This case is the first time in several years the Supreme Court has struck down an affirmative action plan. The recruitment process generates a significant amount of interaction between existing employees and their superiors. Often these exchanges reveal bias about a prospective employee's characteristics. Some coworkers may have personal prejudices based on race, sex, religion, national origin, martial status, childbearing capabilities, age, or political inclination. It is usually illegal and unethical to use these factors in the hiring process.
Most employers are aware of their employment discrimination responsibilities.
However, it is possible to continue such discrimination by setting a tone of unspoken discriminatory intent as suggested in this problem. It is unethical for employers to leave a clear impression that employees' careers will be in jeopardy unless they participate in downgrading their assessments of a job applicant's capabilities. It is both illegal and unethical for employees to alter their honest assessments to reinforce a supervisor's discriminatory bias.