Are 3rd Party Background Checks An Invasion Of Privacy? 14
TheGeneration asks: "Yesterday I went on an interview with a company where I was applying for a jr. programming position. The last page of the application was a contract for a background check with a third party company, that apparently does background checks on employees. They sift through ALL of your personal records (financial, past employers, criminal record, military record, driving record, etc.) and then report back to the employer. They also warehouse that information to be sold to other companies at a later date. I declined to sign this form citing concern about giving up my right to privacy for all time to a company that would then sell that info. I was denied an interview as a result. Is it ethical for companies to force potential employees to give up all rights to their privacy?"
Why not YRO? (Score:1)
Re:Not just when being hired (Score:1)
I got even with them though.. got someone with excellent credit to get the phone in their name and let me use it. take that, voicestream!
A Consulting Company (Score:1)
I am not interested in working for companies that want that kind of personal information.
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you are not what you own
Isn't this illegal? (Score:1)
Are ethical issues universal? (Score:1)
Around here in this parts of Mexico, it's supposed to be unlawful to question women about their sex life during their interviews... however, several companies do this kind of stuff on a regular basis, yet most people don't find this kind of questioning unethical or offensive.
The point, although maybe a bit offtopic by now, is that sometimes it's a part of the local culture, and therefore it's not seen as something "unethical" by most.
Re:The good news... (Score:1)
basically, they don't screw around. they have the right to watch their own asses, i believe...as to whether it's an invasion of one's privacy, especially with a third party involved...well, i'd have to say hell yea, it is. i think it's probably the lesser of several possible evils, however...for instance, i think we'd be much worse off if background checks weren't allowed and psychotic shmucks were screwing companies over left and right (well, moreso than they do now)...because then people would begin to get blackmailed from jobs on account of stuff as irrelevant as, say, how dumb their
hiring companies need something to work off of...take what they have away, and they'll just find something else.
My experience (Score:2)
Only 2 reasons I would agree, with limitations (Score:2)
There are only 2 reasons I would agree to a background check that involves finances:
Both of these have valid merits to knowing my financial situation. But I would also want to know exactly who compiles the report and who reviews it.
Beware of companies that claim they are for one of the above. I had a fellow co-worker at a defense contractor who was a consultant with another company. That company (the consulting firm he worked for) was claiming my company (the defense contractor) needed a background check into his finances, etc... Not only was this completely untrue (he verified with our HR department), but both of us already had national security clearances (which would already reveal any issues).
So many companies are ready to abuse you out there.
-- Bryan "TheBS" Smith
Re:Not just when being hired (Score:2)
Ethical? (Score:2)
Lawful? Afraid so. And with good reason. Most managers would like to know if an applicant spent a year in jail for striking a co-worker, or stealing equipment. What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.
Now, if you could make them sign something to the effect of not disclosing the results of the check...
You do still have the right to say no. (Score:2)
The good news... (Score:2)
If a company has that kind of policy on an interview, what do you think their policies will be like once you work there? You did everyone a favor by saying no. They won't be able to afford to do bussiness like that for long when programmers are in demand. :)
Digital Convergence (no, not THAT DC) (Score:2)
Re:Ethical? (Score:2)
I _do_ have a right to privacy, precisely because of the Reserved Powers doctrine, and I intend to enforce and exercise that right. I bestow my patriotic allegiance to my Country, not the corporate collective that is so effectively and unethically striving to supplant it.