term:

B.F.O.Q.

b.f.o.q.

Short for the phrase “bona fide occupational qualification,” in the employment discrimination context a B.F.O.Q. may absolve an employer from liability for discrimination when there is a legitimate reason to require, for example, that all of the employees working a particular job be of the same sex or age. The successful use of a B.F.O.Q. defense by an employer is rare in discrimination cases.