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Knowledge base · AI in HR

May an AI selection tool distinguish between candidates on the basis of sex, origin or other characteristics?

No. The General Equal Treatment Act prohibits direct and indirect distinction when offering and filling a vacancy, when entering into and terminating an employment relationship and in promotion. An apparently neutral criterion that particularly affects people with a protected characteristic is also prohibited, unless it is objectively justified. For age and for disability or chronic illness, separate acts with a comparable prohibition apply to recruitment and selection.

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What is prohibited

Distinction is prohibited when offering a position and in the treatment when filling it, and when entering into and terminating an employment relationship [1], and also in promotion [2]. Distinction also includes indirect distinction: an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice that particularly affects persons of a certain religion, belief, political opinion, race, sex, nationality, heterosexual or homosexual orientation or marital status [3].

Age, disability and chronic illness

Age is not in the General Equal Treatment Act, but in the Act on equal treatment on the ground of age in employment [8]. That act prohibits distinction when offering and filling a position and when entering into and terminating an employment relationship [9]. For disability or chronic illness the same applies under the Act on equal treatment on the ground of disability or chronic illness [10] [11]. Both acts have their own exceptions. An AI tool that, for example, scores candidates with a lot of work experience or with gaps in their career lower can therefore also fall under these acts.

When indirect distinction is allowed

Indirect distinction is allowed if it is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means are appropriate and necessary [4]. A selection criterion of an AI tool, such as a postcode, an educational institution or a gap in the CV, can be such a criterion. Have it tested whether the outcomes particularly affect groups with a protected characteristic, and record why each criterion is necessary.

What the AI Act adds

Since the amendment by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, a deployer may exceptionally process special categories of personal data where strictly necessary to detect and correct bias that may lead to prohibited discrimination, under strict conditions; that is not a duty [5]. From 2 December 2027, for a high-risk system you must also ensure that the input data you control is relevant and sufficiently representative [6] [7].

What Trusq bases this on

These released rules are in Trusq and are read again with every publication; if a rule changes, this page changes with it.

  • Relevant and representative input data AI Act 26

Sources

  1. [1] AWGB Art. 5(1)(a), (c) and (g) (Dutch General Equal Treatment Act (AWGB); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Distinction is prohibited when offering a position and in the treatment when filling it, when entering into and terminating an employment relationship, and in promotion. Original Dutch text:
    Onderscheid is verboden bij: a. de aanbieding van een betrekking en de behandeling bij de vervulling van een openstaande betrekking; b arbeidsbemiddeling; c. het aangaan en het beëindigen van een arbeidsverhouding;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  2. [2] AWGB Art. 5(1)(g) (Dutch General Equal Treatment Act (AWGB); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Distinction is also prohibited in promotion. Original Dutch text:
    g. bevordering;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  3. [3] AWGB Art. 1(1) (Dutch General Equal Treatment Act (AWGB); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Distinction includes direct and indirect distinction on the ground of religion, belief, political opinion, race, sex, nationality, heterosexual or homosexual orientation or marital status; indirect distinction is an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice that particularly affects persons with such a characteristic. Original Dutch text:
    c. indirect onderscheid: indien een ogenschijnlijk neutrale bepaling, maatstaf of handelwijze personen met een bepaalde godsdienst, levensovertuiging, politieke gezindheid, ras, geslacht, nationaliteit, hetero- of homoseksuele gerichtheid of burgerlijke staat in vergelijking met andere personen bijzonder treft.
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  4. [4] AWGB Art. 2(1) (Dutch General Equal Treatment Act (AWGB); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Indirect distinction is allowed only if it is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means are appropriate and necessary. Original Dutch text:
    Het in deze wet neergelegde verbod van onderscheid geldt niet ten aanzien van indirect onderscheid indien dat onderscheid objectief gerechtvaardigd wordt door een legitiem doel en de middelen voor het bereiken van dat doel passend en noodzakelijk zijn.
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  5. [5] Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 Art. 1(6) (inserts AI Act Art. 4a(2)) (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI)). Deployers may exceptionally process special categories of personal data where strictly necessary to detect and correct bias that may lead to prohibited discrimination, under the conditions of paragraph 1; this creates no duty to do so.
    Providers and deployers of other AI systems and models and deployers of high-risk AI systems may exceptionally process special categories of personal data to the extent that: (a) such processing is strictly necessary to ensure bias detection and correction in view of possible biases that are likely to affect the health and safety of persons, have a negative impact on fundamental rights or lead to discrimination prohibited pursuant to Union law, especially where data outputs influence inputs for future operations; and (b) all of the conditions and safeguards set out in paragraph 1 are applied. This paragraph does not create any obligation to conduct such bias detection and correction.
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  6. [6] AI Act Art. 26(4) (AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). To the extent the deployer controls the input data, they ensure that it is relevant and sufficiently representative in view of the intended purpose.
    Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 and 2, to the extent the deployer exercises control over the input data, that deployer shall ensure that input data is relevant and sufficiently representative in view of the intended purpose of the high-risk AI system.
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  7. [7] Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 Art. 1(40)(b) (replaces AI Act Art. 113, third paragraph, point (c)) (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI)). The high-risk rules (Chapter III, Sections 1 to 3) apply to Annex III systems from 2 December 2027.
    Chapter III, Sections 1, 2, and 3, with the exception of Article 6(5), shall apply from: (i) 2 December 2027 as regards AI systems classified as high-risk pursuant to Article 6(2) and Annex III; and
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  8. [8] WGBL Art. 1(b) (Dutch Act on equal treatment on the ground of age in employment (WGBL); Dutch law, unofficial translation). The Act on equal treatment on the ground of age in employment defines direct distinction as different treatment on the ground of age. Original Dutch text:
    direct onderscheid: indien een persoon op grond van leeftijd op een andere wijze wordt behandeld dan een ander in een vergelijkbare situatie wordt, is of zou worden behandeld;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  9. [9] WGBL Art. 3(a) to (c) (Dutch Act on equal treatment on the ground of age in employment (WGBL); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Distinction on the ground of age is prohibited when offering and filling a position, in employment mediation, and when entering into and terminating an employment relationship. Original Dutch text:
    Onderscheid is verboden bij: a. de aanbieding van een betrekking en de behandeling bij de vervulling van een openstaande betrekking; b. de arbeidsbemiddeling; c. het aangaan en het beëindigen van een arbeidsverhouding;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  10. [10] WGBH/CZ Art. 1(b) (Dutch Act on equal treatment on the ground of disability or chronic illness (WGBH/CZ); Dutch law, unofficial translation). The Act on equal treatment on the ground of disability or chronic illness defines direct distinction as different treatment on the ground of disability or chronic illness. Original Dutch text:
    direct onderscheid: indien een persoon op grond van handicap of chronische ziekte op een andere wijze wordt behandeld dan een ander in een vergelijkbare situatie wordt, is of zou worden behandeld;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.
  11. [11] WGBH/CZ Art. 4(a) and (b) (Dutch Act on equal treatment on the ground of disability or chronic illness (WGBH/CZ); Dutch law, unofficial translation). Distinction on the ground of disability or chronic illness is prohibited when offering and filling a position and when entering into and terminating an employment relationship. Original Dutch text:
    Onderscheid is verboden bij: a. de aanbieding van een betrekking en de behandeling bij de vervulling van een openstaande betrekking; b. het aangaan en het beëindigen van een arbeidsverhouding;
    Source, retrieved on 2 October 2026.

Related questions

Is our AI tool for recruitment, selection or personnel management a high-risk system?Do we have to carry out a DPIA before we use AI in recruitment or personnel management?What duties do we have from December 2027 as a deployer of a high-risk HR system?

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This page gives general information based on the text of the law. It is not legal advice for your situation.