not hired because of gender?

[creo1e]

What is the name of your state? Wisconsin, but job is in New Hampshire

I applied for a job at an educational institution for a position which I met all requirements and then some for but I just received an e-mail from a person that I knew from a working there in the past as an intern who is in the committee to hire for this position and was told by him that unofficially they are looking for a woman to hire.
Isn't this gender discrimination? What should I do?

 

[cbg]

In most cases, yes, it would be gender discrimination. However, I think you'll probably need more than you have, at least right now, to file any kind of lawsuit.

An employer MAY "discriminate" based on gender if there is a BFOQ (bona fide occupational qualification) for doing so. Example; it would not be illegal discrimination to insist on hiring a man to be the attendent in a men's restroom, or to hire a woman to demonstrate make-up.

There are also some circumstances when an employer is either officially or unofficially required to hire based on gender, or race, or other protected characteristic, in order to equalize a real or perceived inequity in past hiring. If the entire department is male, say, they might be looking to hire a woman or two in order to avoid a claim of discrimination on the basis of the existing employee population. As long as the women in question are qualified, they MIGHT (it would depend on the exact circumstances) be able to do that.

You say you meet all the qualifications and then some. Many employers do not like to hire overqualified people, and that's perfectly legal.

Without some proof that the SOLE reason you were turned down for work was because of your gender, you're not going to get very far.

 

[creo1e]

why female over more qualified male?

OK, I understand. But the situation is this, I am not "over qualified", I meet the needs of the opening and have plenty of experience and actually have worked at the school in question as a intern. During this time I always was told I did an excellent job and always received positive recommendations from my superior. The problem is that the job is related to a health position working with a student population of both boys and girls with the head position filled by a male right now and they are looking for an assistant. The health field should not discriminate as I am certified, licensed and fully qualified to treat both males and females. While I was there the assistant was male and he just left last year and now they are looking to hire someone to replace him. Why, if I am more qualified than a female does she have an advantage over me in getting the job. Being a white male in the job market today has it's disadvantages. Especially in my field.

 

[cbg]

I can understand why, if the position is working with both boys and girls and the director is a male, they might want a female as the assistant. And I didn't say they could hire a less qualified woman than you.

Whether or not this qualifies as illegal discrimination is going to be too situation specific to answer here. You might want to run it past the EEOC or the state human rights commission.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Also, 'looking for a woman to hire...' is not discrimination in any form. And especially against you. You have no standing to do anything until such time as you are told you did not get the job based on sex.