Since returning to the US in 1995, some things have puzzled me but I’ve learned to appreciate or simply understand them. But, one thing continues to baffle me. And that is that Americans accept incredible levels of privacy intrusion from private companies (from robocalls to spamming to selling of private data to what I’ll outline below), but have almost no tolerance for government intrusion. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed this in no uncertain terms.
Case in point is my ongoing struggle to complete a contract agreement with a potential client (Ernst and Young) for work that would probably amount to a measly 5 hours a month. All of my work will be done remotely, yet I must provide proof of vaccination. Okay. It’s weird, but I’m fine with it. Besides filling out a boatload of forms – I’m talking hundreds of pages of documentation (which needless to say I have not read) and signing in dozens of places on the documentation, I must provide diploma’s from the 1980s and 1990s, transcripts, W-2s, 1099s, letters of separation, contract letters, and other items like contact (boss) information from all my previous employers going back to 1997, and I’m subject to a criminal background check. This is insane. It’s also one of several reasons I MUCH prefer to work with European entities. They don’t ask for any of this at all, except for a confidentiality and scope of work agreement. They want me to do assignment x, complete it on time, submit invoice, done. Even the more streamlined American companies that deal with ask for so much more information, often stuff that’s really none of their business (W-2s and 1099s, for example, are private documents that only the IRS should be able to request, or a court in case of a subpoena).
I guess that’s a company could never work for. They would no doubt find out about that unfortunate incident in second grade involving Sister Mary Daniels!
It sounds like they have too many lawyers to keep busy.
“I could never”
I agree. I just wrote them a note saying I will not comply with the request for all this documentation. Probably kills my chances of working with them or for them, but it’s gone too far. It’s way too intrusive. Plus, I don’t have most of the documents they want, at least not handy. W-2s from previous employers, say, from 7 years ago, who keeps those? Letters of separation? I don’t even know what that is. Contract agreements with employers. Most of these are confidential. Even the proof of vaccination thing is really bizarre, considering that I’m working for them in a fully remote capacity.
It is beyond ridiculous. I would never have, let alone supply them with, that information.
I know this is a serious discussion, but you have me laughing out loud. Although, I’m sure you are right
That is meant for SClarke
C-19 for 2-3 is ready.
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Your no-hype southeastern New England weather blog!
Sometimes typos in newspapers are quite revealing.
https://twitter.com/acweyand/status/1488719860758716416
🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh my.
Since returning to the US in 1995, some things have puzzled me but I’ve learned to appreciate or simply understand them. But, one thing continues to baffle me. And that is that Americans accept incredible levels of privacy intrusion from private companies (from robocalls to spamming to selling of private data to what I’ll outline below), but have almost no tolerance for government intrusion. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed this in no uncertain terms.
Case in point is my ongoing struggle to complete a contract agreement with a potential client (Ernst and Young) for work that would probably amount to a measly 5 hours a month. All of my work will be done remotely, yet I must provide proof of vaccination. Okay. It’s weird, but I’m fine with it. Besides filling out a boatload of forms – I’m talking hundreds of pages of documentation (which needless to say I have not read) and signing in dozens of places on the documentation, I must provide diploma’s from the 1980s and 1990s, transcripts, W-2s, 1099s, letters of separation, contract letters, and other items like contact (boss) information from all my previous employers going back to 1997, and I’m subject to a criminal background check. This is insane. It’s also one of several reasons I MUCH prefer to work with European entities. They don’t ask for any of this at all, except for a confidentiality and scope of work agreement. They want me to do assignment x, complete it on time, submit invoice, done. Even the more streamlined American companies that deal with ask for so much more information, often stuff that’s really none of their business (W-2s and 1099s, for example, are private documents that only the IRS should be able to request, or a court in case of a subpoena).
I guess that’s a company could never work for. They would no doubt find out about that unfortunate incident in second grade involving Sister Mary Daniels!
It sounds like they have too many lawyers to keep busy.
“I could never”
I agree. I just wrote them a note saying I will not comply with the request for all this documentation. Probably kills my chances of working with them or for them, but it’s gone too far. It’s way too intrusive. Plus, I don’t have most of the documents they want, at least not handy. W-2s from previous employers, say, from 7 years ago, who keeps those? Letters of separation? I don’t even know what that is. Contract agreements with employers. Most of these are confidential. Even the proof of vaccination thing is really bizarre, considering that I’m working for them in a fully remote capacity.
It is beyond ridiculous. I would never have, let alone supply them with, that information.
I know this is a serious discussion, but you have me laughing out loud. Although, I’m sure you are right
That is meant for SClarke
C-19 for 2-3 is ready.