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Hiring

Pre-employment testing: Know the legal limits

08/01/2003
THE LAW. Pre-employment tests are an effective tool to discover applicant’s skills or abilities that can’t be gleaned from an application or interview. And …

Keep data on employees’ race separate

07/01/2003

Q. We have all new employees fill out a data sheet. Is it OK to ask for race on this form? —J.M., Nevada

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 …

Warning: Feds looking closer at your use of L-1 hiring visas

07/01/2003

A growing number of high-tech workers are complaining that they’re losing jobs not only to foreign workers overseas but also to foreign workers who enter the United States under the little-known L-1 visa category …

You don’t need I-9 forms for pre-1986 hires

07/01/2003

Q. We have a few employees who started working for us more than 20 years ago, before the I-9 rules took effect. I don’t have an I-9 on file for these folks. Should I? —S.I., New York

State law dictates your payroll frequency

07/01/2003

Q. Is it legal to adopt a once-a-month payroll for hourly employees? What other issues come up with a monthly payroll? —J.S., California

Keep employees growing … so they won’t leave

07/01/2003
Issue: “Intraplacement” involves the entire company in identifying job-growth opportunities for ready employees. Benefits: Boost retention, cut recruiting costs …

Drug testing: Minimize lawsuit risk with smart policy

07/01/2003
THE LAW. You have the right to demand a drug-free workplace, but employees also have reasonable rights to privacy. That’s why drug testing and substance abuse prevention …

Dyslexia and the ADA: Don’t Screen for Disability

07/01/2003

Q. Is dyslexia considered a disability under the ADA? Can we legally screen potential employees for it through our pre-employment tests? —F.D., Ohio

Don’t consider weight in hiring; obesity may qualify as a disability

06/01/2003
When weighing hiring decisions, make sure you don’t consider the applicant’s weight, unless it’s clear that it would prevent the person from performing the job’s …