redressing the personal; or, how do we hide what we've always been?

[dehydrated]

This light, soft and blue through drawn blinds, is illuminating a vast array of possibilities hiding beneath, or above, or in the nooks and crannies, or just outside the door of an otherwise empty home. Before I've really woken up, it seems that if the northern light would just stay for a few hours longer, i could catch the ghosts of my dreams and

Comments

[mishakitty78]

on the body thing: i hear you. if i had the time (and these days it looks like i really dont) i'd love to model more. i have a photographer who's called me to do some work with my snakes, but i admit to hesitating not because i'm body shy but rather because i don't want to be punnished later in work place situations because of something like that. sure, it's artistic nudity, but hardly anyone gets that nowadays. sigh. there is something so wonderful, though, about being able to be comfortable in your own skin. so few people are these days that its a precious gift that you should certainly exhalt in

[dehydrated]

hrm. even if you could call invasion of privacy on them, it seems like you would still end up leaving the job one way or another just because of the hassle incurred. sounds like a good argument for making the journal friends-only.

i've considered modeling vs. my other job for a while and realized the situation is kind of precarious, especially considering the audience i work with. if the mother of one of our regulars - or worse, a board member - were ever to recognize me in a gallery, i can just imagine the fallout. do you worry about that with dancing?

[mel21clc]

Summary story on websites and employers. There was a longer, more detailed one in the Post not too long ago, but I can't seem to find it now

[dehydrated]

"A recent survey of job recruiters found 77 percent of them uncovered information about job candidates using the Web. Thirty-Five percent eliminated a candidate based on that information."

Sheesh. I googled various incarnations of my name and found nothing worth hiding, so that's good. However, googling "Orlaina" did turn up this. hehehe. I wonder how old that is?

[dehydrated]

whoops. forgive the html problem there. i haven't had my coffee yet. :)

[mel21clc]

Eh, no biggie if it still links. And it's forever old. Holy crap. Want me to ditch it or leave it be as a testament to our 17-year-old selves?

My lawyer-in-training friend says...

[xorakor]

I asked my friend to read your post, and this is what he said:
I am certainly no privacy law expert, but at first blush I'd say that they are free to ask, since they are under no obligation to give you a job. Depending on the state, however, more stringent privacy protections may exist. Some states may prohibit potential employers from asking about political affiliations, for example. I doubt anyone has directly addressed things like myspace or lj.

There's at least an argument to be made that it's an impermissible question because it's actually a proxy for other impermissable questions (this would be predicated on the argument that the purpose of checking someone's journal would be to determine race, gender, marital status, religion, or other information that employers are forbidden to ask about). The best person to ask would be an employment law attorney in the jurisdiction where the organization is located.

Re: My lawyer-in-training friend says...

[dehydrated]

It seems like it would be so easy to create a false myspace or lj just to smear someone, though. I guess the chances are unlikely that myspace-identity-theft would really happen to a person, but I would think that companies would still not be allowed to use it as evidence for refusing to hire or firing based on the fact that myspace isn't an officially regulated source of information, like a background check.

Also, when we do background checks, my understanding is that we can only ask applicants to attest to never having been convicted of a crime, NOT whether they've actually committed the crime. I would think that the same catch would apply to internet representations: if it's not provable and documented by a third party (previous employer, school, government institution, etc.) then it shouldn't be usuable by an employer.

And I have heard very little about a certain someone's wedding plans, by the way. ;)

Legalities

[simplystranded]

Professionally,

Pertaining to your last and third paragraph, you are never required "legally" to share any information leading to a "myspace", "blog" or anything related just as they are not legally authorized to force you into sharing your websites. Therefore, you can legally reply that you do not have any such "public" information. Simply reply, "At this time, I do not currently have ownership or have a responsibility to any information online, however, if it is required I could collaborate something in order to "fit" your requirements." That will definately impress them at the least, and at most, throw them for a loop.

Cooincidentally, I feed uncomfortable with the entire idea as well. But never forget, the online world is at your descretion, and completely up to your decisions....know what I'm saying?

Hope that helps....hope you get this in time!

RIN

Re: Legalities

[simplystranded]

I ment feel not feed

Re: Legalities

[dehydrated]

"...the online world is at your descretion, and completely up to your decisions..."

True, true. It's just a shame to have to be so guarded in that realm. Although, I guess it's a shame to have to be guarded anywhere. As long as I can do my job, what should it matter what I do outside of work?

[anonymous]

hey you

[dehydrated]

aw, jer, it sounds like she died happy, which is the most any of us can ask for. she was probably ecstatic about being back in the neighborhood and being back with you. what better preparation for "going home" than, well, going home? i'm glad to hear her muzzle turned gray. she had a few silver hairs when i knew her, and i always thought she wore them well. :)

of course it's not inappropriate to tell me about jazz. she was a good dog, and i've definitely missed her. i hope you're holding up well - she would want you to, i think. :) *hugs*

[anonymous]

thank you kels :)