facebook pixel
a book with a pencil on top of it

Bona Fide Occupational Qualification

What is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification?

A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) is a legal provision that lets employers make decisions about hiring based on protected characteristics like age, gender, race, religion, or national origin. It allows an employer to discriminate if the characteristic is essential to the job's performance. For a BFOQ to apply, the characteristic must be necessary to the job's performance, and no alternatives must be available.

The Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications rule is an exception to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This rule stops employers from discriminating against people because of specific protected characteristics.

What Are Examples of Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications?

Here are some examples of how BFOQ can be applied in the workplace:

  • A ballet company may require female dancers to play female roles and male dancers to play male roles.

  • A Catholic Church may require priests to be Catholic.

  • An airline may require applicants for flight attendant positions to be of a certain height to reach overhead compartments in an aircraft.

When is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification Applicable?

A BFOQ is applicable when your company believes a particular characteristic is essential to determine whether an employee can perform a specific job. Generally, the BFOQ standard is narrowly applied and restricted. There should be a significant relationship between the qualification and the essential elements of the job. An employer may only use the BFOQ when there is no way to provide necessary protection or services to customers or clients other than using the specific characteristic.

Note that the employer is responsible for defending its decision to use a BFOQ by showing that the qualification is a reasonable business necessity. In a legal challenge, the employer must be able to provide evidence that the BFOQ requirement is reasonably necessary for the job and that no alternative options are available.

How Do Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications Impact the Hiring Process?

Using a BFOQ to make decisions regarding hiring and employment requires a clear and reasonable standard, whether it is about age, sex, religion, or national origin. You must define the essential job requirements, tasks, and functions that require the necessary qualification. At no point must the employer assume the qualification is strictly based on stereotypes or an unspoken bias. Such assumptions could lead to damages and legal issues. 

How to Ensure Compliance with Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications

It is essential to monitor any job qualifications, policies, and rules in place to ensure that your company does violate the provisions of a bona fide occupational qualification. An employer must ensure all requirements that go with a job description are essential to job functions. Additional written records detailing critical reasons why a job must have specific requirements can suffice as proof of compliance.

To ensure compliance, HR professionals should:

  • Document their decision-making process and BFOQ requirements and ensure consistency throughout the recruitment process.

  • Consider alternative measures to meet the job's requirements that do not discriminate against protected characteristics.

  • Regularly review and update BFOQ policies and procedures to ensure they align with current legal requirements.

Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications and Reasonable Accommodations

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), BFOQ cannot be utilized in employment actions based on disability. Employers cannot discriminate against someone with a disability who meets all of a position's legitimate job requirements and can perform the position's essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Reasonable accommodations can include making existing facilities readily accessible to employees with disabilities, modifying work schedules, and other accommodations that enable qualified applicants or employees with a disability to participate in the application process or perform essential job functions.

HR professionals must apply BFOQ appropriately and not unjustly discriminate against protected characteristics. By staying current with the current legal requirements and regularly reviewing the BFOQ policies and procedures, HR professionals can ensure the workplace promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Return to the HR Glossary