WIREDGOV

One current and one former employee of London and Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q) have received a financial settlement totalling £95,000, in a race discrimination case supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

An employment tribunal found that Natalie James and Joanna Saine were both discriminated against by their employer when they were overlooked for promotions.

L&Q originally advertised three vacancies. Of the six internal candidates, three were white and three black (and/or black/white mixed). Both successful candidates were white, with L&Q deciding to re-advertise the third vacancy externally, regardless of the interview process finding the three black candidates were not "not appointable".

L&Q failed to properly consider Ms James and Ms Saine for leadership positions, basing the decisions not to appoint on subjective views.

In upholding their complaints of race discrimination, the Employment Tribunal found that the hiring manager did not record all of the information provided by Ms James and Ms Saine during their interviews, while the HR Recruitment Advisor “deferred to the hiring manager due to her “better technical knowledge” and “other requirements for the role”.

The tribunal found that the hiring manager’s appointments were made on a subjective view of who would “fit in”, rather than objectively considering applicants qualifications and suitability for the job. The tribunal stated, “basing recruitment decisions on subjective views, or gut feelings, increases the risk of stereotypes and unconscious bias coming into play”.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission provided funding for both cases.

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