31 March 2026
Target Paid $2.8 Million for a Process They Couldn't Prove Was Job-Related
In 2015, Target Corporation paid $2.8 million to resolve a hiring discrimination finding by the EEOC. They were not found to have hired badly. They were found to have screened applicants using tools they could not prove were job-related.
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Download Free GuideIn 2015, Target Corporation paid $2.8 million to resolve a hiring discrimination finding by the EEOC.
They were not found to have hired badly. They were found to have screened applicants using tools they could not prove were job-related.
Three assessments. Over 3,000 affected applicants. Title VII violations on race and sex. One test that constituted an illegal pre-employment medical examination.
The company had a structured process. What it lacked was documented justification for why that process was lawful.
The EEOC's standard is specific: when a selection criterion produces a disparate outcome, you need to show it is job-related and consistent with business necessity. "Our system scored them lower" does not answer that question.
Most hiring processes today cannot answer it either.
If any of this applies to your hiring process, you can reach us at /contact.
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