• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Hiring

The ‘surge home’: Welcome service members back to work

01/31/2012
U.S. combat operations in Iraq ended in December, and the Depart­ment of Defense is gradually drawing down forces in Afghanistan. As you rehire employees returning from military service, make sure you follow USERRA guidelines. How to comply:

Court: New promotion test lists aren’t discriminatory

01/31/2012
Employers that compile promotion lists based on test results should tell employees that the lists will be updated periodically.

Beware asking applicants about medical histories before making job offer

01/31/2012

Tempted to ask applicants about their past medical history, disabilities or other private information related to potential disabilities? Don’t do so before you make a job offer.

Feel free to authenticate suspicious documents

01/31/2012
Employers may be suspicious about a prospective worker’s claimed professional credentials or other certifications—especially if it seems like the documents may have been altered or forged. If you have such doubts, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.

Would you hesitate to hire someone who has been unemployed for a year?

01/31/2012
As the economy struggles to rebound, the stigma of long-term unemployment has lost some of its sting.

In Thomasville, prospective principal pockets $25,000

01/27/2012
Thomasville City Schools will pay $25,000 and provide age discrimination training to key personnel under a settlement agreement with a would-be school principal and the EEOC.

Take notes on all reference-check calls

01/27/2012

Sometimes, it’s a close call to decide who will be the best fit for a job or promotion. There may be several candidates with the relevant education, training and experience. If that’s the case, the decision may come down to who has the best “soft” skills—subjective qualities indicating a good fit. Checking applicants’ references can break that tie.

What to do if disability emerges after offer

01/27/2012

Job applicants aren’t required to reveal dis­­abilities during the hiring process. That means you may occasionally find yourself making a job offer to someone you don’t realize is disabled. At that point, what you say and what you do may mean the difference between smoothly integrating a new employee into the workforce and a costly, drawn-out lawsuit.

May we ask applicants about their religion?

01/25/2012
Q. When, if ever, can our company legally ask an applicant about his or her religious affiliation?

Gov’t agencies: Time to rethink residency requirements?

01/25/2012
Many government agencies require applicants to live in the jurisdictions they will serve. There may be good reasons, too—like wanting public servants to understand the communities where they work or making sure they are available quickly in an emergency. That doesn’t mean those reasons won’t be challenged.