Gullible People in Bozeman, Montana?

[Trevor]

Came across this most peculiar story about the hiring practices of the city of Bozeman, Montana. Seems they want to know the websites their prospective employees are affiliated with and what's more, they want the logins and passwords to check: Bozeman City Job Requirement Raises Privacy Concerns

I'd like to give whoever came up with that story headline a nice little award for understatement. Aside from being a vast invasion of privacy, it also seems like a good move to sort out the suckers who would provide such information. I wonder how they'd feel about an ADISC person?

I hope people agree with me that this is nuts. What kind of information do you think it's appropriate for a prospective employer to request? To seek out on their own?

 

[Charlie]

Insane really, I'm just glad this wasn't a British news story, as it so easily could have been.

I wonder if people just lie. I mean if it was for a job I really really wanted, I'd just give them an old, under-used myspace account. If it was for a job I didn't want I say I didn't use the internet, an hope for an interview so that I could yell at them a bit in person.

You would not have to do this in order to work for:
Parliament, The Police, MI5, MI6...

What kind of job would actually require this if they don't?

I think this is just laziness. They can't come up a good way of judging somebody's character. Or maybe they just don't want to interview as many people?

...

Hmmm, I just got an idea of how to increase the efficiency of ADISC's background checks. Quick, everybody, PM me your login details to all the sites you visit! It's for safety!

 

[Calico]

This is just crazy. I wasn't surprised that almost everyone had voted being against it. The other two were just at 1%.

 

[NoahKokoro]

I think that falls under the category of things that a interviewer can't ask for or you don't have to answer. I think they might be allowed to ask about one's criminal record, but not sure about their medical records. Either way, this is an invasion of privacy that they aren't allowed.

 

[Darkfinn]

Yeah... that falls under the category of things that can't be asked in an interview.

 

[dcviper]

Now, I agree with the group on this, but to a certain point.

<devilsadvocate> (mostly)
The are many jobs out there, where there are legitimate security concerns. Looking into a potential employees web presence is absolutely a valid part of the vetting process.
</advocate>
But asking a person to provide a list of the websites they visit, and usernames and passwords to same, is ludicrous. Looking into a persons private messages or non-public parts of an internet site (such as the restricted forums on this site) is tantamount to asking a candidate to hand over their mail. However, it appears that this is more and more the way the world is going. You can be sure that if I ever lost my job or were not hired on the basis of my participation here I would sue the living crap out of them.

 

[Rheeer]

That they're asking in the first place is reprehensible.

That they think they can enforce it is laughable.

 

[Peachy]

City officials ask for private log-in information from job applicants? Whoa...they'd be getting some lock in information from their local jail pretty darn soon. Not only would their employer (the city council) be paying a pile of money for discrimination lawsuits, but they'd collectively go to jail for violating the Data Protection Act and just about any human rights article of the constitution when a government body should be a role model instead.

By the way, if employers here ask you questions they have no business knowing, you're free to lie and provide an answer that you believe maximizes your chances of getting the job. In that case, you should go stealing someone's log-in information for the Red Cross, WWF or similar websites

Peachy

 

[EmeraldsAndLime]

By the way, if employers here ask you questions they have no business knowing, you're free to lie and provide an answer that you believe maximizes your chances of getting the job.

Guilty myself of that. Quite a large number of times.

 

[annierighthurr]

Guilty myself of that. Quite a large number of times.

I dunno if it's legal here in the US, but I am guilty as well haha.

This story gives me the creeps. I would never give my login information to anybody. I am sorry but that is none of their business. I do think that what they can find using the info they know about you on the internet is within their rights, but that takes it way too far and like somebody else said, seems like discrimination.

It reminds me of something like that happened at work. Nothing like that of course, but one of the upper supervisor who is friends with most of us on facebook, logged on to his account for my boss so she could see what everybody was saying about work in their status updates. I was so mad. I love my boss, I guess that's why it pissed me off. Fortunately it was more for a laugh then anything serious but it gave me the weebie jeebies and so I promptly deleted that supe off my friends list.

Some things are just NOT your bosses business. Sorry.

 

[Diapered Rabbit]

Wow I think I'll apply for a job for the city of Bozeman, Montana, while this requirement is still in effect. I will have 11 months to file a Bureau of Labor complaint/Lawsuit for an unfair labor practice. Then I will incur no legal fees and the employer is considered guilty of the offense and must prove to BOLI that they have not violated fair hiring practices. Wow, after investigation and hearing this should be at least worth 15 months of lost salary ($56,200). Sorry won't be posting for a day or two, got to polish up my resume' and put together some cover letters.