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Hiring

Ask about right to work, not immigration status

01/01/2002

Q. Is it OK to ask an applicant about her immigration status before making an offer of employment? —A.R., New York

Sidestep liability when releasing information on ex-employees

01/01/2002
Wal-Mart fired truck driver Joseph Tracz after he tested positive for drugs. When he applied for another job, Tracz signed an authorization form allowing Wal-Mart to release his past drug tests. …

‘Gross Misconduct’ Cancels COBRA Coverage

01/01/2002

Q. Do I have to provide a COBRA notice for an employee who is terminated for a positive drug test shortly after starting work? —D.W., Colorado

Beware legal traps of hiring online reference checkers

12/01/2001
Since Sept. 11, security fears have sent companies scurrying to do criminal background checks on job applicants. Many companies are outsourcing this function to Web-based reference checkers. But beware: Some …

Temp Employee May Trigger FMLA Rights

11/01/2001

Q. Do employees paid through a temporary agency count toward the 50-employee eligibility number for the Family and Medical Leave Act? —M.S., New Jersey

Don’t pull punches; fire when necessary

11/01/2001
The Cook County, Ill., Sheriff’s Department fired Harriet Rizzo when it discovered that she didn’t have a high school diploma as required, and she had lied about it on her job …

High court to tackle immigrant rights, standards for cases

11/01/2001
Nearly half the cases accepted for review so far in the U.S. Supreme Court’s new term are business related, the highest amount in at least nine years, according to the National …

Smart pre-employment screening can cut cost of future injuries

11/01/2001
Woodbridge Corp., a manufacturer of foam padding, used a wrist test to help identify job applicants who might be susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. If applicants’ test results were abnormal, Woodbridge …

Weigh Cost Before Denying Accommodation Request

10/01/2001

Q. An employee we hired a couple weeks ago through a temporary agency (he is on their payroll) has just told us that he is Muslim and can’t work on Fridays. During the interview, he was asked whether anything would prohibit his working a proposed schedule that specifically included Fridays for the next 30 days. He said no, and this is in writing. He did not mention this problem until he had already been working for a week or two. Can we let this guy go? —M.R., South Carolina

Scrutinize resumes; layoffs increase lying

10/01/2001

Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar’s Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily …