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Background Checks

Minnesota ‘bans the box,’ limiting background checks

07/17/2013
Minnesota has joined the league of states that have adopted “ban the box” legislation that bars most employers from obtaining or asking for an applicant’s criminal history before the applicant has either been selected for an interview or received a conditional job offer.

New expunged record law limits background checks

07/10/2013
North Carolina’s new Expunged Criminal Record bill will affect what questions employers may ask on job applications and during the hiring process. The law prevents most em­­ployers from asking about crimes and criminal charges that have been ex­­punged from job applicants’ records.

Hidden liability: Understand the risks of negligent hiring

07/09/2013
You know there are certain questions you just can’t ask job applicants. But using discretion in the hiring process doesn’t mean you should give up on the practice of thoroughly investigating the background of candidates for certain jobs in which a rogue worker could harm other people.

EEOC sues BMW, Dollar General for biased background checks

07/02/2013
The EEOC has filed separate lawsuits against BMW and the Dollar General retail chain, alleging that the companies’ criminal background check policies illegally resulted in employees being fired and others being screened out for employment in violation of Title VII.

Hidden liability: Understand the risks of negligent hiring

06/26/2013
You know there are certain questions you just can’t ask job applicants. Typically, they expose your organization to charges of hiring bias. But using discretion in the hiring process doesn’t mean you should give up on the practice of thoroughly investigating the background of candidates for certain jobs in which a rogue worker could harm other people.

Background checks 2.0: What HR professionals need to know now

06/20/2013
When an employer conducts a background search on an applicant entirely in-house using only the employer’s staff, background check laws generally don’t apply. How­­ever, when an employer pays an outside entity to screen applicants, it must obey background check laws, including the FCRA and applicable state laws.

Hire with care as economy recovers

06/20/2013
Chances are, your organization is hiring more employees than it has in years. But going on a relative hiring binge is not without challenges. Consider these trends and insights from hiring managers.

6 elements staffing firm contracts must include

06/03/2013
When negotiating contracts with employee outsourcing firms, many organizations make background checks an afterthought and leave the specifics up to the agency. That’s a big mistake.

Minnesota Senate approves bill banning conviction questions

05/09/2013
The Minnesota Senate has approved a measure that would prohibit most private employers from asking job applicants about past criminal convictions until they have been interviewed or made a conditional job offer.

Rights groups take aim at Target over criminal records

04/11/2013
The NAACP and the advocacy group Take Action Minnesota have accused retail giant Target of unfair hiring practices, alleging that the chain unnecessarily rejects job applicants based on their criminal records.