What term describes a hiring outcome that disproportionately excludes members of a protected group, even if the process appears neutral?

• A. Unity of command
• B. Shared leadership
• C. Adverse impact
• D. Americans with Disabilities Act

Answer: (C)

Adverse impact describes a hiring outcome that disproportionately excludes members of a protected group even when the selection process itself is neutral. The emphasis is on the result, not the intent—policies or tests can look fair on the surface yet produce biased results. In practice, makers compare how different groups perform in the hiring process; if the selection rate for a protected group is less than 80% of the rate for the group with the highest rate, that signals adverse impact. This concept matters because it helps identify hidden barriers in hiring that aren’t about overt discrimination. Other options refer to unrelated ideas—one about how commands are organized, another about sharing leadership, and another being a disability-rights law—not about the discriminatory effects of hiring outcomes.