BOZEMAN – The Bozeman City Commission voted Monday to hire an independent investigator to look into how job candidates’ login information to social-networking sites was gathered and used as part of the city’s former hiring practice.
Until news of the policy broke earlier this month, candidates for city jobs were asked to provide password-protected online information during background checks. Commission members said they were unaware of the practice.
The commission voted unanimously to hire an outside party to investigate details such as how and when city job candidates were presented with a waiver form asking for their login codes. The investigation also will look into whether candidates were told that providing the information was voluntary and into how their Web sites were reviewed.
“Somebody should sit down with people who have applied with the city and see how it happened,” Commissioner Eric Bryson said. “It might be a lot of people, and it might be a lot of work, but I think it’s something that we need to get to the bottom of.”
City Manager Chris Kukulski said employees are encouraged to participate and there will not be any retaliation.
They “need to be engaged in this for it to be accurate — for it to be complete,” he said.
The investigation is expected to include face-to-face interviews with supervisors and dozens of employees hired by the city over the past three years.