Problem
You and the hiring manager interviewed all the short-listed candidates for a position. There was a female applicant who interviewed exceptionally well, and you felt that she was the strongest candidate, as she clearly met all of the requirements for the position and had previous working experience in the position. The hiring manager, although agreeing that this candidate was the best candidate, did not want to hire her. They said that the applicant had been previously employed by the company and she was a good worker, but when she became pregnant, she went on maternity leave; when that leave ended, she resigned to stay home to raise her child, who is now school-aged. The hiring manager felt that the opportunity to work for the company should now be given to someone else.
As an HR professional, what would you advise the hiring manager?
Justify your answer by providing specific arguments based on the textbook Catano, V. Wiesner, W. & Hacket, R. Ruolin, N. (2021). Recruitment and selection in Canada. (8th ed.). Toronto, On