The Chronicle of Higher Education reports today that the EEOC has posted a letter suggesting that employers who advertise job openings online may be violating federal anti-discrimination laws.
The letter gives several examples, but the following is the one that I find particularly interesting:
Another possible source of violations of the antibias laws might be an employer’s use of an Internet-based hiring process to collect information about job seekers that would facilitate discrimination against them. For example, the letter says, some employers might require would-be employees to complete an online “Voluntary EEOC Questionnaire” that solicits personal information on race, gender, and national origin.
Let me see if I’ve got this right. The EEOC is worried that employers collecting race, ethnic, or gender data on prospective employees might violate civil rights laws. But Ward Connerly, who advocated a ban on the state collecting such data, was called a racist for his effort.
Hmm. That must be because only private employers discriminate. The state is always beneficent.
Liberalspeak — so convoluted even they don’t know what it means!
Randall Chiu writes an op-ed today in the Colorado Daily.com about a recent “panel” at Colorado University that discussed the premise of “white privilege.” He notes: Take, as an example, one of the most significant
Can’t collect that for jobs, but can for bank loans.
Ok.
Actually, John, I saw that in an online application myself once, and I wondered about it. The EOCC voluntary collection form is supposed to be collected after a person is hired – the online request flips that upside down – which is probably their beef in this case.
It’s interesting stuff though how some assume the benevolence of the state and the malevolence of corporations. I’d suggest that we assume neither.
Most academic jobs for which I’ve applied sent an EEOC card by post for me to voluntarily fill out and send back. This is about a week after the application and long before even an interview. I think two of the last thirty have had an online EEOC form to be completed with the application. Some of them request a name, which I find strange.