The Friction Report 08.24.17
by Don Ford
This article may not all be work related. I have fun writing and I believe, “if you can’t have fun don’t do it”! If you don’t like it, don’t read it!
I may very well be reporting on items that may or may not be fiction, yet may have friction included. May I explain? Fiction is made up stories, while Friction can be anything that causes irritation or that is not politically correct.
Let us consider hiring the right person. Now I am not suggesting that those who are responsible for hiring should break any rules, but I have the feeling they have considered it.
What are some things you can’t ask in an interview?
- What is your religious affiliation?
- Are you pregnant?
- What is your political affiliation?
- What is your race, color or ethnicity?
- How old are you?
- Are you disabled?
- Are you married?
- Do you have children or plan to?
- Are you in debt?
- Do you social drink or smoke?
I assume there is a reason for not asking those questions, but truthfully only a couple would concern me. If a person is in debt you can expect to get calls from debtors wanting to talk with the employee. I never allowed a debtor to speak to an employee, I would take a message. The big one is when the IRS gets involved. The IRS can take most of a person’s check and bank accounts.
On one occasion, your IRS attached a person’s check and the person received $50.00 of their wage per week, the rest went to your IRS. Another time an employee went to her bank to cash her pay check and the teller told her do not hand me that check, the IRS has frozen your account and if you give me the check you will not get anything in return.
I can’t say that this was in my thoughts when I interviewed, but I can see it as a problem, if you hire a pregnant person. Yes, I said pregnant person and not woman, who knows, some men may be, “with child” now days! If you hire a pregnant person you will probably lose them in a few months, for a few months.
When interviewing women for a position, one should not take the applicants looks into consideration. If the female applicant is very pretty and well portioned, the interviewer should not think,
“If she were hired, the guys in the department will all be watching her or following her around.
If she were hired, the females in the department will all be upset and probably talk about her!
If I hire that pretty female my production from the male and female employees will drop.”
It is basically the same when hiring a good looking, well-proportioned man.
The fear could be worse if the male or female were single, but you can’t ask if they are married.
Is the solution; hire applicants who are not good looking, and appear to be older?
Use good judgement when hiring!
Don Ford
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