How It Works
Last updated: June 1, 2025
The Respect Index is a hiring accountability platform that tracks how companies treat job seekers and employees — from first application to final separation. Here is exactly how reports are submitted, scored, and published.
What we track
The Respect Index tracks two categories of employer behavior. The Ghost Score measures responsiveness during the hiring process — whether companies acknowledge applications, follow up after interviews, and communicate decisions in a reasonable timeframe. The Process Score measures the overall quality of the hiring experience — clarity of role expectations, number of interview rounds, communication between rounds, and whether the final outcome was communicated with respect. The Separation Index tracks how companies handle layoffs and terminations — WARN Act compliance, severance practices, outplacement support, and communication quality.
Who submits reports
Reports are submitted by job seekers, current employees, and former employees who have direct, firsthand experience with a company's hiring or separation process. Submitters are not required to create an account, but all submissions are reviewed for authenticity signals before publication. We do not accept reports from individuals who have not directly experienced the process they are reporting on.
How reports are reviewed
Every submission passes through an automated integrity layer that checks for duplicate submissions, coordinated inauthentic patterns, and submissions that conflict with verified public data. Reports that pass integrity checks are published, typically within 24 to 48 hours of submission. Reports flagged for review are held pending editorial assessment. We do not edit the substance of reports — we publish them as submitted or not at all.
How scores are calculated
Ghost Score is calculated from the ratio of ghosting reports to total interactions reported for a company, weighted by recency. A higher Ghost Score indicates more ghosting relative to total reported interactions. Process Score is a composite of ratings across multiple dimensions of the hiring experience, averaged across all reports for a company and weighted by recency. Both scores are updated in real time as new reports are submitted. Companies with fewer than three reports display scores as provisional.
Recency weighting
Reports submitted within the past 90 days carry full weight in score calculations. Reports between 91 and 365 days old carry 75% weight. Reports older than one year carry 50% weight. This ensures that scores reflect current employer behavior and that companies can improve their scores by changing their practices over time.
Company profiles
Every company in our database has a profile page showing its current Ghost Score, Process Score, total report count, industry, and a feed of published reports. Company data including headquarters, size, and industry is sourced from Wikidata and public filings. Company logos are sourced from Brandfetch. Companies do not pay to appear on the Platform, and scores cannot be purchased or improved through any commercial relationship with The Respect Index.
The Awards program
Companies that demonstrate consistently high scores across a meaningful volume of reports are eligible for recognition through The Respect Index Awards program. Awards are issued quarterly and are based entirely on score data — companies cannot apply for or purchase awards. Award recipients may display the badge on their own recruitment materials.
Ghost Postings
The Ghost Postings section tracks job listings that have been open for an extended period without visible hiring activity — a common source of candidate frustration. Ghost posting data is sourced from public job board data and user-submitted flags. A posting flagged as a ghost is labeled as such on the Platform with the flag date noted.
What we are not
The Respect Index is not a background check service, a verified employer review site, or a legal compliance tool. Scores are opinions derived from user-submitted data. They are not audited, certified, or guaranteed to be accurate. Companies should not rely on scores as a legal assessment of their compliance with employment law. Job seekers should use scores as one data point among many when evaluating potential employers.