Would I have a case against a school district for not hiring me?
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Would I have a case against a school district for not hiring me?
I’m a certified teacher within the state I live, with a level 2 teaching license. I’ve taught 6 different grade levels, yet the school district in the city I recently moved to has given me the impression that I’m not qualified to teach in their district even though they are located within the same state. When I applied, there were almost 70 teaching vacancies. Now there are 20, and I’ve only had one interview. I don’t know why they they came to the conclusions that I’m qualified for just one position out of the 30 I applied for. These positions required a degree and a teaching license, which I have. I’m beginning to think their reason is discriminatory.
Asked on November 29, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, New Mexico
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Only certain kinds of discrimination are actually illegal. The main ones (under federal law) are discrimination based on race, religion, age over 40, disability, or sex; some states add a few additional grounds, such as sexual orientation, family status, or national origin. Unless you are being "discriminated" against on the basis of one of these specifically protected reasons, it is legal; therefore, as long as the employer is not refusing to hire you due to your race, sex, etc., it may choose to not hire you for any other reason, including not liking your hobbies, not respecting the school(s) you obtained your degree(s) from, or simply that you did badly in your one interview.
On the other hand, if you think you are being discriminated against due to your race, sex, etc., you may have a legal case and should consult with an employment law attorney.
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