If you were an employer, would you hire a Trump supporter?

RogerK · Jul 7, 2018

Sure. I'm a POC myself and live in a very red state (albeit a more liberal part of it). I do software engineering and have worked with several people who identify as Republican and/or support Trump (some were even my supervisors). Never had a problem with any of them. Political talk was a bit more prevalent during the election season but I don't really hear politics brought up too much nowadays. As long as they're professional at the workplace and are qualified to do the job then I don't see a problem with hiring someone who supports the President. Of course, political views are not really something you learn about during the interview process. I've done several interviews for prospective engineer hires and never once thought about political alignment during the process nor while I was giving feedback about how the interview went.

Nephtis · Jul 7, 2018

If they were a good fit you bet I would. I was hired and I've made it pretty clear in social media etc where I stand politically and morally. I would offer the same courtesy to anyone else.

Having said that, I'd make sure they don't fuck up. I'd keep an eye out for them and if they did anything that was a fireable offense or made the team decline in their quality of work due to toxicity, they'd be out in no time,

FeistyBoots · Jul 7, 2018

Vennt said:
Putting aside my own personal disdain for their political views, I'd still not hire them.

Their support alone shows a severe lack of critical reasoning, below the standard I'd require from my employees.

This is the real answer. I could never hire someone who disagrees with factual reality on such a regular basis. Plus, I wouldn't willingly choose to work with racists/sexists/homophobes/transphobes like trump supporters. That's just creating a toxic work environment where other employees don't feel safe, on the dubious chance a trump supporter is better at the job than a non-racist.

Ravensmash · Jul 7, 2018

Hecht said:
If they can do the job, sure.

If they start bringing up their politics to the point where it is affecting the business though, then they'd be gone.

This is my answer too.

On the flip side, I wouldn't want people to avoid hiring me because they disagreed with my beliefs or other criteria.

Yoshi · Jul 7, 2018

Where I live it is illegal to base employment on political alignment and I think this is very good. I would not want to know and I would do my best to not base my dicision on theis. So yes, I would.

jviggy43 · Jul 7, 2018

Would I hire a racist? No.

TheGreatMightyPoo · Jul 7, 2018

Yes.
I'd make them clean the toilets.
With their faces.

Deleted member 16657 · Jul 7, 2018

TheGhost said:
So just because someone voted trump they are automatically a shit heel? With out knowing jack shit about them?

Sticking on topic you would have a pretty small hiring pool if everyone else is only hiring people with your ideal idealogy. That's half the country being unemployed probably. Your business would probably fail. A lot of businesses would fail if they had purity tests for jobs.

Face it, people can vote republican and.....be great at their jobs. It's work, stop acting like everyone who does not think like you hates all minorities as well, that is simply not the case.

voting trump =/= trump supporter.

There are plenty that voted trump that are just dumb, uninformed people that regret their votes and shouldn't be turned away if they want to better themselves.

People that are still currently supporting Trump support children being separated from their families.

4859 · Jul 7, 2018

No, aside from the fact they are a horrible person, they are poison to any team, a liability waiting to happen, and in general staggeringly incompetent at any given task while amazingly arragont, running Kruger poster children.

I would never knowingly allow anything like that near anyone under my leadership.

asmith906 · Jul 7, 2018

Sure, as long as he gets the work done and his support doesn't interfere with the workplace.

Deleted member 9486 · Jul 7, 2018

saenima said:
No. I don't surround myself with shit voluntarily.

This. One of many reasons I went into academia in the social sciences was to avoid having to work with conservatives.

There's been no obvious conservatives apply for jobs since I've been a faculty member, but if there were I'd have no issues voting against them when it came time to vote in who to bring in for interviews and who to hire after interviews. The "no assholes" rule is one of our biggest concerns when picking new colleagues.

Sydle · Jul 7, 2018

Absolutely not because it reeks of poor judgement to vote someone into a job who has no prior experience doing said job and it reflects their values of being homophobic, xenophobic, and racist.

I only hire people who are skilled in their job, polite and respectful to others, and has the greater good in mind for the whole team over being self serving. Trump has none of those values.

Deleted member 8861 · Jul 7, 2018

If I have hiring/firing power I'd just tell every hire that the moment they flaunt any bigotry in my office, they're out the door.

WrenchNinja · Jul 7, 2018

Fuck no

Mauricio_Magus · Jul 7, 2018

If they somehow bring it up during the interview process?

Hell no.

Shoeless · Jul 7, 2018

Well, I'm not white, so in my case, the more appropriate question would be, "Would a Trump supporter even want to be in the same building as you?"

I don't think minorities in positions of authority have to worry about Trump supporters applying for jobs if those applicants know a colored person is the boss. All you'd have to do is post a picture of the offending, uppity minority that had the audacity to forget his/her place and be in charge, with a subhead reading, "This will be your boss," and I think that will act as filter enough.

lunarworks · Jul 7, 2018

You'd have to find a pretty good reason not to hire them, because you can't discriminate based on political leanings. Especially in this political climate, with conservatives considering themselves the most persecuted group in the world.

Stardestroyer · Jul 7, 2018

JABEE said:
I tolerate all of those things by continuing to live and work in this country. I have tolerated the indiscriminant bombings of children in the middle east for short time I've been on this Earth and you have too.

Looking up on Facebook and seeing someone is a Trump supporter, I believe I would still hire them, or to the best of my ability attempt to limit the effect it has on my hiring process.

Anyone who is a member of a major political party in the United States would have blood on their hands and un-hireable if we utilized your criteria.

In my opinion, I would hire someone supporting Trump on Facebook, but I couldn't look past Swastikas.

What is your line?

There are a lot of things we have to deal with by virtue of living in the U.S that is a fact like you said. Yes, we all have blood in our hands, but you don't solve wash blood by pouring more blood on to the blood in this case, electing someone represents the worse in humanity, especially to a country that has one of the world's stronger armies and a bunch of nukes.

The one of the only vehicle, I as a private citizen can do is through voting. I might have no control over the government decision to bomb, but I am not going to support a person who does bomb. Unfortunately, in this age both sides have shown willingness to bomb those kids in the middle east, so you really can't use that as an argument against one side. This means that the criteria in which to support a candidate has to move beyond that.

Trump is a racist, with no skills in business, a 4th grade level of understanding of the world and its politics, then you got his concentration camps and his delusions to be a dictator.

The point being, you are not really making a great argument.

lunarworks said:
You'd have to find a pretty good reason not to hire them, because you can't discriminate based on political leanings. Especially in this political climate, with conservatives considering themselves the most persecuted group in the world.

You also cant discriminate due to race and we both know how that works.

Dad_and_Videogames · Jul 7, 2018

I work in the south in foodservice in a healthcare environment. Make of it what you will, and I'm personally very liberal, but if I didn't hire Trump supporters I wouldn't have very many options. Everyone here it seems, other than my direct boss thankfully, loves the guy up and down the chain. He's incredibly popular.

Ravensmash · Jul 7, 2018

Funyarinpa said:
If I have hiring/firing power I'd just tell every hire that the moment they flaunt any bigotry in my office, they're out the door.

Yep.

That'd be the easiest way to handle it.

Have a very clear anti-bigotry/discrimination policy and make it clear that breaching that is viewed as gross misconduct.

SpaceRipperStingyEyes · Jul 7, 2018

If qualified sure. I can disagree with co-workers, its not like they need to be my friend.

Mihos · Jul 7, 2018

Are they qualified and show up?

That is pretty much 99% of what I look for.

LukeOP · Jul 7, 2018

Since when is being a sexist and/or racist a political belief?

No, I would never hire a Trump supporter. I don't need the lawsuits.

jviggy43 · Jul 7, 2018

PogChamp said:
voting trump =/= trump supporter.

There are plenty that voted trump that are just dumb, uninformed people that regret their votes and shouldn't be turned away if they want to better themselves.

People that are still currently supporting Trump support children being separated from their families.

No way should we let people off for voting for him once when that one time vote will have a lifetime of consequences for minorities in this country. Hell hes getting two scotus picks. I don't give a fuck why they voted for him because to do so means to not give a single fuck about every discriminatory view he ran on, no matter how much they regret it.

Kickmaster Kim · Jul 7, 2018

Considering I want to run a black owned establishment that's a hell no and even if I didn't that's still a hell nah.

DigitalOp · Jul 7, 2018

Lol

This thread makes me think is there someone with perfect customer service despite being racist?

Are they able to help a black or Latino customer with over the top service and friendliness and then when the customer walks away...

"Fuckin black/Latino people..." *Grumble grumble*

Lmao that would be an amazing skit

Messofanego · Jul 7, 2018

If the employer was alt right/Nazi themselves aka Palmer Lucky, or libertarian tech bros like the Tesla guy or the Facebook guy or the Twitter guy, sure they would hire Trumpers.

Deleted member 4034 · Jul 7, 2018

TheGhost said:
So just because someone voted trump they are automatically a shit heel? With out knowing jack shit about them?

Sticking on topic you would have a pretty small hiring pool if everyone else is only hiring people with your ideal idealogy. That's half the country being unemployed probably. Your business would probably fail. A lot of businesses would fail if they had purity tests for jobs.

Face it, people can vote republican and.....be great at their jobs. It's work, stop acting like everyone who does not think like you hates all minorities as well, that is simply not the case.

Isn't that why the term "not a good cultural fit" exists.

Also, not being a Trump supporter is a pretty low bar to clear. That's not forcing anyone to agree with "your ideal ideology".

JABEE · Jul 7, 2018

RedMercury said:
You could say that, but I've also used the (albeit small) platform and privilege I have in this country to speak out against that, so it's not like I'm sitting on my hands doing nothing. I protest, I've organized, I speak up and speak out.

But one is clearly worse than the other, "both sides" arguments aren't going to fly here. We're in the midst of rising fascism and white nationalism in our country, one party is fueling that and one party isn't.

My line is being on the side of good and taking a stand against racists and bigots and nazis, and on the other side are people who support racists and bigots and nazis. I also personally have no use for most people in the middle who just throw their hands up waiting to be rolled over either but I realize not everyone is gonna see it that way and there's some debate to be had there, I think the other stuff is pretty clear-cut though

I like how well you explained your position but I think this is improper framing, it isn't just a "political persuasion" and everyone should have the right to not have to work with people that advocate the awful stuff Trump supporters do, people should have a right to feel safe at their job.

I honestly feel there are other ways to fight against Trump's ideology than to blanket ban hiring people who support the GOP on Facebook. I don't believe hiring managers should be scouring the internet for clues on political affiliations before hiring them. If that makes me a "both sides" person, so be it.

I understand that we are living in interesting times. Times that are burning out of control. If I was a hiring manager, I would not go out of my way to deny someone a job because of their affiliation. Supporting the other major political party and their candidate does not rise to the level of identifying with Nazism in my mind.

Man-is-Obsolete · Jul 7, 2018

If someone was deep into the MAGA stuff then I think that would come out via behavioral questions, thus preventing one from even having to ask directly. If I was in a hiring position (I'm not) I would make sure to include questions and/or hypothetical scenarios where empathy and indiscrimination were required. I think their is an interview style that gets into that a bit, but not sure.

Smilin Commander · Jul 7, 2018

If they can do the work then yes. I won't factor in political affiliation when I hire someone

Lwyn · Jul 7, 2018

PogChamp said:
There are plenty that voted trump that are just dumb, uninformed people that regret their votes and shouldn't be turned away if they want to better themselves.

With the amount of time one could use to research their chosen candidate, I chose not to believe that his voters are dumb. Just face facts, they didn't care until it affected them.

Deleted member 2109 · Jul 7, 2018

I don't make the final hiring decisions but I interview and give my thoughts to the area supervisor and president. One of the people I recently pushed for had a Trump/Pence bumper sticker but he was far and away the most experienced person I interviewed.

Servbot24 · Jul 7, 2018

If they come into the interview talking about Trump they're probably a crazy person and I'll pass.

If they are professionals who keep political conversations out of the workplace and they can help make my business more profitable, then yes of course.

Ogodei · Jul 7, 2018

Unfortunately it would not be viable. You'd do more good in the world having your business succeed and using your success to help Democrats win, which is the better way to stick it to them anyway than by denying them jobs. Unfortunately we have to be better than them :-/

Derrick01 · Jul 7, 2018

TheGhost said:
So just because someone voted trump they are automatically a shit heel?

Yeah kind of. Go back to election day before anything he's done since he's been in office. Remember "grab em by the pussy"? Mocking a handicapped person? Insulting veterans and prisoners of war? The countless other horrible things he said and did during that cycle, and that's not even counting the ~30 year documented history he has of being a horrible human being. If you took the time to vote in 2016 then there is 0% chance you didn't know of these things, they were literally all over TV, newspapers and the internet. So people who voted for him knowingly voted for someone who has said and done these things which means they condone it in some form. Maybe they don't necessarily agree with most of it but it didn't bother them enough to not vote for him.

What's that supposed to say about people who still voted for him? No one was caught off guard by the type of person he is, it's not like he was ok then when he took office he revealed himself to be a horrible person.

skeezx · Jul 7, 2018

sure, business is business. i'm in it for your skills, not a friend

Doom · Jul 7, 2018

If there were no rules and regulations? Absolutely not lol.

But I'd also be the asshole who makes every applicant take an IQ test, an EQ test, a problem solving test, and a context clues/reading comprehension test. Luckily for society at large, there are rules to prevent me from unleashing my inner dickhead on people trying to better their lives.

Infamous Hawk · Jul 7, 2018

If they were qualified and weren't disruptive, of course. What you do in the voting booth, or bedroom, or anything outside of work is none of my business. So long as you work with co-workers and leadership respectfully, I couldn't care less.

You'd have to be a special kind of hypocrite to say you loath discrimination based on race, sex, or sexual preference and then discriminate based on voting history.

Ravensmash · Jul 7, 2018

Lwyn said:
With the amount of time one could use to research their chosen candidate, I chose not to believe that his voters are dumb. Just face facts, they didn't care until it affected them.

You overestimate how much time the majority of the population (anywhere)
focuses on politics.

Hollywood Duo · Jul 7, 2018

Sure they are awesome at doing whatever they are told.

cakely · Jul 7, 2018

If it somehow came out in the Job interview process? Or when we went through their social media?

I'd find a reason to hire another candidate.

IchigoSharingan · Jul 7, 2018

Chronos said:
Good thing none of you are employers, it is tough to run a business with ideological hiring practices. It's hard hard enough to run a business without them.

As long as you have policies around employee behavior that enforce federal law against harming protected classes, you will be fine.

Speak for yourself. It is easy. And no, I will never hire racists.

Baji Boxer · Jul 7, 2018

PersonAndStuff said:
For the record, I am not an employer nor anyone with the ability to hire or fire. Let's also assume you did not ask about Trump in the interview nor did they volunteer their views. You just magically know.

I don't think I knowingly would. I think we've reached the point where this is not a normal acceptable political opinion. I'd be worried how they would deal with fellow employees/customers of different races and sexual orientation. Quite frankly, I'd also doubt thier intelligence and morality. If you think locking refugee children is okay, I don't trust you won't steal from me or just lie to my face to save your ass. I also don't want to spend any time with you.

No. Trump supporters all support outright bigotry, so they'd be toxic to have around anyone from a disadvantaged group. It's beyond a simple difference of political opinion at this point.

Jackpot · Jul 7, 2018

No, but they would have to volunteer the information. And in the UK it was ruled legal to fire people for belonging to the BNP, which is the UK equivalent of the GOP.

Dingens · Jul 7, 2018

Your logic is flawed
If I were an employer, I would be the Trump supporter

Primal Sage · Jul 7, 2018

No, I would not employ a nazi.

Maquiladora · Jul 7, 2018

Fuck no.

Deleted member 5167 · Jul 7, 2018

Baji Boxer said:
No. Trump supporters all support outright bigotry

"This group of people are all evil, and I hate bigotry"

Are you guys really this lacking in self awareness?

samthebreadman · Jul 7, 2018

I dont think it is right to hire or not hire based on political views.

Yes, I would hire as long as the person meets the qualifications and is professional.

If you were an employer, would you hire a Trump supporter?

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