OCTOBER JLC 1997 variety of laws make it illegal to base hiring decisions on age, gender, ethnic origin, religion, or handicaps. It sometimes happens, however, that a person who fits one of these categories is not hired for legitimate reasons. In this case, you can't prove that you had a legitimate reason for not hiring the applicant by lifting off the top of your head and letting people look inside. Lawful or unlawful intent can only be discovered by examining what you actually said or did. To find a good hire without running afoul of the antidiscrimination laws, prepare in advance by learning what is and isn't permissible. The key is to know what qualifications and skill levels
