Users Guide to the Principles for Professional Conduct
| Index to Ethics Guide |
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Principles for Third-Party Recruiters
6. Disclosure of student information
"Third-party recruiters will not disclose to any employer, including the client-employer, any student information without obtaining prior written consent from the student. Under no circumstances can student information be disclosed for other than recruiting purposes nor can it be sold or provided to other entities." (See Career Services Principle 7, See Employer Principle 7)
Intent
Student privacy will be protected.
Rationale
Privacy is an important right that must be guarded. By maintaining
confidentiality we protect individuals from being harmed by information
falling into the wrong hands. We also protect them from the embarrassment
and sense of personal violation that often accompany having had
confidentiality breached.
Third-party recruiters and their clients are entitled to obtain
personal information about employees and candidates for which there
is a legitimate interest, i.e., a bona fide need for the
information being requested. That is, without this information the
employer cannot successfully run the business. If grade point average
is determined to be a necessary and justifiable screening criterion,
the employment professional must be certain that this information
is used only for the screening process, and is not shared with others
in the organization who do not have a need to know. Similarly, if
a student mentions a disability that requires an accommodation,
the employment professional’s organization must make certain that
this information is shared only with individuals in the organization
who have a legitimate need to know.
Letters of recommendation for candidates are occasionally requested
by employment professionals. Whether they are provided by the career
center, a third-party organization, or directly by the letter writers,
these documents should be used for the express reason they were
requested and none other. Once used, they should be destroyed. They
should not be circulated to others in the organization unless there
is a need for others (e.g., managers) to know and the student provides
written consent. Similarly, they should never be forwarded to outside
individuals or organizations unless the student provides written
permission. This permission should never be coerced, and the student
should have full understanding as to why this is being requested
and how it will be effected.
NACE. "Consent to
Disclose Form."
NACE Principles for Professional Conduct Committee. "Playing
Fair." Job Choices 2002.
NACE. "Sample Letter
of Reference."
Principle
7. Disclosure of Clients at Career Fairs
