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Hiring

Background check isn’t enough; tight supervision keeps liability at bay

09/01/2005
Your organization can be held liable for “negligent hiring” if an employee commits a crime and you could have (or should have) prevented it. That’s why it’s crucial to run background …

Workplace violence: Keep staff safe the legally smart way

09/01/2005
THE LAW. Employees who commit violent acts in the workplace obviously violate state criminal laws. But the liability trail doesn’t stop there.
Employers have a legal obligation to maintain a …

Watch those nicknames: Turning El-Hakem into ‘Hank’ spells bias

09/01/2005
You know that ethnic slurs and name-calling have no place in the workplace. But a new court ruling proves that any kind of ethnic intolerance can be punished.
If supervisors …

Lure ‘passive’ job candidates with the right first impression

09/01/2005
Issue: Recruiting “passive” job candidates requires a different strategy than ones used to attract active job-seekers.
Benefit: Choose the right words in that initial contact to prevent quick rejections and …

Review your personality test: Is it an illegal ‘medical’ exam?

09/01/2005
Issue: A recent court ruling says certain employment personality tests may violate the ADA.
Risk: If your test screens out people with mental disorders, it could be deemed an illegal …

USERRA allows only one reinstatement, not two

08/01/2005
The federal Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) says that if an employee’s military-related absences last less than five years, you must reinstate the employee to his or her …

Adapt technology to disabled staff … within your means

08/01/2005
Issue: Various new technologies allow disabled people to be productive at work.
Risk: Courts say employers must provide such adaptive technologies in line with their resources.
Action: Here’s how …

Check bankruptcy records when employees sue

08/01/2005
If your organization is hit with an employee lawsuit, consider having your attorney check for a bankruptcy filing by the employee who sues you. If the lawsuit isn’t listed as an asset with …

Save medical exams for last step in pre-hire screening

08/01/2005
When you or your hiring managers need to fill an open slot fast, it may be tempting to skip steps in the application process. But don’t do it.
Follow the …

‘Winging it’ during interviews poses double danger

08/01/2005
Using unstructured, “tell me about yourself” questions during job interviews not only opens you to discrimination claims, it often results in poor hires, says Mindy Chapman, national director of training for …