Asian civil engineer takes Amec Utilities to tribunal for racial discrimination after getting interview posing as less-qualified British candidate

An Asian man was turned down for a job at a top engineering firm, but then offered an interview when he re-applied posing as a British man with a double-barrelled name, a tribunal heard last week.

Qamar Malik said he was rejected by Amec Utilities only to be offered an interview two days later under the name of Mr R Lloyd-Hilbert.

An employment tribunal in Cardiff was told the fictitious second candidate was a year older and was less qualified for the £30,000-a-year job than Malik.

Malik is claiming racial discrimination against the engineering firm. He is a qualified civil engineer with 25 years’ experience.

Amec, which employs 12,000 people in the UK, denied racial discrimination.

A spokesman said: “We are defending the action and vigorously deny any accusation of racial discrimination. We have a very proactive equal opportunities policy in force across the whole company.”

The case was adjourned for a full hearing later this year.