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posted by martyb on Thursday October 20 2016, @09:33AM   Printer-friendly
from the mandatory-opt-in dept.

It is illegal today to use DNA testing for employment, but as science advances its understanding of genes that correlate to certain desirable traits -- such as leadership and intelligence -- business may want this information.

People seeking leadership roles in business, or even those in search of funding for a start-up, may volunteer their DNA test results to demonstrate that they have the right aptitude, leadership capabilities and intelligence for the job.

This may sound farfetched, but it's possible based on the direction of the science, according to Gartner analysts David Furlonger and Stephen Smith, who presented their research at the firm's Symposium IT/xpo here. This research is called "maverick" in Gartner parlance, meaning it has a somewhat low probability and is still years out, but its potential is nonetheless worrisome to the authors.

Businesses could also weed out people with diabetes, heart defects, and any other congenital defects that can lead to absenteeism.


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  • (Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday October 20 2016, @04:26PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Thursday October 20 2016, @04:26PM (#416756)

    Don't get me wrong: I think this is a terrible idea for lots of other reasons. I'm just pointing out that even if it weren't terrible for other reasons, its stated reasons don't even make the slightest bit of sense.

    And I agree completely that the real purpose of this is to screen out employees that are likely to have health problems. Yet another entry under "reasons the US health care system is completely insane".

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