[bzax]

> Additionally, Scharf received a reprimand for not using preferred pronouns in notes related to an interview he conducted with a job applicant whose preferred pronouns did not align with their biological gender. Scharf argued in the lawsuit that he refrained from using any pronouns during the interview and only used the applicant’s biological pronouns in internal notes.

It is so easy to just always write "the candidate" in your interview notes, and never need to write any third person pronouns. Certainly he was making a stand, rather than just non-confrontationally abiding by his beliefs. Obviously one wouldn't use any gendered pronouns in the interview since we only have "you" in English - though I imagine "refrained from using any pronouns" is a misreporting.

[JasserInicide]

He should have known he was going down a dangerous path doing what he did, but it was bound to happen somewhere. Someone has to die on this hill. Now let's see if the courts are going to stick to the letter of the law or succumb to culture war pressures like so many other institutions have done

[lostmsu]

What does the letter of law say?

[iLoveOncall]

Have you ever taken notes during an interview? If I wrote "the candidate" every time, I would just lose track of what the candidate is saying.

On top of that, I don't know how it works at Bitwarden, but interview notes are only supposed to be used by you to later synthesize, so it shouldn't matter if you write "the candidate", "the dude", or whatever else is the most efficient when taking notes.

Lastly, it wouldn't even come to my mind to ask a candidate's pronouns in an interview, so it's already unreasonable expectations for me to even know them.

[bzax]

Have you ever shared interview notes with anyone? I type mine up... and 'TC' is just as useful in my shorthand as he/she would be.

I agree with you that if these were his personal notes from which he then composed his evaluation of the candidate it wouldn't matter - but I bet you that's not what this was, and I would further bet you that he was informed of the candidates pronouns and did know them.

[bzax]

Hey what do you know, I found the lawsuit: "That same week, Bitwarden tasked Mr. Scharf with interviewing a potential employee whose “preferred pronouns” were in contradiction to Mr. Scharf’s religious beliefs. Mr. Scharf conducted the interview in a professional and respectful manner, avoiding the use of pronouns all together. Mr. Scharf assessed the interviewee favorably and recommended that the interviewee advance to the next stage of the interview process. Because of Mr. Scharf’s religious beliefs, in his notes regarding the interview, which were shared internally and not with the interviewee, Mr. Scharf did not use the interviewee’s requested pronouns."

[jitl]

Using “they” & “the candidate” or “TC” has been standard practice for interviews at my employers.