SeatGeek Faces Backlash Over Job Listing Perks

Popular ticketing service SeatGeek is experiencing significant criticism regarding its pricing structure. This follows recent job postings that advertised benefits like “gender-affirming care” along with generous salaries, which have ignited outrage across social media platforms.

The company is on the lookout for analytics engineers to join its data team, specifying that candidates must possess “strong opinions” on how data can influence decisions. Alongside a salary range of $121,000 to $175,000, they also highlight several enticing benefits such as mental health support, unlimited paid time off, four months of fully paid family leave, options for remote or office work, home office stipends, and a student loan matching initiative.

Interestingly, among the application requirements, there’s a section titled “Voluntary Demographic Questions.” Here, candidates are prompted to specify their gender from a variety of options, including “male, female, non-binary, third gender, prefer not to say, or prefer to self-describe.” Applicants are also allowed to disclose if they identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

This approach has sparked concerns regarding its relevance, with some voices on social media calling for a boycott against SeatGeek.

There’s also been some debate about the implications of the offered $25,000, with questions about whether it could be allocated for elective surgeries not directly related to gender reassignment. Additionally, certain people have pointed out that four months of paid family leave might seem excessive due to the provision of unlimited PTO.

In a comment, a user noted that “private companies can offer incentives to employees, if it’s still legal and it’s the kind of employees the company wants to attract.” They elaborated on the idea that non-transgender individuals might also benefit from such incentives for other cosmetic procedures. Others chimed in with their own takes, joking about spending money on non-essential items like fishing trips rather than gender affirmation.

This ongoing discourse has revitalized discussions about SeatGeek’s ticket prices, which many have criticized as exorbitant. One user asserted, “If they can offer ‘perks’ that are this expensive, it would suggest that the prices are gouged.” Another pointed out that the ability to provide such benefits indicates high prices.

On the matter of the demographic questions, SeatGeek clarified that these are optional and intended to assess their diversity and inclusion efforts in line with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) reporting standards. Such inquiries regarding gender and sexual identification are typical in many U.S. job applications for EEO compliance purposes.

As of now, SeatGeek has yet to respond to requests for comments about the situation.