Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Is any job worth sacrificing your privacy?

Many techniques are used today to  try and evaluate who is a "good" employee.

Some employees are still being given the  Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test. (test usually to determine mental illnesses) though it has been outlawed in some states outside of the medical environment.

In most cases, companies can`t ask you about religion, marital status and race in job interviews.  Why should questions that are even more private be  allowed after  you are employed?  Should you refuse such  invasive tactics?  Probably, but be ready for the consequences.

 

Every state has employment laws that state what is legal and not, consult those for your state.  That being said, the employment laws usually dictate what is and is not acceptable.  The federal standards also govern what makes a "hostile work environment".  For example many years ago a christian went to work for a jewish boss here and decided to "save" him.  She brought her bible to work and would leave bits of scripture quotes for him.  That was fairly obviously inappropriate behavior and after disregarding formal reprimand on the subject she was terminated. 

So, it depends.  Also depends on the job.  For instance, finance jobs handle the money of the company and the company has a reasonable right to expect certian behavior from an employee in that capacity.  The bottom line, if the questions make you uncomfortable, speak to the appropriate HR person.  If it is a sole proprietor, and it makes you uncomfortable, you may be best served in a different job.  You make the call.

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Dale
www.ourbestidea.com
www.maskerinsurance.com
www.maskercreations.net

shoppourri - I think it was back last summer when my former company wasn`t doing so well, instead of kicking some `rare ends`, they thought the problem was `bad feng shui`. So they flew this famous feng shui master from Asia and asked all employees to provide their birthdate, time at birth and the location where they were born.

Then the feng shui lady came back telling we were all sitting in the wrong place that we should switch offices; knock down some walls.  She also said that two of the executive members were `dragging` the business down as they had too much `earth` in their feng shui bodies. 

Did that help?

Well, three months later we were all out of jobs as the company went out of business. 

I do know, and have heard, companies make employees to take those tests after they`re hired.  I also checked with an attorney that companies cannot fire you if they do not like your test result.  You should document the dates on taking the test(s). 

 

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Life isn`t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

If a job becomes too invasive, then as the song says...

  Slip out the back Jack,
  Get a new job, Bob,
  etc.....  :-)

I still can`t fathom CS reps who are monitored, literally every second of their time at work, on the phone, at lunch, on breaks, and by keystroke. Why anyone would allow themselves to put up with it is beyond me, utterly. And yet, they do.

Maybe it`s that deep down, a lot of people really are looking for someone else to control their lives for them?

CraigL - I still can`t come up with anything that rhymes with my name...  get the heck outta here mañana, Diana?

 

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Life isn`t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

Meitzi, that`s about the funniest thing I`ve read in a while. I`ve heard about "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" (useless actions that only make it look like you are addressing the crisis) but paying someone to tell you to rearrange the offices is just too funny. A shame it resulted in jobs lost but some businesses just should not survive.

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Steve - I thought it was pretty ridiculous!  They actually held back on two of the employees` paychecks so they could fly this wizard over.  That says a lot! 

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Life isn`t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.