Employers are being warned that discriminating against candidates with
facial disfigurements is as serious as ignoring disabled jobseekers.
A survey of 100 employers discovered that 91 per cent felt having a facial
disfigurement was an obstacle in getting a customer-facing job.
The poll of 100 firms, by charity Changing Faces, shows a startling level of
ignorance, considering that disfigurement affects one in every 144 people.
Cathy Wheatley, equal opportunities adviser at the charity, said firms were
risking legal action because people with disfigurement were entitled to the
same treatment as the disabled under the Disability Discrimination Act.
"HR professionals should interview those affected in the same way as
everybody else. Many employers feel uncomfortable employing people with
disfigurements because they are afraid they may put customers off," she
said.
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