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Hiring

What are the rules on unpaid interns?

06/30/2011
Q. We have received résumés from many college students looking for unpaid positions this fall. Would we need to pay these interns?

Is there any new guidance on how to handle employment eligibility verification?

06/30/2011
Q. Our company needs guidance on keeping up with our obligations with regard to employment eligibility. What resources are available?

Does our I-9 software comply with the law?

06/30/2011
Q. We use an electronic I-9 software system that was developed in-house. How can we ensure it complies with federal law?

Call center plants tree for every new employee

06/30/2011
Whenever Las Vegas-based Global Sky fills a seat in one of its call centers, it plants a tree in Latin America or Africa, where deforestation is a crucial problem. So far, the organization has planted more than 2,000 trees.

Can we consider only currently working candidates?

06/28/2011
Q. What restrictions exist on advertising for job vacancies? We are flooded with applications and have considered limiting applications to the currently employed. We worry the unemployed have rusty skills. Can we say we won’t consider hiring unemployed people?

When hiring, what shouldn’t we ask?

06/23/2011
Q. Are there any questions we cannot or should not ask a reference when screening applicants?

Check your hiring practices! EEOC takes aim at systemic bias

06/23/2011
As its workload has increased, the EEOC has sought greater funding so it can pursue cases in which employer hiring practices discriminate broadly against members of protected classes. Those practices include using criminal background checks and credit-history checks to screen applicants.

Is Arizona-style E-Verify mandate headed to Pennsylvania?

06/23/2011
If state Rep. Bill Galloway has his way, certain employers may be re­quired to use the federal government’s E-Verify web-based employment eligibility verification system. Several states already mandate E-Verify, and the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that an Arizona law requiring employers to use it is constitutional.

Keep it clean (and sober)! Ensure drug testing is uniform and fair

06/23/2011
When you offer employees a chance for drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation, make sure you treat them fairly. There’s nothing wrong with telling recovering employees they may be randomly tested for drugs or alcohol without notice. You can even use a “lottery” system that results in some employees being tested more often than others.

Firm markets brands in effort to recruit

06/21/2011
The maker of Clearasil, Lysol and Woolite doesn’t market to young adults just so they will use its household, health and personal-care products. Its new multi-country, multibillion-dollar campaign is designed to create awareness of its corporate brand so young people will want to work there.