I was kind of with you up until this point. That's a line that is foolish to cross. Any candidate who plays fast and loose with their previous employers' code

I was kind of with you up until this point. That's a line that is foolish to cross. Any candidate who plays fast and loose with their previous employers' code is going to play fast and loose with _your_ code. Or your corporate secrets. Or lifting GPL code. Or pretty anything else they think they can make off with. Such employees are a lawsuit waiting to happen and are best avoided, as are employers who tolerate such employees.