You’re not exceptionally paranoid. The only time I ever reveal bank information is after signing an employment agreement and it’s always on the direct deposit authorization provided by ADP/Gusto/w.e HR software they use, never to a company representative.
I’m seeing more and more applications ask for DEI information like sexual orientation and gender identification too - information that I consider almost as private. I can’t believe anyone fills them out sight unseen.
But as the sibling comment says, wisdom comes with age (mistakes)
Actually if you are of a certain age, you might have been in an era where providing extra information to HR was commonplace. I think for my first job I just filled out my bank account info on paper and did not interact with any payroll software at all.
But I don't remember being asked about DEI information, I am not sure they cared back then.
In the U.S., I think employers are required to ask specific questions about ethnicity, gender identity, veteran status, disabilities, and if you're authorized to work in the U.S.
Except for that last question, I think they're required to let your answer be "I prefer not to answer".
Those questions are usually at the end of the job application and when you've filled out enough of them, you can tell the difference between one platform's legal boilerplate and questions added manually by the employer.
All of the sexual orientation questions are clearly of the latter sort. Neither the federal government nor my state require asking anything about sexual orientation. (And yes I do answer "Prefer not to self identify" to the ethnicity question and all of the employer added ones)
I’m seeing more and more applications ask for DEI information like sexual orientation and gender identification too - information that I consider almost as private. I can’t believe anyone fills them out sight unseen.
But as the sibling comment says, wisdom comes with age (mistakes)