I applied for a job at JC Penney today.
The application itself was pretty painless but the screening for whether I’ve received welfare benefits or unemployment benefits or am a military veteran was way over the top in terms of invasive questions.
I do not mind in the slightest answering general ‘yes/no’ questions about whether or not I’ve received welfare benefits or unemployment benefits or whether or not I am a veteran. I realize that answering those general questions may help me get hired and may give my (potential) employer a tax credit for hiring me.
But I do not think that it should be necessary to give an outside screening firm the specific details regarding my food stamps benefits.
To wit, they asked for my social security number, my caseworkers name, my case file number, the phone number of the office, and the county and state the office was located in.
These are invasive personal questions that no other firm has asked (and I’ve applied for twenty seven jobs this month alone).
And what’s really frustrating is this outside firm has applicants over a barrel, they either have to lie and answer every question with a NO (even a ‘not sure’ answer requires answering all the invasive questions) or they have to give specific information that is NOT necessary in order for the hiring company to get the tax credit.
And I don’t know know about most people…..but I’ve seen my caseworker once since I started receiving benefits and that was 6 months ago. I have no clue what her name is. My recertification for benefits back in February was mailed. I have no clue what my case number is. I had to google for the phone number of the office.
Am I impressed with JC Penney’s choice for an outside screening firm? I DON’T THINK SO!!