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Hiring

Boss who hired also fired? Back it up anyway to defend against discrimination claims

05/06/2009

Employers are often advised to have the same managers who hired an employee also make the termination decision. The idea is that doing so may scuttle a discrimination lawsuit because it’s illogical for a manager to hire a member of a protected class and then turn around and fire him because of bias against that protected class. Don’t use it as an excuse to get sloppy with record-keeping and documentation.

Brownsville twins guilty in visa fraud scheme

05/06/2009

A federal jury has convicted twin brothers from Brownsville of conspiring to obtain fraudulent work visas in exchange for payment. The jurors handed down guilty verdicts against Alberto and Bernardo Pena for obtaining visas for immigrants from India in exchange for at least $20,000 per visa.

Can you provide a summary of the new Form I-9?

05/06/2009

Q. I recently heard that employers must now use a new I-9 form for new employees. Is this true?

What to do if boss pushes you to hire his unqualified friend

05/05/2009

Say a company exec asks you to hire his relative or friend, or he not so subtly urges you to give the application “strong consideration.” You want to reject the candidate because he’s obviously unqualified. But you don’t want to commit career suicide. What do you do?

ICE immigration crackdown to go after employers—not undocumented workers

05/05/2009

The Obama administration’s immigration enforcement activities will target employers that hire undocumented workers instead of the workers themselves. Employers, take note: Follow your employment eligibility verification processes to a "T". Failing to comply can carry a high price: huge fines and criminal charges.

Arizona design firm sponsors contest to find next new hire

05/04/2009

When an entry-level job for a web page designer job opened at Scottsdale, Ariz., marketing firm SpinSix, managers combined their desire for more publicity with a strategy to attract the best-qualified employee. They held a contest.

Bill aims to stem Ohio’s looming nursing shortage

05/04/2009

Forty percent of Ohio’s 153,310 nurses will leave the profession within the next 10 years, according to a state government survey. It won’t be easy to train replacements because the state lacks qualified nursing school instructors. A bill in the Ohio Senate seeks the best ideas to combat the coming shortage.

Does Ohio law prevent employers from giving honest job references?

05/04/2009

Q. When I check a prospective employee’s job references, more and more I find that prior employers are unwilling to give any information other than confirming dates of prior employment. It makes it really difficult to accurately screen job applicants. Isn’t there a law that protects an employer that provides a job reference?

What are the rules on employee access to personnel files?

05/04/2009

Q. Do I have to grant employees access to their personnel files?

OK to charge for pre-employment medical exams?

05/04/2009

Q. I know the ADA limits when and how an employer can ask medical questions of applicants or employees. If I require a pre-employment medical exam, can I require the applicant to pay for it?