Challenge Yourself!

Andrew and Samantha went to an employment agency to find temporary jobs for the summer. The agency refers Samantha to a receptionist job at a law firm. The agency tells Andrew that it cannot refer him for the receptionist job because the law firm requested a young lady. Did the employment agency discriminate against Andrew?

1. A. No. Federal employment discrimination laws only apply to employers and not to employment agencies.

   A is incorrect.
   Federal employment discrimination laws apply to employment agencies (such as temporary staffing agencies), as well as to private companies, government agencies, schools and colleges, non-profit organizations, and unions.

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2. No. Andrew is not protected from discrimination because he is an applicant, not an employee

   B is incorrect.
   Federal law protects applicants, as well as employees and former employees, from discrimination.

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3. C. No. The employment agency was only following the orders of the law firm, which refused to hire a man as a receptionist. The law firm, and not the employment agency, is responsible for the discrimination.

   C is incorrect.
   The law firm's request for a female receptionist was discriminatory, and it was illegal for the employment agency to obey the request. Both the law firm and the employment agency may be held responsible for discriminating against Andrew based on his gender.

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4. D. Yes. An employment agency cannot refuse to refer someone for a receptionist position because he is male.

   D is correct.
   Federal law prohibits employment agencies from discriminating against people who apply for jobs with other companies through the employment agency. It was illegal for the employment agency to refuse to refer Andrew for the receptionist job because he is male.

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