Things you need to show to start a contract

[Uncle Albert]

Back when I started out you pretty much just supplied the client with your name, address and bank details. This has obviously changed over the years to include passport, references, inside leg measurements etc.

This morning I filled in the latest forms for new-client which included a multiple choice on gender. It included all the usual ones but also the options for Demigirl, Demifemme, Demiboy and Demimasc.

Putting aside any questions as to what the hell these are, the real issue is, why the hell do they need to know?

[Gibbon]

Back when I started out you pretty much just supplied the client with your name, address and bank details. This has obviously changed over the years to include passport, references, inside leg measurements etc.

This morning I filled in the latest forms for new-client which included a multiple choice on gender. It included all the usual ones but also the options for Demigirl, Demifemme, Demiboy and Demimasc.

Putting aside any questions as to what the hell these are, the real issue is, why the hell do they need to know?

They've missed out DemiMore

[TheDude]

Back when I started out you pretty much just supplied the client with your name, address and bank details. This has obviously changed over the years to include passport, references, inside leg measurements etc.

This morning I filled in the latest forms for new-client which included a multiple choice on gender. It included all the usual ones but also the options for Demigirl, Demifemme, Demiboy and Demimasc.

Putting aside any questions as to what the hell these are, the real issue is, why the hell do they need to know?

Almost certainly so they can track diversity metrics.

The only time I have been moaned at at work in the past fifteen years was when working for an American investment bank. The online training system failed to record that I had completed my annual quota of diversity training and my manager was very upset because as it turned out this formed part of criteria on which his performance was appraised.

I can't understand why anyone would get upset about questions like this if it makes the workplace more welcoming for everyone.

[ladymuck]

I'd want to know what the data would be used for. Tracking what gender people identify with is one thing, but for what purpose? What is the company going to do with that information?

There's stats to be collected around monitoring gender pay gaps but having a wide range of different terms that not everyone agrees on will result in complete junk.

There's gender information that's important, for medical purposes, when it's vital to know if the gender you are assigned at birth is the one you currently live as but that's really only needed in the case of an emergency when there is a need to know if there's a chance that John could be pregnant or Susan is having treatment for testicular cancer.

Does having a detailed list of all the ways one could identify make a person feel more included, or promote a more inclusive workplace? Or does it just reek of virtue signalling?

[Uncle Albert]

Almost certainly so they can track diversity metrics.

<snip>

I can't understand why anyone would get upset about questions like this if it makes the workplace more welcoming for everyone.

I'm certainly not upset. Just amazed that any genuine diverstiy can be acheived by recording what must be vanishingly small numbers of people who would almost certainly fall under one of the many other options.

Still I suppose it keeps HR people in employment and thus off the streets.

[DoctorStrangelove]

The last client just wanted to know what calibre I was going to use. .

[Protagoras]

I'm certainly not upset. Just amazed that any genuine diverstiy can be acheived by recording what must be vanishingly small numbers of people who would almost certainly fall under one of the many other options.

Still I suppose it keeps HR people in employment and thus off the streets.

I'd always select 'prefer not to say' to these sort of questions.

In my view it's not appropriate to ask such questions of external suppliers' employees.

[sadkingbilly]

wgaf? -jist tell them any old thing.

[courtg9000]

Years ago TFL (Transport For London) had a very intrusive diversity questionaire that you had to fill out Pre Interview (they might still do, the last time I was asked to fill out one of these was well over 10 years ago) it was about 9 pages long.
the joke back in the day was basically if you put disabled, transexual catholic, lesbian, non white, 1st language other, you would get an interview. Put white, straight, british, agnostic male and you would not get an interview.

[Dorkeaux]

Years ago TFL (Transport For London) had a very intrusive diversity questionaire that you had to fill out Pre Interview (they might still do, the last time I was asked to fill out one of these was well over 10 years ago) it was about 9 pages long.
the joke back in the day was basically if you put disabled, transexual catholic, lesbian, non white, 1st language other, you would get an interview. Put white, straight, british, agnostic male and you would not get an interview.

For my first and only permie job I was handed a thick questionnaire by the company doctor (of all people).

It started off with the usual tombstone data, race, age, gender, childhood diseases, STDs (!??!!) then it got weird.

The female-only section (quaint, eh?) had a long list including;

Number of children born:
Number of abortions:
Number of miscarriages:
Number of stillbirths:

My favourites were the “Have-you-evers”:

Have you ever smoked cannabis?
Have you ever used cocaine?
Have you ever used heroin?

Mental health:
Would you describe your outlook on life as helpless, or lonely?

The questions in the last half of the questionnaire were all like this.
I didn't fill it out.


Have I ever smoked grass? Even once?? Of course not.