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Hiring

Make sure application & interview questions don’t pry into health history

02/11/2013
Do your hiring managers know the law when it comes to asking medical or health-related questions during job interviews? Are your job applications toeing the legal line and complying with the ADA?

Emerging issue: Hiring bias against homeless

02/06/2013
Employers in three states—Connecticut, Illinois and Rhode Island—must comply with what may be the nation’s most unique employment-related laws. Each of those states has a “Homeless Bill of Rights” that bans employment discrimination against homeless people.

‘Protected’ Job Applicants

02/01/2013

HR Law 101: A “protected” applicant is a person with one or more of the characteristics defined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, sex, national origin, religion), is age 40 or older or has a disability. If your hiring process tends to screen out certain classes of applicants, you could be libel for discrimination …

Forget about using temps to dodge Obamacare’s employer mandate

01/31/2013
Proposed IRS regulations would thwart attempts to convert a full-time employee to part-time status, and then “hire” the employee through a temp agency to complete a shift.

When interviewing, when is it OK to ask applicant about her sexual history?

01/29/2013

We all know that hiring managers are supposed to avoid personal or intrusive questions when interviewing job applicants. However, under some limited circumstances, getting answers to such questions may be relevant and necessary to the hiring process. Make sure hiring managers know the line before they step into any interview.

10 interview questions, online tests to help identify problem-solving managers

01/16/2013

Don’t assume that management applicants with top references and experience have great analytical skills. Instead, find out for yourself by asking some of these questions.

Abbott touts innovation to recruit, retain scientists

01/16/2013
Abbott Laboratories’ strategy for recruiting and retaining employees reaches beyond touting its health, retirement and work/life benefits. The Abbott Park, Ill., pharmaceutical company gives equal play to its employees’ cutting-edge research.

Background checks: How safe is too safe?

01/11/2013

Q. We are considering instituting a criminal background check policy for all employee positions. We’ve heard scary stories of lawsuits regarding negligent hiring, and we’d really like to avoid that sort of litigation, not to mention the negative media attention. Is there any downside to having an “across the board” criminal background check policy?

Defense firm pays $100,000 to settle race bias claim

01/11/2013
Aerospace and defense contractor ATK has agreed to pay a job applicant $100,000 after she complained about discriminatory hiring practices at the company’s Eden Prairie plant.

Deciding not to hire, note specific reasons why

01/11/2013
You never know which unsuccessful job applicant will sue. That’s why it is crucial to internally document why you rejected a candidate. Bonus: You can also use the information for an informal internal audit to make sure a hiring manager isn’t inadvertently discriminating.