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Extensive Selection Process of Automaker Results in Unprecedented Ruling, with Candidate Elimination Only in the Final Phase After Meeting All Job Requirements.
The Caoa automaker was ordered by the Labor Court to compensate a candidate who was eliminated after completing 24 stages of a selection process for a position that involved driving motor vehicles.
The case was reviewed by the 3rd Panel of the Regional Labor Court of the 18th Region (TRT-18), which upheld the favorable decision for the worker.
The court found the elimination of the candidate to be improper, especially given the long journey faced up to the final disqualification in an eye examination.
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Selection Process at Caoa Automaker
The selection process conducted by Caoa involved an extensive series of evaluations, including knowledge tests, group dynamics, interviews, and document submission.
According to the records, the candidate even opened a bank account for receiving the salary after being approved in all previous stages and completing the submission of the required documentation.
The final step of the recruitment, however, consisted of an eye examination, which resulted in his disqualification.
According to the candidate’s report, all requirements of the selection process had been met, and the expectation of hiring had already been consolidated after the company approved the personal documentation and indicated the start of activities.
In its defense, Caoa argued that ocular fitness was essential for the role, as the position required the operation of company vehicles and, for this reason, the company acted in accordance with safety regulations.
Decision of TRT-18 and Legal Grounds
The decision of TRT-18, delivered in July 2025, highlighted that the candidate possessed a valid National Driver’s License (CNH) without restrictions related to the use of corrective lenses.
The court emphasized that, according to Brazilian traffic legislation, holding a CNH without restrictions attests to the driver’s ability to operate vehicles, regardless of the need for glasses or lenses.
For the judges, the elimination of the worker, under these conditions, constituted an excess on the part of the company, as there was no legal impediment or limitation officially identified.
Compensation for Emotional Damages
The compensation amount awarded to the candidate was R$ 5,000, based on emotional damages, due to the frustration caused by the lengthy selection process and the hiring expectation interrupted only in the final phase.
According to the ruling, the worker did not present any medical restrictions that would prevent him from performing the desired activity, and the automaker’s actions resulted in emotional and financial harm.
Company’s Defense and Internal Criteria
Caoa claimed in its defense that the rigorous selection aimed to ensure that all hired drivers had full visual capacity, a condition deemed essential for the safety of everyone in the work environment.
However, the court noted that the rules of the process did not clearly provide for the possibility of elimination based on criteria different from those already attested by traffic authorities.
Impact on the Job Market and Recommendations
Labor law experts point out that cases like this gain relevance as companies intensify selection criteria, especially in sectors that require high responsibility and operational safety.
However, according to lawyers consulted in other similar decisions, the adoption of successive stages and elimination based on subjective criteria can be legally challenged if there is no objective justification or support from recognized official examinations.
In the view of TRT-18, it was clear that the candidate had met all formal stages and requirements, including those established by Brazilian regulations for operating motor vehicles.
For this reason, the disqualification only in the company’s internal assessment was considered unjustified, and compensation for emotional damages was thus ordered.
Debate on Internal Assessments and Candidate Rights
The episode illustrates the challenges faced by professionals in increasingly complex and stringent selection processes, especially in the Brazilian automotive sector.
Labor lawyers advise that companies should align their requirements with legal determinations, avoiding additional stages that may frustrate rights or create unmet hiring expectations.
Furthermore, the case reignites the debate on the limits of internal assessments conducted by companies and the impacts of these criteria on candidates’ lives.
Meeting all stages, without the existence of a recognized technical or legal impediment by official authorities, tends to consolidate the hiring expectation, rendering disqualifications based on subjective parameters or uncommunicated in advance unjustifiable.
According to the Regional Labor Court of the 18th Region, “the mere performance of a supplementary eye examination, without legal restriction backing, cannot prevail over the fitness already proven by the competent traffic authority.”
The decision reiterates the need for clarity and transparency in selection processes, especially when they involve multiple stages and stringent requirements from candidates.
What do you think about the adoption of such strict criteria in hiring processes? How far can selection stages go without harming candidates’ rights?
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