Hey, Good Lookin': Sex Discrimination in Hiring Reps

This article examines the issue of using appearance as a hiring criterion and how it could lead to employment discrimination due to physical appearance. Given a new but growing trend to outlaw job discrimination based on appearance, further scrutiny of this practice may be expected. Jim touches on the history of lawsuits dealing with the issue, addresses the subjective problems concerning these cases, and suggests what employers (focusing on the pharmaceutical industry) can do to prevent lawsuits. According to Jim, "Drug manufacturers should have policies against sexual harassment of sales reps. Such a policy may also help counter charges that a company is implicitly encouraging its reps to use their sexuality as a sales tool."

This article appeared the March 2006 issue of Pharmaceutical Executive.