What are some examples of a bona fide occupational qualification?
Some examples of allowable BFOQ are:Airline pilots and bus drivers who are assigned a mandatory retirement age.Church employees who must be a member of the denomination to fulfill job duties.Models or actors who need to show authenticity in a role.
What type of discrimination is disparate treatment?
Disparate treatment refers to intentional discrimination, where people in a protected class are deliberately treated differently. This is the most common type of discrimination. An example would be an employer giving a certain test to all of the women who apply for a job but to none of the men.
What is disparate treatment?
Disparate treatment is intentional employment discrimination. For example, testing a particular skill of only certain minority applicants is disparate treatment.
How is disparate treatment discrimination proved?
Disparate treatment is a way to prove illegal employment discrimination. An employee who makes a disparate treatment claim alleges that he or she was treated differently than other employees who were similarly situated, and that the difference was based on a protected characteristic.
What is the disparate impact theory of discrimination?
disparate impact, also called adverse impact, judicial theory developed in the United States that allows challenges to employment or educational practices that are nondiscriminatory on their face but have a disproportionately negative effect on members of legally protected groups.
Which of the following can never be a bona fide occupational qualification BFOQ )?
An employees race can never be a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ). An employer who discriminates against an employee because the employee is not a U.S. citizen violates Title VII's prohibition against national origin discrimination.
What are types of disparate treatment?
The following cases are disparate treatment examples in the categories of Age, Sex and Race Discrimination.Age Discrimination. “JPL systemically laid off employees over the age of 40 in favor of retaining younger employees. ... Sex Discrimination. ... Race Discrimination. ... Age Discrimination. ... Sex Discrimination. ... Race Discrimination.
What is disparate treatment and impact?
Class-Action Lawsuits For an applicant to say they were a victim of intentional discrimination – disparate treatment – he or she has to show they were treated unfairly based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. If the applicant can't show there was intent, it would be disparate impact.
How can disparate treatment be prevented in the workplace?
The key to avoiding disparate discrimination is to treat all candidates equally. If you ask something of one candidate, make sure you ask the same of the others. Don't require pre-employment testing, proof of certifications or examples of experience from one candidate without asking it from all.
How is disparate treatment proven?
To prove disparate treatment, the employee (plaintiff) must first present a “prima facie” case, meaning that he must present evidence that discrimination has occurred. This evidence can be either direct evidence or indirect (circumstantial) evidence.
Which of the following is an improper application of a bona fide occupational qualification Bfoq )?
Which of the following is an improper application of a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)? It requires an employer to hire and retain an individual alleging a disability regardless of his or her qualification for the job.
What is the difference between overt discrimination and disparate treatment?
Overt Discrimination, which occurs when a consumer is openly and/or actively discriminated against on a prohibited basis factor. Disparate Treatment, which occurs when members of a prohibited basis group are treated differently than others.
What are the challenges of BFOQ?
A poorly incorporated BFOQ will result in legal issues. For instance, issues of discrimination might arise in the organization.
What is disparate treatment?
3012), “ disparate treatment is a form of discrimination whereby an employer treats some individuals as less favorite for specific jobs”. This treatment is usually based on the religion, color, race, or sex of the targeted people.
What is a BFOQ?
A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) is a concept used by different organizations and Human Resource Managers (HRMs). A BFOQ is a work requirement that results in effective job performance. For example, a person of a specific gender or age can complete a specific job effectively.
What is the link between the ADA and the BFOQs?
The Link between the ADA (1990) and BFOQs. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 protects the rights of disabled persons in the United States. According to the ADA, every disabled person should get fair treatment and remuneration (Skrentny, 2014).
Is a BFOQ illegal?
A “BFOQ is illegal if it discriminates against specific groups or races” (Dreher & Dougherty, 2002, p. 39). A person might fail to get a job because of his gender or religion. This practice is embraced by different HRM departments.
Disparate Treatment Definition
Disparate treatment is one of the theories of discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
Disparate Treatment vs. Disparate Impact
It’s important to highlight the difference between disparate treatment discrimination and disparate impact (commonly referred to as adverse impact ).
Disparate Treatment Example
To support a disparate treatment claim, an employee needs to establish four elements:
What Are the Five Protected Classes Under Title VII
According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a protected class is described as “ applicants, employees and former employees who are protected from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability and genetic information (including family medical history) ”..
How to Avoid Disparate Treatment
There are a number of practices you can foster to promote diversity and reduce unconscious bias in the workplace. This includes promoting equal opportunities for all and implementing a system for diversity management in the workplace. However, for real change to occur, you need to work on the culture of your organization.
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What is disparate treatment?
Disparate treatment. Disparate treatment is one kind of unlawful discrimination in US labor law. In the United States, it means unequal behavior toward someone because of a protected characteristic (e.g. race or gender) under Title VII of the United States Civil Rights Act. This contrasts with disparate impact, ...
What is a disparate impact violation?
A disparate impact violation is when an employer is shown to have used a specific employment practice, neutral on its face but that caused a substantial adverse impact to a protected group, and cannot be justified as serving a legitimate business goal for the employer. No proof of intentional discrimination is necessary.
How can an employer rebut a prima facie case?
The employer can rebut the prima facie case by introducing alternative statistics or by demonstrating that plaintiff's proof is either inaccurate or insignificant. The plaintiff then bears the burden of proving that the employer's information is biased, inaccurate, or otherwise unworthy of credence.
What is the ultimate question for the jury?
The ultimate question for the jury is whether the defendant took the actions at issue because of the plaintiff's membership in a protected class.
Is race a bona fide occupational qualification?
Race or color may never be a bona fide occupational qualification. "suspicious timing, ambiguous statements oral or written, behavior toward or comments directed at other employees in the protected group, and other bits and pieces from which an inference of discriminatory intent might be drawn.".
What is disparate treatment?
A disparate treatment claim argues that the individual suffered less favorable treatment than similarly situated individuals. The basis for the less favorable treatment may be due to the individual’s race, religion, sex, color, or national origin. In disparate treatment claims, the employer’s intent is the matter at issue.
How to substantiate disparate impact claim?
You can substantiate a disparate impact claim by proving that a policy has negative consequences for a particular class. For instance, suppose a company institutes a hiring policy requiring a strength test. A female applicant fails the strength test and is subsequently eliminated from the hiring process.
What is an alternative effective employment policy?
An alternative effective employment policy or practice exists that would be non-discriminatory. There is a defense to a disparate impact claim: the employer must prove that a legitimate and non-discriminatory purpose exists for the contested policy or practice.
What are the federal protections for discrimination?
There are federal protections that protect individuals from discrimination in the workplace. Your employer, or potential employer, has an obligation to prevent and address discrimination against employees. Multiple federal and state protections ensure that if discrimination occurs, victims may file a claim for this treatment.
How to prove termination due to discrimination?
Certain elements must exist to establish that an individual’s termination was due to discrimination. First, you must prove you are in a protected class. Second, you must show that you satisfied the expectations of your employer or that your employer set unfair standards for you compared to others.
What happens if a non white employee takes supplies home?
The next week, a non-white employee takes supplies home and is subsequently fired. The non-white employee may have a case for disparate treatment if there is history of the employer’s conduct of treating other employees differently.
How to prove disparate treatment?
To prove disparate treatment, the charging party must establish that respondent's actions were based on a discriminatory motive. This does not mean, however, that the charging party must establish that respondent deliberately or willfully discriminated against him/her by submitting proof of respondent's subjective state of mind. The courts and the Commission have recognized that it is difficult and often impossible to obtain direct evidence of discriminatory motive. They have held that discriminatory motive can be inferred from the fact of differences in treatment. Teamsters, supra; Commission Decision No. 71-1683, CCH EEOC Decisions (1973) ¶ 6262. In an adverse impact charge, on the other hand, the EOS is only concerned with whether an employment policy has the effect of disproportionately excluding women and/or minorities. There is no need to establish the presence of a discriminatory motive.
Why does a respondent argue that a charging party was qualified for a position in question but it selected another
In some instances, a respondent will concede that a charging party was qualified for a position in question but argue that it selected another person because the selectee was better qualified. This defense must be examined carefully. Respondent must state precisely the way (s) in which the selectee was more qualified than the charging party. This defense may be a pretext for discrimination.
What does the respondent present in an EOS case?
In this situation, the respondent presents evidence which indicates that charging party's allegations are factually incorrect and evidence of what actually occurred. Respondent's version of the facts might dispel any inference of discrimination which had been raised by charging party. It is important to remember that the EOS must attempt to determine whether there is evidence that supports respondent's factual allegations.
When similarly situated individuals of different race, sex, religion, or national origin groups are accorded differences in
When similarly situated individuals of different race, sex, religion, or national origin groups are accorded differences in treatment in the context of the same or a similar employment situation, it is reasonable to infer, absent other evidence, that race, sex, religion, or national origin was a factor in the disparate treatment. Commission Decision No. 71-1683, CCH EEOC Decisions (1973) ¶ 6262.
Is the perpetuation of past discrimination the same as the adverse impact theory?
The perpetuation of past discrimination theory is similar to the adverse impact theory in that neither theory is concerned with the respondent's present motivation. There is no requirement that the charging party prove the presence of a discriminatory motive.
Is discrimination against handicapped persons mentioned in the discussion of accommodation?
Discrimination against the handicapped is mentioned in the discussion of accommodation, primarily to draw a distinction between the accommodation requirement contained in Title VII, and the requirement contained in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §§ 701 - 796.
Is there a BFOQ for race or color?
Section 703 (e) (1) of Title VII contains an exception to the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, and national origin when sex, religion, or national origin, is a BFOQ for a particular job. There is no BFOQ for race or color. This exception has been narrowly construed. Dothard v.

Importance and Relevance of BFOQ
- A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) is a concept used by different organizations and Human Resource Managers (HRMs). A BFOQ is a work requirement that results in effective job performance. For example, a person of a specific gender or age can complete a specific job effectively. This work requirement ensures the targeted individual completes the specified work …
Organizational Difficulties Associated with BFOQs
- Many firms have encountered numerous challenges because of these BFOQs. Failure to incorporate well-defined BFOQs can result in many difficulties in an organization. A poorly incorporated BFOQ will result in legal issues. For instance, issues of discrimination might arise in the organization. Poor implementation of such BFOQs will also affect the performance of the tar…
BFOQ and “Disparate Treatment”
- The concept of BFOQ can be linked to Disparate Treatment (DT). According to Skrentny (2014, p. 3012), “disparate treatmentis a form of discrimination whereby an employer treats some individuals as less favorite for specific jobs”. This treatment is usually based on the religion, color, race, or sex of the targeted people. An employer “can make such...
The Link Between The Ada (1990) and BFOQs
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 protects the rights of disabled persons in the United States. According to the ADA, every disabled person should get fair treatment and remuneration (Skrentny, 2014). The Act also requires employers to accommodate every disabled worker. Companies should also ensure their buildings and structures are accessible to disabled …
Reference List
- Dreher, G., & Dougherty, T. (2002). Human Resource Strategy: A Behavioral Perspective for the General Manager.Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. Skrentny, J. (2014). Have We Moved Beyond the Civil Rights Revolution?The Yale Law Journal, 123(1), 3002-3034.
Overview
Disparate treatment is one kind of unlawful discrimination in US labor law. In the United States, it means unequal behavior toward someone because of a protected characteristic (e.g. race or gender) under Title VII of the United States Civil Rights Act. This contrasts with disparate impact, where an employer applies a neutral rule that treats everyone equally in form, but has a disadvantageous effect on some people of a protected characteristic compared to others.
Title VII, Griggs, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991
Under Title VII, a disparate-treatment plaintiff must establish "that the defendant had a discriminatory intent or motive" for taking a job-related action. This doctrine was read into the act in Griggs v. Duke Power Co., which interpreted the Act to prohibit, in some cases, employers' facially neutral practices that, in fact, are "discriminatory in operation." The Griggs Court stated that the "touchstone" for disparate-impact liability is the lack of "business necessity": "If an empl…
Direct method
Under the direct method, a plaintiff tries to show that his membership in the protected class was a motivating factor in the adverse job action.
He may offer direct evidence, e.g. that the defendant admitted that it was motivated by discriminatory intent or that it acted pursuant to a policy that is discriminatory on its face. Direct evidence of discrimination is rarely available, given that most employers do not openly admit tha…
Indirect method – burden-shifting
In the majority of cases, the plaintiff lacks direct evidence of discrimination and must prove discriminatory intent indirectly by inference. The Supreme Court analyzes these cases using the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting formula. The analysis is as follows:
(1) The plaintiff must establish a prima facie case of discrimination. (2) The employer must then articulate, through admissible evidence, a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for its actions. (3…
Mixed motives
The plaintiff in a disparate treatment case need only prove that membership in a protected class was a motivating factor in the employment decision, not that it was the sole factor. One's membership in a protected class will be considered a motivating factor when it contributes to the employment decision. If the employer proves that it had another reason for its actions and it would have made the same decision without the discriminatory factor, it may avoid liability for …
After-acquired evidence
If an employer takes an adverse employment action against an employee for a discriminatory reason and later discovers a legitimate reason that it can prove would have led it to take the same action, the employer is still liable for the discrimination, but the relief that the employee can recover may be limited. McKennon v. Nashville Banner Publishing Co., 513 U.S. 352 (1995). In general, the employee is not entitled to reinstatement or front pay, and the back pay liability peri…
Pattern or practice discrimination
In class actions or other cases alleging a widespread practice of intentional discrimination, plaintiffs may establish a prima facie case using statistical evidence instead of comparative evidence pertaining to each class member. Plaintiffs often combine the statistical evidence with anecdotal or other evidence of discriminatory treatment. The employer can rebut the prima facie case by introducing alternative statistics or by demonstrating that plaintiff's proof is either inacc…
Contrast to disparate impact
A violation of Title VII can be shown in two separate and distinct ways. The alternative to a "disparate treatment" theory is a "disparate impact" theory. A disparate impact violation is when an employer is shown to have used a specific employment practice, neutral on its face but that caused a substantial adverse impact to a protected group, and cannot be justified as serving a legitimate business goal for the employer. No proof of intentional discrimination is necessary.