Tag: criminal history

background

Ban-The-Box: A Lesson from California

California is only one of 34 states that have ban-the-box laws. While this article deals with California-specific interactions between ban-the-box laws and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), it provides a useful lesson for any employer who deals with similar issues.

background

Ban the Box Laws and Second Chance Programs that Help Ex-Offenders Find Work Are Spreading Fast

Ban the box laws and Second Chance programs that help ex-offenders in the United States are spreading fast across the country. The National Employment Law Project (NELP) estimates that approximately 70 million people in America—or nearly one in three U.S. adults—have some type of criminal record that may hinder employment opportunities.

criminal record

Whom Are You Hiring? Looking into an Applicant’s Checkered Past

For good reason, you probably spend a significant amount of time worrying about legal compliance for the employees on your payroll. But what about those who didn’t get the job? Some applicants might have simply lacked the necessary credentials, but others may have been weeded out through background checks. Many of you may consider criminal […]

Special from #SHRM2018: Can Applicants Own Their Background Information?

I recently sat down with Tammy Cohen, the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer with InfoMart at #SHRM2018. InfoMart puts background information into the hands of the owner—and uses block-chain technology to permanently store verified information. Note: As of 6/25/18 some corrections have been made.

California employers must adjust to new laws on leave, pay, criminal history

Pay equity, parental leave, and criminal history are hot topics that have been grabbing attention for some time, and employers in California now need to prepare for three newly signed laws addressing those issues. The new laws include restrictions on employers asking applicants questions related to salary history and criminal history and impose new parental […]

Bringing on new employees? Don’t let applications, interviews trigger legal woes

Most human resources professionals and others involved in hiring know how to steer clear of the most obvious off-limits questions on job applications and in interviews. Asking about someone’s race, national origin or ancestry, gender, religion, age, disability, etc. can quickly raise red flags related to unlawful discrimination. But less obvious questions also can put […]

West Virginia’s ‘second chance’ law takes effect July 7

by John R. Merinar, Jr. The West Virginia Second Chance for Employment Act, which is aimed at encouraging employers to open the doors of opportunity to certain nonviolent criminal offenders, will become law on July 7. The new law will allow individuals with certain criminal convictions the opportunity to petition the courts to change their […]