1. Coopers & Lybrand had a policy of hiring only university graduates and was able to fire Richard Clark, even though he was very successful in his managerial role, for not having a degree. Is this discrimination? Describe why or why not. 

2. What could Coopers & Lybrand have done differently to discover Clark’s fraud before hiring him?

3. Coopers & Lybrand must now fill the vacancy left by Clark. What is the first step in the hiring process?

It is not uncommon for job seekers to exaggerate the truth on their résumés, in order to appear more impressive to prospective employers. When the economy is in recession and jobs become scarce, competition for those jobs may lead some individuals to embellish, or outright lie on their résumés in the hopes of securing a position. BackCheck, a Vancouver-based firm that conducts pre-employment screening for companies, estimates that approximately one-third of the résumés they screen include false statements, exaggerated claims or important omissions, and explains that it is not just entry-level, or mid-manager-level applicants who get caught lying. Even upper managers have been caught lying about their education, sometimes years after they have secured the position.

“Doctor” Richard Clark worked for many years, in various positions, as an information technology specialist and consultant. Clark purported to hold a BSc, MSc and PhD., and he was hired by Coopers & Lybrand Consulting Group as the head of its management department. Clark worked as a manager in that position for two years, and was so successful in the role that he was offered a partnership in the firm and his application was unanimously supported by other executives. 

As part of the partnership vetting process, however, Clark was asked to show proof of his Ph.D. When he explained that he had lost the requested documentation, Coopers & Lybrand called the University of Illinois (where Clark was supposedly an alumnus) directly, but the university had no record of Clark’s enrollment or graduation. When the firm questioned Clark about the discrepancy, he claimed that his Ph.D. was an honorary title. When pressed to show that documentation, Clark withdrew his partnership application. The managing partner at the firm offered to travel to Chicago with Clark to clear up the confusion, and Clark refused. Coopers & Lybrand had a policy of hiring only university graduates, and upon realizing that Clark did not have the required education, they fired him.