Job applications are stressful enough, without the added pressure of being judged on your appearance.
Luckily, this is not something that many people have experienced as it’s illegal to discriminate on looks. However, one job application has gone viral for ignoring this completely.
Hey @reedcouk, just checking you're aware that this job ad is in breach of an Equality Act or two…#lovemondays? #doubtit pic.twitter.com/Wn0osaVuiI
— Nicola Thorp (@missnicolathorp) July 24, 2017
The job is searching for waiting staff at a new jazz bar in Shoreditch, east London. As well as all the normal things you see on job applications, like required experience and skills, it also says that they are looking for “extremely attractive waiting staff”.
This isn’t just a throwaway comment, as the job spec repeats: “Physical attractiveness is unfortunately necessary for this role.”
People can’t quite believe that this is a legitimate job application, finding it overwhelmingly offensive.
Gross. For shame.
— Phoebe Marsh (@_Pheebs_) July 26, 2017
Crikey is this a real job ad?
— Helen Barlow (@onelinestudio) July 24, 2017
This is ridiculous. How demeaning.
— Andy Gibson (@AndyGibsonTV) July 25, 2017
Wow! The mind boggles… as if someone has actually posted this!?!?!
— Zoe (@Zoe2908) July 25, 2017
The UK government says: “It is against the law to treat someone less favourably than someone else because of a personal characteristic.”
A third party called House of Wax London posted the job on recruitment website reed.co.uk.
A statement from reed.co.uk said: “At reed.co.uk, we take our responsibilities as a recruitment advertising platform, used by thousands of jobseekers every day, extremely seriously. As such, we have a number of steps in place to ensure jobs advertised with us comply with all appropriate legislation, are non-discriminatory and, of course, genuine.
“Clearly, in this instance, an advertiser has used inappropriate language in their posting and so details of the vacancy have been removed whilst we work with them to ensure they are made fully aware of relevant legislation affecting their recruitment.”
It has not been possible to contact House of Wax London, and the company told BuzzFeed News that they did not wish to comment on the matter.
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