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Background Checks

Should you ask applicants about expunged criminal record?

03/01/2007

Pennsylvania employers can use information obtained as part of a criminal record check to deny a job if it shows that the applicant was convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor. But what if the applicant reveals that he or she has an expunged criminal record? …

References, Background Checks

02/01/2007

HR Law 101: Make it your policy never to hire a candidate without a reference/background check. Your organization could be held liable for “negligent hiring” or “failure to warn” should the employee turn violent on the job. If the employee’s past history would have revealed a problem but you didn’t spot it because you didn’t check, the courts will say you “should have known.” Your firm not only might have to pay damages but also would suffer a loss of reputation …    
 

 

‘Gift of time’ benefits: Nice perk, but consider safety, too

02/01/2007

To thank employees for working 10-hour days during the busy tax season, RSM McGladrey gives them back some of their time: four hours of it, to be exact …

Texas law on background checks for minors

02/01/2007

Q. We do background checks on all applicants. I know the Fair Credit Reporting Act says we have to get the applicant’s permission. We hire some employees under age 18. Is there anything special we need to do? —A.G.

Negligent Hiring

01/30/2007

HR Law 101: If you fail to do background checks on applicants for certain positions, you could make yourself vulnerable to a negligent-hiring lawsuit by any worker or customer who’s been hurt by a violent employee. You should check applicants’ backgrounds especially for positions such as day care worker, security guard and sales representative …

Pennsylvania Criminal Records History Act

01/15/2007

Under Pennsylvania law, employers can refuse to hire a job applicant based on the person’s criminal history only if the criminal record directly relates to the “applicant’s suitability” for the job …

Sample Policy: Confidentiality and Nondisclosure

01/01/2007
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Workplace violence: Georgia law opens liability beyond workers’ comp

01/01/2007

Twelve percent of all violent crimes committed in the United States occur in the workplace. And Georgia employers face unique legal challenges in their response to such violence …

6 legally vital elements in staffing-firm contracts

01/01/2007

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 …

Handle application liars consistently: Reject all or none

12/01/2006

As an employer, you can’t always wait on a background check before offering a job, so you have to rely on applicants’ oral and written statements to make the offer. But when the background check comes back to reveal that the person lied, you have the absolute right to terminate that individual for dishonesty …