You are here

Full and Honest Disclosure

9 January, 2015 - 09:41
Available under Creative Commons-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/3d8499e9-08c0-47dd-9482-7e8131ce99bc@11.15
  • The job candidate is required to provide full information relative to the job description as advertised. This would include elements such as:
  • Educational Experience
  • Prior work experience
  • Other job relevant skills and knowledge
  • Do religion, sexual preference, marital status, political viewpoints, and recreational practices constitute job relevant matters? In other words, are these matters private to the job candidate or are there occasions when the prospective employer has a right to access this information?
  • Distinguish between information to which an interviewer has a right and the means the interviewer has the right to use to uncover this information. Do interviewers have the right to require that job candidates (1) take polygraph examinations, (2) undergo drug tests, (3) take psychological profiling exams, (4) be subjected to "staged crises" to find out how a candidate would handle such an event? These may constitute information areas to which the prospective employer has a right, but does the interviewer also have a right to use these means to obtain this information?

The following scenario examines whether full disclosure requires that one make known one's personal moral convictions.

3. Are You a Bleeding-Heart Pacifist?

Jorge is a pacifist. He is also an unemployed computing professional. Against his better judgment, his wife and friend, Antonio, have talked him into interviewing with Mega Weapons for a new opening working on the guidance systems of non-nuclear missiles. During the interview, the employer remarks that Mega Weapons has had trouble in the past with employees who have moral qualms about working on weapons projects. He then turns to Jorge and asks, "You're not one of those bleeding-heart pacifists are you?" How should Jorge answer this question?

  • Jorge should not reveal his pacifism. It is obvious that this would prejudice Mega Weapons against hiring him. He must try to get the job at all costs.
  • Jorge should take the time to explain his pacifism, and how he sees himself fitting into different military projects. For example, he could emphasize his concern and expertise in making weapons guidance systems as accurate as possible to minimize "collatoral" damage during use. He could use this interview to negotiate guidelines for projects that he would find compatible with his convictions.
  • Jorge should immediately exit the interview. It is obvious that Mega Weapons would exhibit no sympathy or support for his pacifism.
  • Your solution.