Intrusive application questions!

[Scorchednurse]

I was recently completing my hiring paperwork for a pediatric home health company, and I came upon a "health history" page. It asked me to list every surgery I've ever had, the date, and why. It then asked me to list any new or chronic health conditions I've been diagnosed with in the last 5 years!!! When I asked why they need all that information; they stated it was pertinent to ensure we're capable of performing the functions required for the job! Also, they sent a paper to each of your prior employers that had to be returned prior to starting where they graded you 1-5 on dependability, attitude, etc., then asked if we were ever disciplined and why. I very honestly told them I had no interest in working for an employer that felt entitled to that much personal information, especially home health that offered average pay and said they are building clientele and have people who have been hired for 5 months that haven't gotten a patient yet!!! Forget it!! Anyone else have their employers ask questions this personal?

[Ambersmom, BSN, RN]

A little off topic here. I understand that employers can ask for your ss #, but I recently went to a new doctor and theyre asking for it. No wonder there is so much scamming going on. Told them there is no reason for me to give it to them. People think they can ask you anything and youll answer it. Im just a salmon swimming upstream bc they are not getting it from me.

The only reason they ask is for billing purposes.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

I believe in NY it is illegal,employers are only allowed to verify employment dates or they can get sued.

[guest940422]

So does anybody think that since they are going to be paying a portion of your health insurance costs if they

hire you, that an employer has a right to know if you are going to be a likely liability to them (Of course

nobody knows for sure, but there are statistical values out there.) For example, they

and their insurers may prefer to hire a healthy 28 year old with no family history of chronic illnesses over a 48

year old who will be making frequent claims r/t chronic respiratory issues, whose parents both died of

complications of COPD. My employer already makes a distinction in the premium I pay based on my obesity. They

know that people like me are more likely to use insurance and thus cost them money based on known health risks

of an obese individual. I may not like it,, but I can't really argue that they don't have a right to do it.

They are walking a fine line with this, same with not hiring smokers. The point of HIPPA was to keep people from being discriminated against based on their health. It stopped banks from refusing loans for the critically ill or companies targeting psych patients for impulse spending. Forcing you to disclose your private health records should not be a standard practice. Unfortunately if you refuse they can just find another reason for why they didn't hire you.

This is the kind of legislation and advocacy that keeps me a member of the ANA. Fair hiring practices is among the things they lobby for on our behalf.