No. 07-00-116/15-02 date: 19 June 2015

OPINION

The opinion was issued in the procedure following a complaint filed by М. P. from B. against law office BT-L. from B due to discrimination when applying for a job. The complainant stated that, on 13 March 2015, during a job interview in this law office, attorney М. Т. asked M.P about her marital status and that M.P. refused to answer this question. After this, on 16 March 2015, she was informed by phone that she did not get the job. Law office BT-L. from B. did not submit a declaration about the allegations stated in the complaint until the completion of the procedure, even though it orderly received a request for a declaration. By applying the rule of the burden of proof from Art. 45 of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination, it was determined that law office BT-L. committed an act of marital status discrimination in the field of employment by asking M.P. about her marital status. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality issued an opinion that law office BT-L violated the provisions of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination during the job interview for the post of the office manager, by requiring from М. P. to declare her marital status. A recommendation was issued to law office BT-L. not to repeat the act of discrimination in the future, when conducting interviews with male and female candidates who apply for a job, by asking unacceptable questions concerning their personal characteristics, and to publish the opinion and recommendation of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality on a notice board or other prominent place in the premises of law office BT-L.