Sexist job adverts on Costa del Sol

Andalucian Traveller · 16th November 2007, 01:10 PM

In the English language press on the Costa del Sol there are usually job adverts which specifically ask for either a male or female (usually female) candidate. Is this allowed?

Beckett · 16th November 2007, 01:41 PM

Welcome to Spain. It's one of the things that really annoys me about Spanish culture. I don't know whether it's legal or not but employers seem to have no problem explicitly stating their preferences and requiring a photo before granting a job interview.

Not only is it ok to specify gender, what's even worse, are the age requirements that they state without any problem. I've seen ads that say "18 to 25 years old" or "18 to 30." What happens to people over the age of 30 in Spain? Are they rounded up and warehoused in an old folk's home and left to spend the next 50 years of their life just watching the telly?

I remember reading a newspaper story where some people got laid off and one woman, who was 43 years old was distraught. She said "Who will hire me? I'm too old to start over." Wow. Washed up at 43, with no remaining value to the labor market, that was her attitude. Very sad.

What's ironic is that Spain has one of the lowest birthrates in the world and a rapidly aging population, so one would think that they would be sensitive to the issue of age discrimination and would be willing to hire "old" people, etc. and yet ageism in Spain is a big problem.

Another thing that is funny is that Spanish people generally become independent at a much later age than Anglos. It's not unusual for a 30-yr-old Spaniard to still be living at home with his/her parents. So....you've got thirtysomethings living at home with Mom and Dad and yet are considered "too old" to apply for certain jobs. Isn't that something.

ValenciaSon · 16th November 2007, 04:25 PM

See this thread

Beckett · 16th November 2007, 04:37 PM

Yes, VS, I commented on that thread before. And I used the same example but lowered the age to 30. Means I've been seeing more ads with younger age ranges explicitly stated.

deecree · 16th November 2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beckett

What's ironic is that Spain has one of the lowest birthrates in the world and a rapidly aging population, so one would think that they would be sensitive to the issue of age discrimination and would be willing to hire "old" people, etc. and yet ageism in Spain is a big problem.

Another thing that is funny is that Spanish people generally become independent at a much later age than Anglos. It's not unusual for a 30-yr-old Spaniard to still be living at home with his/her parents. So....you've got thirtysomethings living at home with Mom and Dad and yet are considered "too old" to apply for certain jobs. Isn't that something.

It's a problem that doesn't need to be worried about in the long run. Markets fix themselves.

Andalucian Traveller · 16th November 2007, 05:54 PM

Isn't sexual discrimination illegal in Spain though? In the UK you would never see an ad which stated that a female was required, although it's possible that the ad might ask for a 'young person'.

16th November 2007, 01:10 PM	#1
Andalucian Traveller Forero Senior Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 63	Sexist job adverts on Costa del Sol In the English language press on the Costa del Sol there are usually job adverts which specifically ask for either a male or female (usually female) candidate. Is this allowed?

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16th November 2007, 01:41 PM	#2
Beckett Mega Forero Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 900	Welcome to Spain. It's one of the things that really annoys me about Spanish culture. I don't know whether it's legal or not but employers seem to have no problem explicitly stating their preferences and requiring a photo before granting a job interview. Not only is it ok to specify gender, what's even worse, are the age requirements that they state without any problem. I've seen ads that say "18 to 25 years old" or "18 to 30." What happens to people over the age of 30 in Spain? Are they rounded up and warehoused in an old folk's home and left to spend the next 50 years of their life just watching the telly? I remember reading a newspaper story where some people got laid off and one woman, who was 43 years old was distraught. She said "Who will hire me? I'm too old to start over." Wow. Washed up at 43, with no remaining value to the labor market, that was her attitude. Very sad. What's ironic is that Spain has one of the lowest birthrates in the world and a rapidly aging population, so one would think that they would be sensitive to the issue of age discrimination and would be willing to hire "old" people, etc. and yet ageism in Spain is a big problem. Another thing that is funny is that Spanish people generally become independent at a much later age than Anglos. It's not unusual for a 30-yr-old Spaniard to still be living at home with his/her parents. So....you've got thirtysomethings living at home with Mom and Dad and yet are considered "too old" to apply for certain jobs. Isn't that something.

16th November 2007, 04:25 PM	#3
ValenciaSon Hero Forero Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Posts: 4,923	See this thread

16th November 2007, 04:37 PM	#4
Beckett Mega Forero Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 900	Yes, VS, I commented on that thread before. And I used the same example but lowered the age to 30. Means I've been seeing more ads with younger age ranges explicitly stated.

16th November 2007, 05:54 PM	#6
Andalucian Traveller Forero Senior Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 63	Isn't sexual discrimination illegal in Spain though? In the UK you would never see an ad which stated that a female was required, although it's possible that the ad might ask for a 'young person'.