The line between discriminating and looking after your business

[RootsBooster]

Is there a line between discriminating against a potential employee and looking after your business?

 

Example, a vacant position comes up which requires the candidate to make sound decisions based on logic and evidence and I'm holding interviews.

If it comes up during the interview that the candidate holds strong illogical beliefs (ie extreme religious beliefs or some ridiculous conspiracy theory belief), would it be discriminating to cross them off my list based on these beliefs or would I be within my rights to do so?

[Agent Orange]

Is there a line between discriminating against a potential employee and looking after your business?

 

Example, a vacant position comes up which requires the candidate to make sound decisions based on logic and evidence and I'm holding interviews.

If it comes up during the interview that the candidate holds strong illogical beliefs (ie extreme religious beliefs or some ridiculous conspiracy theory belief), would it be discriminating to cross them off my list based on these beliefs or would I be within my rights to do so?

 

Yes it would, because you cannot disprove someone's ability to make sound decisions based on logic and evidence based on their religious belief/conspiracy belief alone.

[geared]

I would, you can think about how to justify it later.

 

If it's your business you don't wanna employ some unstable weirdo, there's plenty of normal folk out there looking for work.

[Obelix]

Yes it would, because you cannot disprove someone's ability to make sound decisions based on logic and evidence based on their religious belief/conspiracy belief alone.

 

I'd have thought that a beleif in something patently unprovable and irrational would be sufficient. Religion has no special protected status in matters of science and logic.

[Cavegirl]

https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/discrimination-at-work

 

Part 3: Discrimination at work

 

The law protects you against discrimination at work, including:

 

dismissal

employment terms and conditions

pay and benefits

promotion and transfer opportunities

training

recruitment

redundancy

 

Some forms of discrimination are only allowed if they’re needed for the way the organisation works, eg:

 

a Roman Catholic school restricting applications for admission of pupils to Catholic

only employing only women in a health centre for Muslim women

 

You don't have the legal right to dictate to people what they ought to believe thank goodness or deny them work on the basis of their beliefs. How can you prove that your own beliefs are perfect and infalliable?

[Agent Orange]

I'd have thought that a beleif in something patently unprovable and irrational would be sufficient. Religion has no special protected status in matters of science and logic.

 

Why would it be sufficient? The OP, in his scenario, has failed to establish the interviewee's ability and made the assumption based on their personal belief alone. That cannot be allowed and thankfully, it is not.

[Obelix]

If he's failed to establish someones ability then surely that's all the reason needed - if they cannot do the job then that's sufficient to refuse it them surely...

[Mecky]

You wouldn't refuse someone employment on those grounds though, even if it was the reason. You'd say the better candidate got the job. Of course someone is bound to be upset and trying the race card or whatever at you.

[Agent Orange]

If he's failed to establish someones ability then surely that's all the reason needed - if they cannot do the job then that's sufficient to refuse it them surely...

 

How can one's ability be properly assessed by considering the points made by the OP alone?

[ronthenekred]

Is there a line between discriminating against a potential employee and looking after your business?

 

Is it not a case of conflicting beliefs..his/hers v yours? You being in the driving seat would surely give you precedence? Making it public may cause you problems though.