Bumble’s Women-Only Networking Filter Not a Tool for Illegal Discrimination

Bumble Bizz’s new women-only filtering tool has caused a stir for potentially being a way for employers to discriminate when hiring.

The Verge has challenged these claims by stating that Bumble Bizz is a platform for professional networking, not recruiting. The aim is for all users to share their knowledge and collaborate with one another to help advance their careers.

GDI reported that the new feature was a way for underrepresented women to network and break into male dominated industries.

It is still technically possible for hiring managers to only approach women when looking to fill vacant roles, but the legal issues would then fall on the recruiters themselves, rather than Bumble.

Expert in employment law Andrew Elmore told The Verge: “Recruitment of women from social networking sites can be a lawful, and important, way to ensure that a broad array of candidates have access to employment opportunities.

“An employer is free to recruit from underrepresented populations to ensure that the broadest array of candidates have access to employment opportunities at the firm or company, but it may not discriminate because of sex”.

A Bumble spokesperson said the filter was created because of the number of women using the platform, but refused to address the legal issues when approached by The Verge.

Texas courts have just introduced a bill that would make sending unsolicited sexual images punishable by a fine of up to $500 following a campaign led by Whitney Wolfe Herd.

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