Scrutiny of job applicants has intensified, and this has fueled a boom in companies that do database searches of applicants' credit reports, driving and court records, and even workers' compensation claims. Many companies regularly test for drugs. Much of this occurs without the workers' knowledge. While companies say they collect information on their employees to comply with the law and protect their business interests, a recent survey of Fortune 500 companies showed that nearly half collect data on their workers without informing them. A majority said they share employee data with prospective creditors, landlords, and charities.
Employers say they feel intense pressure from lawsuits of every sort.
The number of sex, race, disability, and age-discrimination suits brought by workers has more than doubled from over 10,700 in 1992 to 23,000 in 1996. Some of the cases focus not on management misbehavior but on what employees do to each other. For instance, workers assaulted by co-workers have sued their employers for negligent hiring. The plaintiffs claimed the jokes created a hostile work environment. The case was dismissed last month.