Job applicants at Bill Gates’s private office, Gates Ventures, have alleged that they were subjected to invasive questioning about their sexual histories and other private matters during the hiring process, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The purpose of this extreme vetting, conducted by security consulting firm Concentric Advisors, was to identify vulnerabilities to blackmail in those seeking positions close to one of the world’s richest men.
The allegations suggest that the line of questioning was particularly severe for female candidates, with some reporting they were asked about their preference for pornography, the presence of explicit pictures on their phones, extramarital affairs, and whether they had ever “danced for dollars.”
One candidate claimed she was queried about contracting sexually transmitted diseases. It remains unclear whether male candidates faced similar interrogation, with none confirming so to the Journal.
Gates Ventures has denied any knowledge of such practices, with a spokesperson stating, “This line of questioning would be unacceptable and a violation of Gates Ventures’ agreement with the contractor.”
They added that any third-party contractors must adhere to pre-employment screening laws.
Legal experts argue that the hiring process described potentially infringes upon state and federal employment discrimination laws.
Carol Miaskoff, legal counsel of the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, pointed out that questioning a candidate’s health or psychiatric history prior to job offer “is just flat out prohibited by the federal Americans With Disabilities Act.”
Similarly, queries regarding past drug use might reveal addiction, a recognized disability under the same act.
However, “There’s not a black letter law prohibition on asking questions related to sex,” according to Miaskoff.
Yet, using such information to negatively impact a candidate’s application could form the basis of a legal dispute.
Despite the allegations, the Gates Ventures spokesperson insists the company takes due diligence seriously when hiring.
“We have never received information from any vendor or interviewee in our 15+ year history that inappropriate questions were asked during the screening process,” she stated, adding that records indicate no employment offer has been rescinded on this basis.
Concentric Advisors, however, defended its practices. CEO Mike LeFever clarified that the company offers industry-standard background checks to numerous companies, ensuring protocol compliance with state and national laws.
He noted that candidates often volunteer personal information during the process, and their interview protocol does not include questions about sexual or medical histories.
He added that not all information disclosed during a security screening is included in the reports to clients.
Several candidates have disputed Concentric’s claims, asserting they were directly asked for such information and were told their job offers were contingent upon passing these assessments.
Gates Ventures’ consent forms, as reviewed by the Journal, suggest that a behavioral assessment by a Concentric professional, covering drug, alcohol, medical, and psychiatric history, would be used to evaluate suitability for employment.
Critics argue, however, that even with signed consent forms, certain questions remain illegal.
Lindsay Halm, a Seattle-based employment lawyer, noted that questions about an individual’s sexual history or preferences are deeply offensive and irrelevant to most job assessments, adding that she’s never encountered such invasive questions in private sector pre-employment investigations.
