Starling Bank withdraws question to job applicants about living or working in Israel

By Caroline Turner on August 3, 2024

Starling Bank has withdrawn a question to job candidates, asking whether they have lived in Ukraine, Russia, Israel or Belarus for the past 5 years.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) were approached by an Israeli who was going to apply for a job at "Engine by Starling Bank", which is the platform that powers Starling's Current Account. In the course of completing the online application he had been asked:

"Have you worked or lived in Ukraine, Russia, Israel or Belarus in the past 5 years? Yes or No?"

UKLFI pointed out that by asking if the applicant has lived or worked in Israel over the past 5 years, Starling Bank appeared to be indirectly discriminating against Israelis, most of whom are likely to fall into that category, and also indirectly discriminating against Jews, since Jewish people are more likely than others to have lived or worked in Israel.

Starling Bank was therefore in breach of section 39 (1) of the Equality Act 2010, which says that "An employer (A) must not discriminate against a person (B) … in the arrangements A makes for deciding to whom to offer employment …[or] by not offering B employment."

The Israeli candidate commented: "this question has been the sole reason for me NOT to apply for the role, given how and where it's placed. Made me feel very uncomfortable."

Starling Bank has responded to UKLFI, saying: "For the avoidance of doubt, the bank is an equal opportunities employer and it does not accept that it has breached the Equality Act, as alleged by you in your letter or at all. That being said, the bank understands that the question you have identified in your letter could cause concern. We recognised this before receiving your letter and removed it from the set of questions we ask job applicants on the careers website."

Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, commented: "We are pleased that for whatever reason, Starling Bank has removed this question from its application form. As can be seen, it did serve to discriminate against Israelis, who were put off from applying for the job."