Can an employer question an applicant's stated race/can that applicant lie legally?

I see people lying about their racial makeup constantly for universities and employment so they can get affirmative action benefits. Is the law on their side or the employer's? For instance, if a white guy like me decided he was suddenly a pacific islander because U.S. schools are looking for them, what would be the result? I clearly don't have an ounce of pacific islander in me, but does that give schools a justification for investigating? If I said I was a woman they'd have to accept my choice of gender - does that work the same for race?

hammer

If you are already hired by an employer, they can ask you anything they want, and you can decline to answer. However, if you do answer and you get terminated based on your answer, then you've been wrongfully terminated. You can choose to lie and if they investigate your lieing, they still can't do anything about it without discriminating. It is completely illegal to ask ANY potential discriminating questions during an interview (race, age, married, children...).

Cheaper2Cent

two words.... Affirmative Action

LittleBarb

You can SAY you are anything you want to SAY, but, once it is found that you LIED on a legal document (such as a college application, job application, passport application, etc)... you risk legal action against you.... Or, in the case of a university - - expulsion or immediate termination at a job... Those who lie about their race just to get financial help are only fooling themselves... How PROUD of themselves they can be for ripping off someone who might not have gotten into the university who really WAS entitled by virtue of his or her race... (if they still actually DO that sort of thing any more)... There should NOT be a quota system- - - ie a certain number of blacks or hispanics or WHITES must be hired or enrolled... it should always be based on MERIT alone... in school OR on the job... not based on the race of the individual... affirmative action has been good in spots, but like anything else, people tend to ABUSE the provisions. Those abuses should not be tolerated... ... if you LIE about something on a job application you most certainly CAN be terminated LEGALLY and you have NO LEGAL RECOURSE against your former employeer BECAUSE you falsely filed a LEGAL DOCUMENT when you applied for the job or the college admission or whatever.... I have SEEN it happen where I worked and I worked for the GOVERNMENT.

cinnea

If you lied about your race or gender for the purpose of getting benefits you would not otherwise qualify for, you would be guilty of fraud. Not only could the school investigate, but they could prosecute criminally and civilly to see you punished and force to pay back any scholarships you received.
The reason affirmative actions programs exist is because white males have had the advantage for hundreds of years, and continue to have the advantage. They are chosen over minorities or women for jobs, and minorities and women are paid less and held to higher standards. Whether you agree with the programs or not, lying to the schools isn't the answer to the underlying problems that created the situation.

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