| THIS IS OUR THIRD WEEK IN A ROW...
talking about policy adjustments, and we're really looking forward to sharing a recap with some of the responses we've heard from folks in the email inbox. Thank you to all those who have written, shared, and responded. We're glad to be doing this work alongside you.
You can catch up on our guidelines for 'reliable transportation' and 'valid driver's license' if you missed them. But before we get to the point of recapping this conversation, we have a little more work to do, specifically on the job requirement of a "clean driving record."
As we read in A Growing Culture's often thought-provoking and sometimes mind-blowing newsletter this week, "Our work to transform the world around us is bound, whether we like it or not, by language. And language is never neutral. It is deeply connected to the values and beliefs of those who created it - values that are upheld, whether knowingly or not, by those who use it. As such, language has the ability to shape our perception of the world to either maintain or challenge power imbalances."
(Read their full take on how language embodies our relationship with the world.)
We talk openly and regularly with employers about how it's our goal to improve the hiring process for all candidates, but one of the goals we talk about less often is our ongoing imperative to understand - to engage in the process of coming to know - the values that we are upholding. When we enact a shift in culture, it's in service to knowing and embodying those values. Not because we expect to reach a finish line - something many of us have been taught to believe is the ultimate goal - but because we believe in the power of language and how it makes us feel.
Specifically, do we feel welcomed? Seen? Do we feel that the world is open to us? That we are defined by our possibility just as much - or more so - than our past? Do we feel trusted? Believed in? Cheered on? If you've never wondered how a potential applicant or team member responds to these questions throughout the hiring process...now is a good time to consider it.
So about that "clean driving record"...our guidelines are:
- First of all, what does it mean? "Clean" is a subjective state. What are the characteristics you're actually looking for? You might start with those by listing: "safe driver", "proven track record of operating a vehicle safely", "comfort operating a vehicle in a professional capacity", etc.
- Related to defining what a "clean driving record" is in the first place, include details and specifics about what you expect. How long is the period of review? What types of infractions would be permissible, and which ones would rule a candidate out? If these details are definable for you as an employer, then they should be transparent in your job requirements.
- A lot of employers share that this requirement is based on their insurance policy, and therefore not something they have control over removing. If this is the case for you, be sure to mention that alongside the requirement - including their definition of 'clean', as referenced above. This sends a message that you are open and clear in your communication, something that we know builds trust with a future team member right from the start.
- Many employers find that they are carrying this language forward as part of a 'standard' job listing. If it's lurking inside your own habitual processes, we encourage you to consider whether you even need such a phrase at all. And if you do, we invite you to bake the above guidelines into your current and future hiring plans, because...
As of today, we're updating our GFJ policy to require all employers to refrain from using the phrase "clean driving record" as a stand-alone job requirement in all future job posts.
Yours in food justice,
Tay + Dor
photo by Azra Sadr for GFJ Stories
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