Honesty & skydiving,employers opinion?

[PhillyKev 0]

Hmmm, what would skydiving employers think of your answer? You might want to ask a more impartial group

[jfields 0]

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It's a lot cheaper if you can have the case discouraged or thrown out early because you have a published employment practice, and follow it.

Of course. We've written many employment policies for clients for that very reason. We have also seen some firings get ugly, only to watch the former employee lose in court. However, we get paid either way.

I seem to recall stating that I wasn't a lawyer, because I don't want you all to shoot me.

[PhillyKev 0]

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ok, so here's the deal.... the supreme court in the US has determined that discrimination/harassment in the workplace falls under the 1964 civil liberties act. They can not turn you down for a job or promotion based on outside legal activities (such as extreme sports). If they do, you are being discriminated against, and they would be found in the wrong (if you can prove it -- the only proof the courts need is that you are being treated differently than others based on something i.e. race, age, gender, sexual preferance, extreme sports, etc.)

Not quite....only covers "protected classes" and only applies to employers with 15 or more employees.
Race
Color
National origin
Sex (includes pregnancy-related conditions)
Religion
Retaliation (for opposing unlawful employment practices, for filing a complaint, for testifying about violations or possible violations)
Association with protected class
Age (40 and older in companies with 20+ employees) This law is known as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act or ADEA Age (18 and older)
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (in companies with 50+ employees)
Americans with Disabilities Act

[skygal3 0]

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ok, so here's the deal.... the supreme court in the US has determined that discrimination/harassment in the workplace falls under the 1964 civil liberties act. They can not turn you down for a job or promotion based on outside legal activities (such as extreme sports). If they do, you are being discriminated against, and they would be found in the wrong (if you can prove it -- the only proof the courts need is that you are being treated differently than others based on something i.e. race, age, gender, sexual preferance, extreme sports, etc.)

wow, why does that sound so very familar?

[akaGQ 0]

I can tell you the answer based on experience in the past. I was asked a question worded almost exactly like that however it really didnt affect my chances of getting hired however at the same time I put down skydiving as one of my Leisure Activities on my application and that kinda screwed me....They wrote me and told me that I had the job but due to the nature of skydiving being a high risk and blah blah blah they were unable to hire me due to insurance not being able to cover me. So in all honesty as great of a sport as this is try not to let an employer know about it at least until your allready hired then if they fire you for it then you could sue for discrimination or something. Just my 2 cents worth.

- GQ

... it was the love of the air and sky and flying, the lure of adventure, the appreciation of beauty ...
-Charles Lindberg

[bobsled92 0]

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They can not turn you down for a job or promotion based on outside legal activities (such as extreme sports).

I didn't realize extreme sports was covered.

Can you cite a reference to back that up? Sure would be interesting to see that in print.

PRUDENTIAL Life Insurance dropped my life insurance policy whan I was in Bobsled and Skeleton for six years. (Of course they kept my money)

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

Circuit City and Carmax ask the same thing.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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They can not turn you down for a job or promotion based on outside legal activities (such as extreme sports).

I'd bet they can, within the letter of the law.

HR Law is a very tricky thing. If you are asked on your application or interview what year you graduated from High School and you don't get the job - you could accuse them of age discrimination.

Illinois is an "At will" state as well. However, I believe any contract you work under overrides that policy (ie, unions, contractors, etc)

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Gawain 0]

I believe there are two ways (if it's on an application):

1. The company may be assessing insurance they may carry on you (yes, some companies carry their own insurance on their employees).

2. The company may be assessing costs impacts to its health insurance premiums if they have a non-contributory health plan (i.e. you don't pay for any health insurance at all).

It is that unusual a question and they are not "allowed" to use it as a criteria for hire/fire (unless they have you sign a "code of conduct" etc.).

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[dropdeded 0]

I had the impression that a lot of the questions,(there were 70 in that part),were just to find out how honest you would answer.It also asked questions such as , "Travel is slower than it was a century ago "
(true or false).And,"At some time in your life you have known someone that took something from a car". W T F ?
Who makes this shit up .

dropdeded

------------------------------------------
The Dude Abides.
-

[jfields 0]

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HR Law is a very tricky thing. If you are asked on your application or interview what year you graduated from High School and you don't get the job - you could accuse them of age discrimination.

True. Age discrimination is one of the few criteria that are considered, where sports activities are not.

[weid14 0]

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ok, so here's the deal.... the supreme court in the US has determined that discrimination/harassment in the workplace falls under the 1964 civil liberties act. They can not turn you down for a job or promotion based on outside legal activities (such as extreme sports). If they do, you are being discriminated against, and they would be found in the wrong (if you can prove it -- the only proof the courts need is that you are being treated differently than others based on something i.e. race, age, gender, sexual preferance, extreme sports, etc.)

Not quite....only covers "protected classes" and only applies to employers with 15 or more employees.
Race
Color
National origin
Sex (includes pregnancy-related conditions)
Religion
Retaliation (for opposing unlawful employment practices, for filing a complaint, for testifying about violations or possible violations)
Association with protected class
Age (40 and older in companies with 20+ employees) This law is known as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act or ADEA Age (18 and older)
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (in companies with 50+ employees)
Americans with Disabilities Act

no, there are like 85 covered areas.... I've got the info at work, I'll get it and bring it home... you are right about the 15 employee thing. Protected classes got really broad when the supreme court ruled about the act covering harassment and discrimination. basically it boils down to you being in a minority group (in this case an extreme sport participant), and being treated differently than the rest of the people at work. I asked specifically on this one to get clarification in a class I was in.

[bobsled92 0]

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I believe there are two ways (if it's on an application):

1. The company may be assessing insurance they may carry on you (yes, some companies carry their own insurance on their employees).
>>>>Yes, you & I have "DEAD PEASANT" policies on us that the Co. make profit from our demise.

It is that unusual a question and they are not "allowed" to use it as a criteria for hire/fire (unless they have you sign a "code of conduct" etc.).

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[tb62871 0]

Never sign anything but, your paycheck

That is the best advice anyone can give or get. If you didn't sign it, no one can say that you ever knew it existed. As for signing the paycheck, direct deposit gets me paid a day earlier and I dont even have to sign that anymore.

--TB
Welcome my friends to the show that never ends.

[bobsled92 0]

I do Dir.depot too but as a good CWA guy working for THE Phone Co.
I sign nothing now.

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[airtwardo 6]

That's what I'm thinking...
It's more of an Insurance question than a life style question. You are more likely (in their view) to be a drain on the policy if you do anything more than walk your dog...
Personally, I've been jumping since age 18, (now 45)
and I've never gotten a negative indication from an employeer concerning my 'hobby' (if only they knew)
...and have even listed it on my resume is some cases.
Got a sales job right outta college...'talking suit' says- "Tell me something about yourself that let's me know you can really commit yourself to a goal"
I said, "In skydiving...once you step out the door, there really is no turning back!"
Got the job....(but it sucked)

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[MC208B 0]

I interviewed with Delta Airlines long ago and they had about a 600 question thing on a computer that really pissed me off, then about a 5 minute interview with a shrink. One question from the shrink that still stands out is "what would you do if at the end of the shift, you can't find a wrench and think you left it in the A/C" My answer was call the Snap On Man......end of my possible career with Delta

[nathaniel 0]

Sometimes your employer doesn't have a choice in what you have to sign...

The SEC is pretty nuts about oaths and signatures, just about anyone who works in any finance related industry has probably signed here and there... Nothing evil, tho. just stuff like, this is my criminal history and it is correct, I agree not to swindle people, I don't work on the boards of directors of the companies whose stock I'm rating, etc.

anything beyond legal / regulatory requirements is probably a bad idea tho...my rights are not for sale at the moment, but for the right price I might be willing to arrange a lease

nathaniel

My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

[Gawain 0]

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Sound advice, however many companies, especially large corporations have extensive "Codes of Conduct" that employees must agree to every year. This includes conduct on and off the job. It's not too uncommon amongst companies that in the Fortune 50.

My company has an extensive "code" and in order for me to continue my employment with them, I must agree every year to abide by it. Among the items: I cannot serve on the Board of a competing company, not commit any felonies, yada yada...

Most of it is common sense stuff, as is the one for my company, but I'm sure there are conglomerates out there that have some really stupid sh*t...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[bobsled92 0]

We fall under the "exact" Code of Conduct book.
As an "associate" I do not have to sign it, but they give it to us each year.
Honestly, I agree with everything in the book, I just fear the unreleased edition that pops up "Expost Facto"

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[Deuce 1]

Lie.

Target has a ton of lawyers who get paid whether or not they're in court.

Proving discrimination is really, really hard.

Hey, employers are like everybody else, if you're not "inside" skydiving, everybody thinks we're reckless daredevils.

If an applications asked: "Are you a reckless daredevil" you better check "no".