methodology

Date: 24 Jan 2017

The GYLA started to apply the method of testing with the aim of identifying cases of discrimination (this method is actively used in the U.S., the Czech Republic, France, and other democratic countries). This method implies the following: When a discriminatory act takes place in the area of provision of services, a representative of the discriminated group (tester) pays a visit to the service provider to prove that the discriminatory act has really taken place. The tester offers to purchase the service from the service provider on certain conditions. If the service provider refuses to provide the service to the tester, after 15 minutes a representative of a non-discriminated group (co-tester) visits the service provider. The co-tester makes the same offer on the same conditions to the service provider. If the service provider agrees to sell the service to the co-tester on the same conditions offered by the tester, the case is ready for litigation in court. After that, the service provider has to explain to the court what reasonable and objective circumstances justified his/her/its refusal to provide the tester with the service while he/she/it agreed to provide the service to the co-tester on the same conditions. Both the tester and the co-tester are supposed to record the communication with the service provider to create evidence for the discriminatory act.