76% discriminate on basis of accent

24/06/2008

Employers are being taken to tribunal after it was revealed that over three quarters discriminate against job applicants on the basis of their accent.

The poll, from employment law firm Peninsula, showed that workers are beginning to cotton on to this prejudice – 63% admitted to hiding their accent in a job interview at some stage during their career.

Furthermore, the discrimination is unlikely to stop even if the successful candidate does get through to door – 72% of those polled know somebody who has been victimised at work because of their accent.

The ‘worst accents’ as voted by employers responding to the Peninsula survey were: Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glaswegian and London Cockney.

Peter Done, managing director said that while it’s an issue that’s rarely talked about, that is not to say it isn’t of importance, much the same as other, more highly forms of discrimination. Nonetheless, “no-one should feel that they need to hide their natural accent in an interview,” said Done.

He also had a word of warning for businesses: “Employers should understand that by discriminating against people because of their accent, they are not only losing out on a potentially good employee but also putting themselves at risk of tribunal.”