We like the term “‘language workaround” as meaning coded or “dog whistle” language when used specifically to obscure references to age.  See our April 4th blog.

Now a reader has provided us a new one for use when referring to race.

Claudia D. Orr, an employment attorney in the Detroit area:

“A friend of mine worked for a temp agency and the agency honored illegal requests. First day on the job a client said “don’t send us anyone from Detroit.”  My friend asked her supervisor what that meant and the supervisor said “that is code for they only want white temps sent. You will get used to it. We try to keep our clients happy.”

My friend became a whistleblower!  The EEOC’s press release indicated that this was an ‘equal employment opportunity discriminator … they honored requests based on sex, race, disability, religion …’”