The Italian Ministry of Labor has opened an investigation into a recruitment advertisement by a security company in Naples, Italy, which caused an uproar, due to its request for female applicants for the profession of receptionist to send pictures of them in swimwear.
The job ad also stipulated that applicants must be under 30 years old, have a “sunny demeanor” and “good looks”, own a car, and speak fluent English, according to the Italian news website Il Giornale.
“We ask that you submit a full-length photograph in a bathing suit or similar,” the ad text read.
Security firm Media Service SRL later removed the swimwear requirement, but after a screenshot of the ad was widely shared on social media, The Guardian reported.
Social media users denounced the ad as “sexist” and expressed anger at the job requirements, and the wage offered, which is $557 a month for 24 hours a week (or about $5.80 an hour), while the average monthly salary is For a receptionist in Italy about $1370.
Receptionist lingua inglese certificata, 500€ mensili, orario full time.
Richiedono foto intera in costume.Chiaramente lascio il nome dell'azienda in chiaro. Volutamente. pic.twitter.com/7htOHyOaSx
— AP (@ap_qualcosa) January 24, 2022
Italy’s Ministry of Labor and Social Policy has ordered an investigation into the controversial ad.
A Naples business consultant, Chiara Marciani, called the ad “ridiculous” and “inappropriate”.
For its part, the security company confirmed that the job advertisement was posted due to an “inexperienced employee error” who was not familiar with the gender equality policy, while acknowledging that the swimwear requirement was inappropriate.