Hiring

New hire a dud? Have hiring manager fire

11/05/2010

Here’s a practice you should make standard operating procedure: Have the same manager who makes hiring decisions also make the firing decisions. Doing so will cut the chances of a successful discrimination lawsuit.

The HR I.Q. Test: November ’10

11/05/2010

Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

ICE: Immigration enforcement hits record levels

11/04/2010

Since January 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have audited more than 3,200 employers suspected of hiring undocumented workers, which ICE says is more than the total amount of audits during the entire Bush administration.

Deluged with résumés? How to be a speed weeder

11/02/2010

Reading every word on every résumé simply isn’t a luxury HR professionals can afford. If you quickly scan résumés, however, you probably live in constant fear of discarding potential winners. Advice: Spot-read résumés during the first round to determine if they merit a more detailed review.

5th Cir. Court of Appeals rejects DOL interpretation of guest worker minimum-wage requirement

11/01/2010

In a sign that some courts are flexing their muscles and resisting attempts by the U.S. Department of Labor to crack down on employers, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected an effort to force employers to cover more guest worker costs.

EEOC challenges Cavalier attitude toward age bias

10/28/2010

The EEOC has filed a class-action lawsuit against Cavalier Telephone on behalf of a group of account executives and job applicants from Pennsylvania and other Mid-Atlantic states, charging that the company refuses to hire older workers and fired two employees in retaliation after they objected to the alleged discrimination.

Abercrombie case highlights risk of electronic I-9 systems

10/25/2010

Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch paid a $1.05 million fine to the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement last month after ICE cited numerous technology-related problems with the company’s electronic I-9 system.

Schwarzenegger vetoes applicant credit report ban

10/15/2010

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed A.B. 482, a bill that would have prevented employers from using consumer credit reports when performing background checks on employees and applicants.

Make sure you retain all applicant information

10/15/2010

You may never see it coming: A disappointed applicant sues you after you give the job to someone else. However, you can be prepared—if you have held onto all documents and materials related to the hiring process. If you wind up in court and need to show why you didn’t select an applicant, those records may provide the rationale.

What are the new federal I-9 rules?

10/12/2010

Q. How does the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new rule change an employer’s Form I-9 responsibilities?