FWD: Employment question

[TECHWR-L Administrator]

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We are a five person documentation group at a mid-sized company. I 
started here as a lone writer eight years back. The team grew to its 
current size, over the years as the need arose. Though I have the final 
say in the selection of a new writer, the team members are involved in 
the screening and interviewing process, and the final decision is a 
consensus.

We are a pretty close-knit team, and fit in together well. Though each 
writer works on individual books and products, the rest of the team 
pitches in whenever necessary, like in a crunch at release time or when 
some one needs time-off with a scheduled release coming up. Our regular 
table in the cafeteria is called the Doc Table where people stop by to 
chat us up. Of course, we do enjoy our private jokes about the rest of 
the company… :-)

Now we are in need of another writer and have been going through a round 
of interviewing. Been a bit frustrating till we found the ideal 
candidate. Articulate, good language skills, in-depth knowledge in our 
technologies, friendly nature… The interviewing team were exchanging 
gratified smiles till we took the candidate for lunch.

The contrast in views couldn't have been any greater. And the person was 
not the least bit reluctant to express them either. Like it was a given 
that no one could ever disagree with those opinions. (Did I tell you our 
team all fall into the same side of the political spectrum?) The visible 
strain the team was under to keep the situation from sliding to an Al 
Franken date with Ann Coulter would have made me smile if I was not 
under the same strain.

The question is, would it be ethical to deny employment to a person 
(otherwise eminently qualified) based on his/her political views, though 
the real reason is never mentioned? On the other hand, is a new person 
(however well qualified) worth the possible disruption (97% possibility) 
to the sense of good will in the team?