UNIA, the former Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities, has issued formal notices to 90 companies in Ghent after situation testing revealed discriminatory hiring practices there.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the findings were confirmed on Thursday by UNIA’s director, Els Keytsman.
“In our latest round of testing, we found that candidates with disabilities or from immigrant backgrounds were less frequently invited for interviews, despite having CVs similar to other applicants,”Keytsman said.
This marks the final phase of a multi-year project conducted with the City of Ghent. Hundreds of fictitious applications were submitted to determine whether candidates from minority groups, such as those with disabilities, immigrants, or older individuals, had the same chances of obtaining interview invitations as others with similar qualifications.
“The formal notice is essentially an invitation to dialogue,” Keytsman clarified. “Our goal is not to pursue legal action but to collaborate with companies towards more inclusive recruitment.”
Out of 118 companies reviewed, 90 were issued formal notices. For 28 of these, there were already indications that the decision not to invite certain candidates could be objectively justified. Some companies have responded constructively, according to UNIA, by reaching out for guidance on improving their recruitment policies. “We offer concrete tools and tailored support for this purpose,” Keytsman said.
The Voka East Flanders association criticised the tests, arguing that they were counterproductive. “They reinforce the mistaken belief that discrimination is widespread, which can deter some individuals from applying,” Geert Moerman, chairman of the employers' organisation, said.
