Statement C is correct: BFOQ permits gender discrimination in certain job roles when it is essential for the business operation or cannot be solved with reasonable accommodations and is closely regulated.
The bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) allows for specific job roles to legally require characteristics that would otherwise be considered discriminatory. For example, it permits discrimination based on gender for certain positions if it is crucial for the essence of the business, cannot be resolved through reasonable accommodations, or concerns privacy requirements. However, this does not apply to all characteristics; discrimination based on race, for instance, is never a BFOQ.
BFOQ is applicable in situations such as hiring a person of a particular religion for a leadership role in a worship facility or determining a mandatory retirement age for airline pilots for safety reasons. Employers can use BFOQ to discriminate based on age in specific, safety-sensitive roles, but this does not extend to general age discrimination in hiring practices. Moreover, BFOQ does not allow for discrimination based on personal preferences or customer biases.
Statement C is true: BFOQ allows discrimination based on gender in specific job roles when necessary for the operation of the business. BFOQ does not endorse general discrimination and has no exception for race.
While BFOQ may permit certain types of discrimination, such as gender or age, it is done so under strict conditions that serve the essential functions of a business, and it always excludes racial discrimination.