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University of Akron may demand DNA from job applicants

Wow. All I can say is wow.

Want A Job In Akron? Hand Over Your DNA - Taking Liberties - CBS News It's not unusual for employers to conduct criminal background checks during the hiring process. But the University of Akron has taken this to a surprising new level.

The Ohio school now reserves the right to require any prospective faculty, staff, or contractor to submit a DNA sample, which genetic-testing experts say makes it the first employer in the nation to take such an extreme and potentially intrusive step.

The new policy, which says a "DNA sample for purpose of a federal criminal background check" may be collected, took the campus by surprise after it was announced last week. An adjunct faculty member has resigned in protest and is contemplating a lawsuit, and the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors says that genetic testing violates a collective bargaining agreement. ...

Full post as published by The Canadian Privacy Law Blog on October 29, 2009 (boomark / email).