Discrimination in the workplace can occur before a hire is even made. The laws barring workplace discrimination also cover the employment process, including the pre-employment phase. Employers might not be aware of these laws or may knowingly conduct illegal and discriminatory hiring and recruiting processes. This includes conduct or decisions made at the hiring stage. A failure to hire claim is a potential employee’s allegation that the employer would have hired him or her but for its reliance on one of the protected categories or other conduct in violation of anti-discrimination laws. An employer who acts improperly based on any of the protected categories below may be subjected to a failure to hire discrimination claim: Race/Color, Religion, Sex/Gender, Pregnancy, Nationality, Age, Physical or Mental Disabilities, Military Service, Bankruptcy or Association with a Bankrupt Debtor, Immigration Status, or Genetic Information.