Inquiring Employers Want to Know
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Inquiring Employers Want to Know
The following information is sometimes requested on standard employment applications, though job candidates might consider some of it to be private or personal.
Which of the following items about an employee might an employer have a legitimate claim to know, and why?
A job applicant's social security number
An applicant's arrest record
An employee's medical records
An employee's marital status
Whether a job applicant smokes
An employee's political affiliation
An employee's sexual orientation
An employee's credit rating
Consider the following questions in the assessment of this scenario:
What facts are relevant to your decisions?
What would the consequences be of refusing to answer any questions on an employment application?
Are you basing your decision on particular rights of the employee or the employer?
Are there people other than the employer and employee who might have a stake in what information is released to employers?