Employment Practices Decisions Archive: 1937 - 1995, [EMPLOYMENT-PRACTICES ¶6,065] , REFUSAL TO HIRE AIRLINE FLIGHT CABIN ATTENDANT BECAUSE OF RACE, (Aug. 19, 1969), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (Aug 19, 1969)

[EMPLOYMENT-PRACTICES ¶6,065] REFUSAL TO HIRE AIRLINE FLIGHT CABIN ATTENDANT BECAUSE OF RACE

Decision of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,

No. 70-90, Case No. 6-2-1079August 19, 1969

Title VII--Civil Rights Act of 1964

Racial Discrimination--Refusal to Hire--Racial Characteristic as Criterion.--Reasonable cause existed to believe that an airline unlawfully refused to hire a Negro applicant for the position of flight cabin attendant where evidence showed that a substantial factor in her rejection was the relative size of her lips, as noted by an individual who interviewed the applicant for the job.

Facts

Charging party alleged that employer committed an unlawful employment practice in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing to hire her as a flight cabin attendant because of her race (Negro).

According to employer, stewardess applicants meeting the minimum published requirements of height, weight, and other measurements are initially interviewed, and an average of 5% are recommended for a second (final) interview. An average of one-half of those receiving second interviews (or 21/2% of the applicants) are hired by employer.

Charging party met Respondent’s minimum requirements and was initially interviewed. The first interviewer of charging party made the following written notations on the standard first-interview form:

“complexion, ‘ok’; . . . make-up, ‘ok’; . . . hands, ‘nicely tapered nails’; . . . teeth, ‘white, even’; . . . hair style, ‘short, neat’; . . . posture, ‘straight’; . . . appearance, ‘attractive, very cute dimples, has broad nose and large lips but still attractive’; . . . poise, ‘good’; attitude, ‘good’.”

Charging party was recommended for and received the second and final interview. The second interviewer made the following notations on the standard second-interview form:

“head, . . . ‘unattractive, large lips’; figure, ‘large legs, otherwise trim’; Personality, ‘very agreeable to everything I said’; . . . ‘English was bad’; . . . specific remarks, unattractive, English bad, otherwise a nice girl.” . . . Rejected.

From Text of EEOC Decision

As indicated by the above evidence, a substantial factor in Charging Party’s rejection was the relative size of her lips. On the basis of this evidence and the record as a whole, we find reasonable cause to believe that Charging Party was refused employment as a flight cabin attendant because of her race, within the meaning of Title VII.

Conclusion

Reasonable cause exists to believe that Respondent committed an unlawful employment practice by refusing to hire Charging Party because of her race, as alleged.