Rejected from 100 jobs, IT worker sues Workday over hiring software discrimination
Derek Mobley said that he applied for more than 100 jobs from 2017 to 2019 and later, but was met with rejection or silence each time, with emails turning him down arriving late in the night or just an hour after he submitted his application.
The 50-year-old noticed that most of the companies he applied to used an online recruiting platform created by Workday, which helps track and screen job candidates. 'It did not make sense'
In 2023, Mobley sued Workday, claiming its algorithm screened him out, based on his age, race and disabilities. Mobley, an African-American man who suffers from anxiety and depression, said that he applied for a job he knew he was qualified for, so the multiple rejections just did not make sense.
'There's a standard bell curve in statistics. It didn't make sense that my failure rate was 100%,' he said.
Last month, California said Mobley's claim could proceed, opening the door to millions of potential claims from job seekers over 40.
Workday has argued that its software matches keywords on CVs with job qualifications and scores applicants. It said that while employer clients can set up questions that lead to automatic rejections, the software lets the employer make the final decision on candidates.
'There's no evidence that the technology results in harm to protected groups,' the company said. Did not get one interview
However, Mobely said that he applied for over two years and didn't get a single interview. 'It dawned on me that this must be some kind of server reviewing these applications and turning me down," he said.
He alleged that the software rejected him because it picked up on his age, race and detected his anxiety and depression through personality tests.
Experts have said scoring systems can reject qualified workers for various reasons, such as gaps in their resumes or a lack of matching qualifications.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
34 minutes ago
- The Print
‘Our friendship will be bright & clear,' says Modi as India extends $565 mn line of credit to Maldives
The new line of credit agreed between New Delhi and Malé will be 'utilised' for 'priority projects' in key sectors including defence, sports, healthcare, education and housing, Mohamed Muizzu, the President of Maldives said during the joint press statement by both leaders. India 25 July agreed to extend a line of credit of $565 million (Rs 4,850 crore) to Maldives, along with reducing the annual debt repayments (by 40 percent) owed by the island nation to New Delhi, in an effort to aid Malé's fragile economic situation. The Indian PM and Maldivian President also agreed to the terms of reference for opening negotiations for a free trade agreement. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday declared that ties between India and Maldives will 'always remain bright and clear' highlighting the growth in ties between the two nations over the last fourteen months. He was speaking at a joint press conference with the Maldivian President 25 July. The other major announcement made by the two leaders is the agreement on the terms of reference for a free trade agreement. The Maldives-China FTA, first signed in 2014 came into effect on 1 January. The Maldivian President said: 'I am also pleased to announce the initiation of negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and the Maldives. This landmark initiative marks a significant step forward in strengthening our economic partnership.' The two countries signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and three agreements. The agreements included the reduction of the annual debt repayments owed by Malé to India. New Delhi has through the years extended a number of lines of credit to the island nation, as well as purchasing treasury bills and offering currency swap lines, to keep the Maldivian economy ticking. Modi's visit to Malé is his third to the island nation and the Indian Prime Minister will be the 'guest of honour' at Maldives' independence day celebrations Saturday, before returning to India. Modi also handed over 3,300 social housing units in Hulhumale, which was constructed through Indian development assistance. The two leaders inaugurated a number of other projects including the roads and drainage systems in Addu city. Last year, during Muizzu's visit to India in October, New Delhi had extended twin currency swap lines for $400 million and Rs 3,000 crore respectively to help Malé stave off an immediate liquidity crunch. The nation's currency reserves had fallen to the low of $492 million in May 2024, from around $748 million in May 2023, indicating a persistent current account deficit. The liquidity crisis had led the American ratings agency Fitch Ratings to downgrade Maldivian credit to CCC+ or 'junk status' in the summer of last year. However, the current reserves held by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) is at around $832 million, as per its latest statistics. Malé has drawn out most of the $400 million currency swap line, which has helped shore up its currency reserves. With the new LoC, India's budgetary support and development partnership, which is already estimated to be over a billion dollars, will grow further. India has been rolling over treasury bills worth roughly $100 million over the last year. Maldives' external debt servicing obligations are estimated to hit $1.07 billion by 2026, which would be roughly double the current estimates of $500 million for the current year. Its overall debt is estimated at $10.9 billion by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is roughly 140 percent of its total gross domestic product (GDP). Also read: China FTA won't benefit Maldives, hope India steps in to help avert debt default—ex-president Nasheed Diplomatic thaw in the last year However, the partnership has seen a big change since the summer of 2024, given the earlier diplomatic chill that had set in subsequent to Muizzu's assumption of the presidency at the end of 2023. Comments made by junior ministers in Muizzu's government had set off a 'boycott Maldives' social media trend. The Maldivian President further focused on the removal of roughly 80 unarmed Indian troops from the island nation. Eventually by May 2024, the Indian military soldiers were replaced by a technical team focused on maintaining three defence platforms for the island nation. Indian tourists that had thronged the archipelago in large numbers right after the COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted, have since slowed down in the last 18 months. The two leaders on Friday agreed to deeper cooperation in the tourism sector, which marks a serious turnaround in ties. Economic interests have brought Malé and New Delhi together, especially after Muizzu in the early months of his tenure travelled to both Turkey and China in an attempt to shore up international support for the Maldivian economy. By November 2024, Muizzu had visited New Delhi twice—for Modi's inauguration in June and a state visit in the first week of October. China has increased its development partnership and economic engagement with the island nation in the last two decades. Muizzu visited China for a state visit in January 2024, when Malé and Beijing signed over 20 MoUs. The visit and the large number of MoUs had led to talk of potential growth in ties between Malé and Beijing under Muizzu, who had stormed to power on an 'India Out' campaign. However, both New Delhi and Malé have now agreed to open negotiations for a bilateral FTA. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: India-Maldives open FTA talks as Modi set to visit island nation amidst diplomatic thaw
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tuna salad sold at popular grocery store recalled in 7 US states over listeria
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned that TikTok could be banned in the US if China does not approve a sale deal for the app, which has 170 million American users. The US seeks control over TikTok's algorithm, with a deadline for divestment extended to September 17. Legal disputes and political tensions complicate the situation.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Cut all visa programs': Steve Bannon says 'Einsteins' should remain in their countries amid major tech layoffs
Steve Bannon says US should scrap all visas first and clean up the system while 'Einsteins' can remain in their countries and make those countries great. Amid major tech layoffs in teh US, the focus has again shifted to the H-1B visa programs which the Donald Trump administration is planning to change. But before any change comes into effect, US tech workers, Republican lawmakers are up in arms against big tech companies laying off American workers and then petitioning for foreign labors. After Microsoft which announced job cuts in several phases this year, now Intel has said they are planning to cut more than 25,000 jobs in a major reset. Vice president JD Vance has attacked Microsoft for laying off 9.000 workers and said he doesn't believe in the 'bulls**t story that the company can't find workers in America. Now, Trump's former aide and a staunch critic of H-1B, Steve Bannon, said all visa programs should be cut. He said 'Einsteins' can stay in their countries and contribute to making their countries great, instead of coming to the US. Or, the US can explore a program to bring 'Einsteins'. — gc22gc (@gc22gc) The situation in the Silicon Valley is a festering sore, Bannon said on his podcast, adding that the projection is that 12 million trained IT graduates can't get jobs because US is bringing foreign workers. Bannon said no one can prove that foreign workers are better educated, but tech companies want indentured servants, "people who will work 24 hours a day at half the cost because they are afraid of being sent home". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo "We need to cut all the visa programs. If we are going to do it, let's do it hard-core and clean it up," Bannon said. There is always a way to get 'Einsteins', Bannon said, adding that he personally believes for world peace and prosperity, 'Einsteins' should remain in their countries and make their countries great again like they are doing in Japan. JD Vance says displacement of American workers worries him Speaking at a bipartisan event co-hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum, Vance questioned the layoffs of big tech companies and said it does not make any sense to him that they fire Americans to hire foreigners. "That displacement and that math worries me a bit. And what the president has said, he said very clearly: We want the very best and the brightest to make America their home. We want them to build great companies and so forth. But I don't want companies to fire 9,000 American workers and then to go and say, 'We can't find workers here in America.' That's a bulls**t story."
