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US Justice Dept. Investigates IT Hiring Practices
Zecheus writes "The Wall Street Journal (no paywall on this story) reports that the Justice Department is 'stepping up' an investigation of hiring practices of US technology firms, such as Google, Intel, IBM, and Apple. From the article: 'The inquiry is focused on whether companies, particularly in the technology sector, have agreed not to recruit each other's employees in ways that violate antitrust law. Specifically, the probe is looking into whether the companies' hiring practices are costing skilled computer engineers and other workers opportunities to change jobs for higher pay or better benefits.'"
A "gentlemen's agreement" between companies not to pilfer employees isn't a bad thing ... unless you're not one of those companies. Didn't Apple poach their latest iPod manager from IBM? Doesn't sound like they always play by the rules of their "agreement".
Google is for geeks, does open source and can do no wrong. This investigation is unfair.
Apple is for users, does open source and is evil. This investigation is great!
It is not the right of the Federal Government to tell a corporation who they can and cannot hire, within a certain extent(illegal aliens and such would be an obvious exemption). If you have five people applying for a position and all five people can legally work in the United States, then that is where the power of any government in the United States stops. This sounds like a load of bullshit and a waste of taxpayer money.
If a company is recruiting people from other companies, then I see no problem with this. This is how the process works. If a company has evidence that another company is trying to steal "trade secrets", then they need to report that. Otherwise, then government needs to keep its fucking nose out of this.