Race discrimination in recruitment

Racial discrimination against ethnic minority people has been highlighted in a study on recruitment undertaken for the Department for Work and Pensions.

The discrimination showed up for those applying for jobs with names suggesting they were from an ethnic minority, rather than from a white British background. For every nine applications sent by a white applicant, an equally good applicant with an ethnic minority name had to send sixteen to receive a positive response.

Employment minister Jim Knight said the research “clearly shows that some employers are discriminating when it comes to choosing staff,” a practice which “has no place in a modern society”.