# Proving ethnic/racial background for CS preference.



## BrickCop (Dec 23, 2004)

I've always been curious about how HRD or an appointing agency verifies that an applicant is truly the race/ethnicity they claim to be. 

What if an applicant's father was white and his mother was 1/2 African American? Do they use even the 'African American' designation on the CS applications? If so would a black applicant from Jamaica get minority preference?

What about a guy with a Spanish sounding surname- is that good enough to get minority status as hispanic?

Where do they draw the line/distinction?


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## Macop (May 2, 2002)

Interesting question, but uh oh, here we go.


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## OutOfManyOne (Mar 2, 2006)

I know that in order to claim hispanic per civil service rules and regulations following the Castro decision,you have to be brought up in a spanish speaking household or born in a hiospanic country, Spain doesn't count and yes you have to be fluent. If your mother is african american then you qualify for african american, i know a kid who did it and got on.


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## Guest (Jul 17, 2007)

OutOfManyOne said:


> I know that in order to claim hispanic per civil service rules and regulations following the Castro decision,you have to be brought up in a spanish speaking household or born in a hiospanic country, Spain doesn't count and yes you have to be fluent. If your mother is african american then you qualify for african american, i know a kid who did it and got on.


The term "Hispanic" is derived from the ancient name of Hispania, which is the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian Peninsula consists of Spain and Portugal, but if you're Spanish or Portuguese, CS doesn't consider you Hispanic. 

My question is.....what about a white guy born and raised in South Africa, then becomes a US Citizen. Isn't he truly an "African-American"?


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## JLT770 (Jun 7, 2007)

well being Native American, which is what i checked in the box for the CS exam, i have a document from the state that officially states that i am a Miq'mak Indian, i can't speak for others.


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## Guest (Jul 17, 2007)

FedUp said:


> No. They go by your "nationality origin".


Using that logic, I should be a Scottish citizen.


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## PBC FL Cop (Oct 22, 2003)

African American is considered a race more than a nationality, seeing how Africa is a continent, not a country.


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