How To Build A Diverse Team

It’s not about simply making job offers. It’s about changing the way you think about recruiting.

- Adam Bornstein

Q I want to hire a woman for a job opening I have, because my team isn’t diverse enough. Is that legal, and how do I do it without egregiously breaking the law? —MARK L.

LET’S GET the legal part out of the way: In general, you can’t hire a woman just because she’s a she. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination based on religion, sex, age, national origin, and race. And while the Bona Fide Occupational Qualification carves out exceptions to that rule, an employer must prove that hiring based on age or sex is essential to the success of the business— which is unlikely. Meaning? Choosing someone because you want to check a box is not a sound defense.