|
 |
Fair Housing Act
Fight Housing Discrimination
Become a Fair Housing Tester
As a trained tester, you will be called on to help identify possible instances of discrimination in housing, which will contribute to the health and wholeness of the community, and you will be paid for your efforts.
How does it work?
Under state and federal law, it is illegal for a housing agent or provider to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or familial status (presence of children under 18 in a household). The best method for detecting discrimination is through "testing." In brief, people trained as testers make inquiries about housing. To test for race discrimination, for example, a black tester would be sent to a site, followed by a white tester, with a third tester following up if necessary. The testers' reports may reveal unequal or discriminatory treatment.
Qualifications
Testers must:
- Be over the age of 18.
- Have no affiliation with any organization engaged in the listing, renting, selling, or financing of real estate property.
- Never have been terminated or asked to leave a position because of fraud or dishonesty and never have been convicted of a felony.
- Be capable of following instructions, be objective and observant on a test, and objectively report their experiences on a test in written form.
Responsibilities
Testers must:
- Attend a tester training session (approximately 3-4 hours) and complete a practice test.
- Be available during designated days/hours to conduct tests.
- Provide own transportation to and from testing sites.
- Respect the confidentiality of the testing process by not discussing testing activities with anyone, unless authorized to do so by the Fair Housing Council staff.
- Submit all test reports in a timely manner.
- Be available to provide a deposition or testify as a witness at a later date, if necessary (This is very rare and occurs in less that 1% of all cases. If it becomes necessary for a tester to appear at a legal proceeding, the tester will be compensated for the time and travel expenses).
How do I become a tester?
Complete the form below and you will receive an application. You will also be contacted regarding the next tester training session. These sessions are held periodically depending on the Council's current need for testers as well as its current testing schedule. Training sessions last approximately two to three hours. If you complete the training and otherwise qualify, you will become a fair housing tester. You will be paid $50 for each rental test (about two hours per test) and $80 per sales test (about three hours). Tests may be scheduled during evening or weekend hours. We will try to send you on tests close to home. Testers must provide their own transportation but will be reimbursed for mileage.
For more information about becoming a tester, please contact the Test Coordinator at (610) 604-4411 ext. 2.
|
|
