Final answer:
The discussion revolves around personal background investigations commonly required for sensitive jobs and positions within law enforcement, national security, and the judiciary, as well as measures in place to prevent hiring discrimination as enforced by the EEOC.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject matter referred to in the question pertains to processes that involve a personal background investigation. This is a common requirement for jobs or positions where trust and character are paramount, such as in law enforcement, national security, or legal professions. Background checks are performed to ensure that individuals in sensitive positions have the integrity suitable for their roles. This includes professions where even in non-partisan or local elections, candidates cannot list party affiliations, compelling voters to evaluate the candidates based on their professional background or claims, like being a criminal prosecutor, to make a judgment regarding their fitness for a judicial role.
In hiring situations, the relevance of group-membership criteria must be carefully balanced against individual merits to prevent discrimination. Federal laws, like those enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), protect job applicants from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and age. Companies must take care not to use personal information to unfairly discriminate against candidates. Moreover, certain personal communications, particularly in research contexts, also lean on privacy protections to safeguard against undue intrusion into individual's lives.