Swedish firm settles over offensive job interview
A 56-year-old man from Gothenburg has been awarded 60,000 kronor ($8,600) in compensation after being asked an insulting question during an employment interview.
When the man arrived at the company, located on the outskirts of Gothenburg for his scheduled employment interview, the first question he received caught him by surprise.
“Do you oppress women?” asked the head of the company.
The 56-year-old said he was “shocked” by the question and promptly reported the matter to Sweden’s Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen – DO), Aftonbladet newspaper reports.
The job seeker nevertheless answered no and did his best to change the subject.
“I really felt discriminated against; I’m sure he asked the question because of my origins and my skin colour,” the man wrote in his complaint.
“You can take it for granted that all Oriental men are the sort who oppress women and look down on them.”
After involving the ombudsman, the man reached a settlement with the company, which agreed to pay the 56-year-old 60,000 kronor.
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When the man arrived at the company, located on the outskirts of Gothenburg for his scheduled employment interview, the first question he received caught him by surprise.
“Do you oppress women?” asked the head of the company.
The 56-year-old said he was “shocked” by the question and promptly reported the matter to Sweden’s Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen – DO), Aftonbladet newspaper reports.
The job seeker nevertheless answered no and did his best to change the subject.
“I really felt discriminated against; I’m sure he asked the question because of my origins and my skin colour,” the man wrote in his complaint.
“You can take it for granted that all Oriental men are the sort who oppress women and look down on them.”
After involving the ombudsman, the man reached a settlement with the company, which agreed to pay the 56-year-old 60,000 kronor.
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