Background Checks

Washington to ‘ban the box’

03/15/2018

Washington becomes the 11th state to prohibit private-sector employers from asking about arrests or criminal convictions on job applications.

A background check, an interview, then handcuffs

01/18/2018

When a man applied for a dispatcher job at an Arizona police department, the required background check revealed an arrest warrant.

Legal updates: Safe time in NYC, pay query ban in Albany

01/09/2018

Cities and municipalities continue to pass new laws affecting how employers manage their workforces. Here is a look at the new NYC “safe time” leave law and Albany County’s new rules on interview questions.

Assignment scope determines background checker liability

12/06/2017

If you run background checks before hiring, the information you request may limit liability for the investigating firm you use.

Don’t base hiring decision on medical history

11/09/2017

When evaluating applicants, you may consider whether their current health affects their ability to do the job, but you can’t factor in old injuries or medical conditions.

‘Criminal’ doesn’t get Title VII protection

09/26/2017

For an applicant to sue under Title VII, she can’t merely allege that she suffered because of having a criminal record.

Résumé lies are on the rise

08/22/2017

What’s the truth about lying on résumés? Almost half of workers (46%) polled by staffing firm OfficeTeam said they know someone who included false information on a résumé, a 25-point jump from a 2011 survey.

What’s the problem with checking social media accounts of applicants and employees?

08/02/2017

Q. I would like to ensure that all of the individuals working for us do not engage in morally questionable behavior. Since many people show their true selves on social media, not at work, can I check the social media profiles of applicants and employees?

Employers count on social media to screen applicants

06/15/2017

Seventy percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring, according to a new survey by Harris Poll and CareerBuilder.com.

Top 10 employment application mistakes employers make

06/13/2017

Employment applications may seem innocuous, but they contain a number of minefields of which employers should be aware. In general, avoid asking applicants questions that elicit information that cannot be considered when making a hiring decision.