Education Requirement

patience

Is it considered discrimatory to all of a sudden require a college degeree for leadership positions that have never required a degree in the past? Experience is not being taken in lieu of a degree.

Could it not also be discrimatory if a position does require a degree but it has a pool of minority candidates that have the experience and knowledge to do a job but just do not have the degree? So therefore are not even qualified to apply?

joannie

It would depend on the reason for requiring the degree. Is the position one that has become increasingly more complex or perhaps in a field that has recently become regulated? Requiring a degree for either of those reasons would not be discriminatory.

sonny

Also curious about "all of the sudden". When we have a position vacate we always review the job description. .whenever possible, we try to include language that would allow a "combination of education and relevant experience". . allows us to broaden our pool, not narrow it. .

but as Joannie notes, some of it is just going to depend on the position.

Dutch2

We do the same as Sonny - "combination of education and work experience." In most all cases, I would rather have someone with four years of experience in the poistion over a recent college grad with no experience.

Still Need Coffee

I agree with the other posters. We include language like sonny, and sometimes even add "college degree strongly preferred but not required."

In general, I like to try applying a BFOQ test....unless a degree is a bona-fide occupational qualification in order to do the job, you may want to err on the side of NOT making it a requirement