Q. We know that New Hanover Regional Hospital has recently been in trouble for screening job applicants for various types of legally prescribed drugs. Since age discrimination is also illegal, why do they require you to submit your date of birth on all job applications? Is this also a type of “screening” to keep older folks off their insurance programs?
A.New Hanover Regional Medical Center is committed to hiring the best candidate for each position and welcomes people of diverse ages and backgrounds, said Erin Balzotti, media relations coordinator for New Hanover Regional.
“Our hiring and screening practices comply with all employment laws,” she said. “A candidate’s date of birth is not part of the employment application. Applicants are asked to fill out a standard Criminal Background Check Release Form that includes date of birth, but that information is not shared with the hiring manager.”
RELATED LINKS:
StarNews: NHRMC to pay $146,000 to settle discrimination suit
Why does NHRMC refuse to hire nurses who previously worked there?
Do private physicians or midwives offer maternity care and have privileges at NHRMC?
Date posted: November 6, 2012
User-contributed question by:
Rich
According to NC, you cannot require the background information to be completed with that type of information unless you are formally considering the applicant for a job. This is just a way around the law that most applicants don’t realize is still wrong! NHRMC would have to prove that they “considered” every applicant for a real position if this was ever challenged!