Smokend Info Blog

A retail-clothing firm based in America has recently come under fire for using discriminatory recruitment practices. The massive criticism was directed at a poster advertisement where the company invited applications from ‘good-looking and cool’ candidates to work for them as brand ambassadors. Reports came in that company recruitment staff even approached attractive people on streets to take part in their interview for the advertised vacancy.

The retail fashion clothing chain store, Abercrombie & Fitch is all set to open its new store in Aberdeen and as a part of this process it had announced the recruitment process.

North East Labour MSP, Richard Baker has demanded an immediate recall of this advertisement. It is significant that the same company was fined last year for discriminating against an employee, Riam Dean. She claimed that because of her prosthetic arm she was bullied out of her job. This case went to a tribunal and the company was asked to pay a fine of £9,000.

Nia Cooper of leading employment law specialists, Capital Law told Workplace Law that this kind of advertisement by Abercrombie & Fitch is on the wrong side of the discrimination law. Companies must review their hiring policies so as not to breach the discrimination legislation and many have already modified policies, she affirmed. In the poster by Abercrombie & Fitch the word ‘cool’ has been objected to. Ms Cooper suggested replacing it with the word ‘friendly’ and also removing the word good-looking, as it sounds discriminatory. Instead, the poster could have included a line confirming the fact that candidates from all backgrounds are eligible to apply.

Reacting to the controversy generated by the above mentioned poster, a spokesperson of the company has issued a statement asserting the fact that the company follows anti -discriminatory and anti-harassment policy. Clarifying the import of the advertisement, he has gone on record, explaining that the company is looking for people with style and having a fun-loving nature to sell the branded garments of the company.

For anyone involved in human resources management, training and development, a Certificate in HR Practice (CHRP), provides a firm foundation in all the areas of personnel and gain a broad grasp of employment law to successfully help employers to set their own organisation’s policies and procedures in context and to understand how to implement best practice in recruitment and selection.

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