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Hiring

Weed out substance abuse with ‘one-strike’ rule

04/20/2011
Many employers have adopted strict drug and alcohol testing programs for all new hires—and strictly bar employment of anyone who tests positive. Now the 9th Circuit has ruled that applying the rule to a recovering addict is legal unless that addict can somehow prove that the rule discriminates against a class of disabled individuals—namely, recovering addicts.

Employing Minors: Federal Law & Legal Best Practices

04/19/2011
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Double-check employee ID records! No-match letters are back

04/19/2011
After a three-year hiatus, the Social Security Administration has resumed sending no-match letters to employers, alerting them when employees’ Social Security numbers don’t correspond to numbers in the SSA’s database. Because the feds have offered no guidance on what no-match letters mean these days, experts fear confusion for employers.

Deloitte staff recruits grads through volunteer work

04/19/2011

Deloitte managers are getting to know potential new hires far away from the interview table. For the fourth time, the financial consulting firm teamed with United Way and Teach For America this spring to host an “alternative spring break,” a program for college students to volunteer alongside Deloitte employees.

Hiring? Don’t make promises you can’t keep

04/15/2011
Here’s a new worry for employers: If you have a supervisor who makes hiring promises to an applicant that he knows the company can’t keep, the applicant may be able to sue for fraud.

After Google search revealed that applicant smokes and drinks, can we refuse to hire him?

04/14/2011
Q. We did a Google search on someone we wanted to hire and we found several pictures of the individual smoking and drinking alcohol at bars. We had wanted to hire this employee for a position in which he will work closely with clients and now we are having second thoughts. We certainly do not want him to smell like smoke when he meets with clients. Is there any legal problem with not hiring him?

Chicago contractor settles bias charge for $700,000

04/14/2011
InterCall, the world’s largest provider of teleconferencing services, will pay $700,000 to 151 minority job applicants after a DOL investigation concluded the company systematically excluded minority candidates from sales associate positions at its Chicago office in 2006 and 2007.

Power company fires up ‘Troops to Energy Jobs’ pilot

04/14/2011

Dominion Power has started a two-year pilot program to identify, recruit and train military veterans to work in the energy industry. “Troops to Energy Jobs” is part of the national Center for Energy Work­force Development, which involves five power companies around the country.

Planning to offer bigger raises this year?

04/12/2011
More employers are planning to offer bigger raises this year, now that business has started to rebound. A survey by Towers Watson found that companies are optimistic and budgeting for merit increases of 3% this year, up from 2.7% in 2010.

Hire education: A step-by-step guide to legally safe hiring practices

04/08/2011
Employers operate in an increasingly complex legal environment, made all the more difficult by the tough economy. Hiring has emerged as a particular trouble spot. Here are the key liability hot spots you must watch out for in the hiring process: