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Ask HN: Would getting arrested at restorethefourth affect your hiring decision?

14 points by jurassic ↗ HN
I'm interested in participating in #restorethefourth because I feel strongly about privacy, but as somebody relatively young in my career I'm afraid that it could become a longterm Career Limiting Move. In my city hundreds of peaceful protesters were arrested during Occupy. Honestly I don't think that protesting has much of a direct effect, but I would like to show solidarity with like-minded folks in demanding change.

Would getting arrested at a civil liberties rally weigh heavily on hiring decisions at your company? I'm worried that in the future having to answer "yes" on application screening questions about arrests and convictions would send me straight to the no-hire pile without further consideration.

9 comments

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relaunched
There are meaningful differences between arrested, misdemeanor and felony.

So long as it isn't a felony, I'm not sure it would even come up in most scenarios; at least it wouldn't get you auto-deselected like a felony might.

gunshor
Some companies and employers like when people take a stand. Patagonia, for example, has a bail benefit for environmental activists.

The right people will understand. The others are employers you wouldn't want to work for anyway.

relaunched
That is one of the best benefits, that reinforces a company's culture, I've ever heard of.
mindcrime
At my $DAYJOB employer, I highly doubt it would matter. It might even been seen as a positive thing.

At Fogbeam Labs (our startup), it definitely would not be held against you, and would very likely be treated as a positive factor.

dmfdmf
The Occupy movement was not "peaceful". They squatted on public and private property for days and refused to leave. Eventually they had to be kicked out. Most people that were arrested were release and never charged unless they were caught vandalizing property or fought with the police.

These restore the fourth rallies look to me like real peaceful protests and not organized civil disruption like OWS so I doubt there will be mass arrests. So I say go and enjoy the day with like minded Americans.

_delirium
How is the first part of that a distinction from peaceful protest? The "sit-in" is a pretty canonical form of nonviolent protest, made famous in the U.S. during the civil-rights era.

If your argument is that it was illegal, I can certainly believe that. But I'm having trouble determining how camping in a public square is a form of violent protest. That's the kind of argument the Turkish government is currently making.

trevelyan
It's much more of a career limiting move to work anywhere this would be a negative rather than positive signal.
freddealmeida
As a hiring manager for a large firm; yes it would. Would make it easier for you.