Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent sent 2,000 fake job applications to 770 employers to check hiring bias. UNIA warned 90 firms. Alderman Bram Van Braeckevelt stressed the goal was fair hiring, not punishment.
As VRT News reported, 2 years ago, Ghent conducted a study to check for bias in hiring. They sent 2,000 fake job applications to 770 employers. The applications were the same in skills but different in things like age, ethnicity, and gender.
Some had names that sounded foreign. They mentioned that the goal was to see if these things affected how employers responded. The results showed that one in 5 employers didn’t respond well to diverse candidates.
What actions followed Ghent’s hiring bias study with UNIA?
According to the study, UNIA, which fights for equal opportunities, sent official warnings to 90 companies that were part of the study. These warnings weren’t lawsuits, but they were a serious first step. A city leader said the letters caused concern for many organisations, even though that wasn’t the goal.
UNIA explained that they didn’t plan to take legal action, but wanted to bring attention to the issue. However, the city of Ghent is now tired of the arguments about the study. City officials say the research was done openly and fairly, and it was meant to make the job market better for everyone, not to target specific companies. The city hopes the study will make people think and lead to fairer hiring practices everywhere.
After the warnings caused a stir, the city of Ghent asked UNIA to clear things up. They wanted UNIA to explain what they were trying to do and talk to the companies. The city’s main focus is still on fighting discrimination in the job market.
They mentioned that because of privacy rules, the city doesn’t know which companies were tested, so they can’t help directly. It’s not sure if Ghent will do more tests like this soon, as they’re busy with money issues. Even so, the city leaders said they’re still working to make sure everyone has the same chances.
