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Ask HN: Should I testify?

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Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#171

Post by TheOsiris »

fixxer wrote: post #35
mattvanhorn wrote: post #22

Tell them to subpoena you - then the choice to testify is not yours any more. You'll have to. But you can tell future employers that you were forced, if you'd like to.

This is smart. Guilty as sin or not, testifying against an employer seems risky for one's career. You want to be able to explain to future employers what happened in a manner that takes personal character assessment out of the equation: somebody broke the law and you got a subpoena. EDIT: I've worked at some shops that were "cultish" and would look at testifying without a subpoena as not being part of the team. Fucke…

I think OP's concern is that he'll lose out on even getting an interview. Basically, employers will get his resume, like what they see, google him then decide to pass

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#172

Post by dtcarlso »

Tell the law firm to f*%k off. Attorneys are vultures and just care about themselves (spent most my life working with them). You are just toilet paper to them. What is the benefit of testifying?

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#173

Post by late2part »

Do you think you can go your whole career making everyone like what you do?

If not, do what you think is right. You'll be your best critic and fan, pay attention to what's good for you.

Separately, if you want to spend your life working for soulless corporations, then the publicity could hurt you.

If you want to work for good people that understand real issues, they'll appreciate what you do if you handle yourself honorably.

This reminds me of John Boyd's famous question: "Do you want to be somebody or do you want to do something?"

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#174

Post by late2part »

TheDong wrote: post #137
BurningFrog wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people here are for OP testifying. Many people on HN make hiring decisions. Yes, you can imagine that they would see things differently when actually facing a hiring decision, but my base assumption is that most of them don't.

Before a developer on HN gets the chance to get a say in the decision, an HR filter goes over it. Those people are more risk-averse and this is clearly a company risk.

I've worked at 4 big name tech companies. None of the HR departments could block a hire based on these sort of issues. If the applicant fails to pass a background check for issues like criminal, etc, that's different. But some intangible 'industry risk' has never been a veto power that HR gets. I'm sure there's some company out there that could do this, but I haven't seen it.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#175

Post by mavdi »

Qworg wrote: post #3

Testify. It demonstrates integrity. Any firm that doesn't want to hire you, especially if the case is clear cut, is not worth working for.

This is bad advice. This is living life on hard mode. I wouldn't testify. You don't have anything to gain other than morality points, but you'll have everything real to lose.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#176

Post by late2part »

MichaelCrawford wrote: post #70
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably in California USA you can be forced to take the stand as witness but not compelled to bear testimony or indeed speak? (eg http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-rights/fifth-amendment-... penultimate heading).

The fifth amendment right against self-incrimination only applies to criminal matters, not civil matters. There is a lot about employment law, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act that is civil and not criminal. Also it is the right against SELF incrimination. One can be compelled to incriminate others.

IANAL - but I don't think your first paragraph is accurate.

I agree completely with your second paragraph.

Let's say Sally is suing Joe for wrecking her car. I was driving Joe's car, and I fled the scene of the accident.

I'm subpoenaed in the civil matter to come testify for Sally to say what Joe did.

I'm pretty sure that you can tell the judge you refuse to answer due to 5th amendment right.

Source: I did this once in a federal civil suit (no vehicles involved)

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#178

Post by pcl »

TheDong wrote: post #137
BurningFrog wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people here are for OP testifying. Many people on HN make hiring decisions. Yes, you can imagine that they would see things differently when actually facing a hiring decision, but my base assumption is that most of them don't.

Before a developer on HN gets the chance to get a say in the decision, an HR filter goes over it. Those people are more risk-averse and this is clearly a company risk.

Given the sorts of candidates that BigCo HR teams tend to let through the process, I'd be pretty surprised if the HR filtration process would actually pick up some random court case, much less act on it.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#179

Post by BurritoAlPastor »

mavdi wrote: post #175
Qworg wrote: post #3

Testify. It demonstrates integrity. Any firm that doesn't want to hire you, especially if the case is clear cut, is not worth working for.

This is bad advice. This is living life on hard mode. I wouldn't testify. You don't have anything to gain other than morality points, but you'll have everything real to lose.

Confucius once wrote that 'seeing the right thing and not doing it is cowardly'. This is still true today. But you are right that the life of a coward is easier.

Living a virtuous life is always 'hard mode'; if it were not, would we ever have bothered to identify virtue?

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#180

Post by andersonmvd »

BurritoAlPastor wrote: post #179
mavdi wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is bad advice. This is living life on hard mode. I wouldn't testify. You don't have anything to gain other than morality points, but you'll have everything real to lose.

Confucius once wrote that 'seeing the right thing and not doing it is cowardly'. This is still true today. But you are right that the life of a coward is easier. Living a virtuous life is always 'hard mode'; if it were not, would we ever have bothered to identify virtue?

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