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Background Checks

Background checks: Weigh convictions, not arrests

01/01/2004

Q. We’re going back and forth on this question: On an employment application, can we legally ask about an applicant’s prior conviction record or arrest record? —T.F., Nevada

Hiring temps onto your permanent staff? Check their backgrounds

12/01/2003
Quick quiz: What does your temp agency contract say about performing background checks? Is it your duty? Is it theirs? Too many employers don’t know the answer. They simply assume a …

RÈsumÈ fraud: Not just for youngsters

12/01/2003
Remind managers to scrutinize rÈsumÈ claims of all employees, not just candidates for entry-level jobs. Reason: Experts say more applicants in their 50s and 60s are lying about their age, fudging …

Hiring commercial drivers? Probe deeper into applicant work history

09/01/2003
If you hire commercial drivers, prepare to start collecting more pre-hire information from applicants. The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wants employers to …

Probe deeper into drivers’ work history

09/01/2003
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed new rules requiring companies that employ commercial drivers to collect more pre-hire information about applicants’ employment history, including their …

Allow applicants to answer negative background-check results

08/01/2003
It’s true that your company could be held liable if it rejects an applicant based on inaccurate data in his background check. But don’t stop doing background …

How to get the inside scoop from applicant references

08/01/2003
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Let applicants respond to background-check results

08/01/2003
Issue: You can be held liable for rejecting job applicants because of inaccurate background checks.
Risk: Defamation, invasion of privacy and wrongful-discharge lawsuits …

What’s in a (college’s) name? Sometimes, not much

08/01/2003
More than 200 “diploma mills” operate online churning out phony degrees, often with very official-sounding college names. In fact, a survey by an AT&T corporate trainer revealed that HR professionals were …

Learn the legal risks of viewing school records

07/01/2003
Issue: Using school transcripts to screen applicants can lead to discrimination claims.
Risk: Without guidance, hiring managers can inadvertently use school records …