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Cases in the area of employment
Cases in the area of employment
1.
Cadiz.
Employment.
Indirect discrimination.
A Roma woman contacted us to report that she felt discriminat-
ed against in a selection process organised under the Roma Development Plan of the Town Hall of San Roque
(Cadiz).
The Equality Department requested all of the information related with selection process in order to verify the
facts. After reviewing all of the documentation and studying the documentation and testimony provided by the
young woman, the Department concluded that it was indeed a case of discrimination in the area of employment
given that the documentation the woman submitted was not taken into consideration.
With the aid of the Department, the young woman lodged a complaint against the decision. The answer she
received was that they were very sorry for what had happened but they had already chosen another person
for the job opening and that they would keep her in mind as a back-up in case anything should change with
regard to the job.
Some time went by and the woman informed us that she never heard back from them. She felt that she had not
been selected because she is Roma.
2.
Cadiz.
Employment.
Direct discrimination.
The mayor of the town of Algodonales in Andalusia demonstrated
a negative attitude towards Roma who went to the employment office at the town hall in search of a job.
Several Roma informed us that the mayor had a discriminatory attitude towards them and made racist com-
ments. This information was corroborated by the FSG team there.
The FSG’s territorial office in Andalusia scheduled a meeting with the mayor.
When we described the situations and complaints of the people we had spoken to he told us that the labour
market integration of the town’s residents was directly related to their “needs” and that he was familiar with the
individual situation of each of these families.
Shortly thereafter the Roma in question told us that the town hall had offered them a short term (couple of days)
employment contract.
We think that this situation will be short-lived and we’re assessing whether to monitor the public resources that
the town hall makes available to citizens and the access that the Roma community has to them.
3.
Almeria.
Employment.
Direct discrimination.
A Roma women who participates in the Acceder Employment
programme informed us that she was finishing the second year of training to become a hairdresser when the
head of the beauty salon received a telephone call from a company requesting a second year student to cover
an opening he had.
The woman took the phone and spoke directly to the salon manager. They set a date for her to take a test for
the job. She took the test and the manager congratulated her for the fine work she did. He then asked her for
her personal details and ID card to start the paperwork.
When he looked at the ID and saw her surnames his expression changed completely and he told her that he
would call her.
The woman told us that she’s convinced he never called back because she’s Roma and he didn’t realise that until
he saw her surnames on her ID card.