Background Checks

6 elements staffing firm contracts must include

06/03/2013

When negotiating contracts with employee outsourcing firms, many organizations make background checks an afterthought and leave the specifics up to the agency. That’s a big mistake.

Minnesota Senate approves bill banning conviction questions

05/09/2013

The Minnesota Senate has approved a measure that would prohibit most private employers from asking job applicants about past criminal convictions until they have been interviewed or made a conditional job offer.

Rights groups take aim at Target over criminal records

04/11/2013

The NAACP and the advocacy group Take Action Minnesota have accused retail giant Target of unfair hiring practices, alleging that the chain unnecessarily rejects job applicants based on their criminal records.

Study spots patterns in New York discrimination litigation

03/05/2013

Employers continue to prevail in most New York discrimination cases, but litigation is taking longer. Those are among the key findings of Bond, Schoeneck & King’s recently published 2012 Study of Employment Discrimination Litigation in the Northern and Western Districts of New York.

OFCCP: Background checks only if job-related, necessary

03/05/2013

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has issued new guidance about how and when federal contractors may use a job applicant’s criminal background in the hiring process.

Reference checks: How to coax information from past employers

02/13/2013

Due to fear of lawsuits, many former employers are reluctant to assist you with employment references. If you are fortunate enough to be able to ask questions of an applicant’s former employer, don’t squander the opportunity. Use these tricks for getting valuable information.

Background checks: How safe is too safe?

01/11/2013

Q. We are considering instituting a criminal background check policy for all employee positions. We’ve heard scary stories of lawsuits regarding negligent hiring, and we’d really like to avoid that sort of litigation, not to mention the negative media attention. Is there any downside to having an “across the board” criminal background check policy?

Conduct background checks? Use new FCRA form

12/31/2012

Starting Jan. 13, 2013, employers that obtain background checks from consumer reporting agencies must give applicants and employees a new, updated version of the Summary of Rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act form.

Conducting background checks on job candidates? Know how to comply with the FCRA

12/12/2012

If your organization conducts background checks on applicants or employees through a third-party company, you must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. Here are the steps to comply with the FCRA, according to the U.S. Bureau of Consumer Protection:

A step-by-step guide to legally safe hiring practices

11/27/2012

Hiring is one of the most difficult and legally dangerous tasks for supervisors. Just a few ill-timed words in a want ad or interview can trigger a legal complaint. Here are the key liability hot spots to watch out for in the hiring process: