'"Old and black": one sentence too many sent to a candidate, she files a complaint', 3 August 2025

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In 2022, Natali Tshepupu applied for a position at a Belgian accounting firm. Her profile was solid and she met all the requirements for the position... Everything changed when she mistakenly received an internal comment from HR that read , "Not bad, but old and black." ...

Determined to denounce this treatment, Natali contacted the public agency Actiris and Unia, the Belgian center for equal opportunities. Asking her nationality, age, or origin echoed all-too-frequent experiences of rejection, often subtle, but this time, the proof was blatant...

Far from acknowledging the obvious, the company clumsily defends itself by explaining that it employs "other people of immigrant origin." This defense was deemed insufficient by the courts, which emphasized that this attitude in no way erases the discrimination suffered.

The Belgian court, hearing the case, ruled: the comment received constituted both racial discrimination and an unlawful refusal based on age. The court awarded Natali double compensation, validating the seriousness of the offense and providing her with official recognition of her harm...