Ask HN: Should I testify? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#51

Post by evan_ » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:31 PM UTC

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…

> Fucked up, but organizations are often so.

You can choose not to be a part of these organizations.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#52

Post by danschumann » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:32 PM UTC

avoid it

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#53

Post by grandalf » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:32 PM UTC

If you feel the law that was broken should be upheld then go ahead and testify. If I were considering hiring you I'd probably look at your decision to testify as a positive one unless I strongly disagreed with the law.

While I don't think we should selectively obey laws, there are certainly some that are very stupid and I'd question the judgment of someone who went to great lengths to punish a firm for violating one.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#54

Post by a3voices » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:34 PM UTC

I wouldn't testify because there is nothing for me to gain monetarily.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#55

Post by CamperBob2 » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:34 PM UTC

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.

What if he doesn't agree with the law in question? I wouldn't consider it "integrity" to testify against an individual in a small-time drug case, for instance.

I agree with the other posters: if you do want to testify, ask for a subpoena.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#56

Post by tptacek » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:36 PM UTC

Data point (as requested): I can't imagine factoring trial testimony into a hiring decision, nor can I imagine wasting years of my career I'll never get back at the kind of company that would do that.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#57

Post by teekert » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:36 PM UTC

So you want to work for companies that won't hire you because you speak up when you witness injustice?

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#58

Post by hewitt » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:36 PM UTC

Any action you take causes some reaction somewhere out there, be it now, or later; sometimes you know but other times you have no idea where that somewhere is or will be. Whatever you decide think strategically and long term.

It's highly admirable to care about the world, but sometimes it turns out the world will not care about you.

Listen to all the opinions/advice you can get, adjust your beliefs in the light of this new information, then make a decision you'll be most conformable with.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#59

Post by porpoisemonkey » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:37 PM UTC

BurningFrog wrote: post #40

bstrom wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the only answer to his question :)

Except it doesn't answer the actual question...

I agree. The OP is clearly asking for quantifiable responses about career impact and not platitudes.

Re: Ask HN: Should I testify?

#60

Post by alain94040 » Sat, Apr 11, 2015, 7:39 PM UTC

It really depends on what the lawsuit and testimony are about. If it's a frivolous kind of lawsuit that you disagree with, don't volunteer. If the lawsuit is about something that you support, your ethics should compell you to testify.

Either way, be aware that you can be forced to testify. As long as your testimony is based purely on facts, then I don't see future employers as having issues with it.