Quote:
Originally Posted by TheNorm
I don't think it is as straightforward as you are suggesting. Employers must have good reasons for criteria added to the job description. You couldn't specify "must be willing to work barechested" in a sweaty building site, as this might discriminate against women.
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That's comepletely different. You don't have to work bare chested to be effective on a building site.
When working with people who speak another language, it is reasonable for the employer to only employ people who can speak languages which would enable them to work effectivly.
If he had said "you're not polish, I'm not employing you" then that is discriminatory and illegal, but he didn't.
Instead, being able to speak Polish was integral to the position, he'd negrected to ensure that was made clear on the advert, and as such, wasted time.
If he'd asked for a secretary, and interviewed someone who couldn't do short hand but he needed someone who could do short hand, would he be acting illegally by employing one of the other candidates who can do short hand?
Look on IT job sites, you'll see loads of positions for German speaker or Dutch speaker or French speakers based in the UK, are they acting illegally by only employing people who can speak German/Dutch/French?