On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 11:59 AM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton(a)gmail.com>wrote;wrote:
"[The city] says it won't hold it against anyone for refusing to provide
it."
If it's not compulsory, I don't see a problem, as long as that fact is
made clear to people. I don't see the point in asking if it isn't
compulsory, though, unless they intend to trick people into thinking
it is. Who would voluntarily give up that information?
I get the feeling it doesn't say "(This is optional, and we won't hold
it
against you if you leave it blank.)" on the form. That's why the laws
against hiring discrimination don't simply empower job-seekers to refuse to
answer questions, but bar them from being asked at all (even with the caveat
that "I'm going to ask you if you're old or disabled, but you don't have
to
tell me.").
~Nathan