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Hiring

New employee obviously not working out? Let hiring manager be the one who terminates

10/24/2008

Sometimes, it becomes clear early on that it was a mistake to hire that new employee. If it doesn’t look as though things will improve, it’s a good idea to let the same manager who recommended hiring the employee also be the one to fire her. That makes the termination decision much easier to defend if there’s any question about possible discrimination.

How far back can we go when conducting background checks on employees?

10/24/2008

Q. We do background checks on our employees. Is there a restriction on how many years we can go back on the employee? …

94% of plant’s workers illegal? ICE detains hundreds in sting

10/24/2008

In the largest raid ever conducted in the Carolinas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained more than 300 workers at Columbia Farms, a House of Raeford Poultry plant in Columbia, S.C. Roughly 100 agents swept through the plant just before 9 a.m. on Oct. 7, sending workers scattering …

More employers create ‘bridge jobs’ to appeal to retirees

10/23/2008

New research shows that more workers of retirement age are staying in their current jobs or returning to work, in part because of the sinking economy and dwindling nest eggs. Many of these older employees aren’t seeking full-time return at their past pay rates. They’re hunting for “bridge jobs.”

What not to ask your prospective HR director

10/22/2008

It is an unwritten rule in polite society that anyone who feels compelled to guess a person’s age should always guess down. That’s why it’s hard to sympathize with an investor with Unitek USA, who reportedly asked a 55-year-old applicant seeking an HR director’s position, “How old are you, 78?” …

What can’t I ask job applicants?

10/22/2008

Q. What questions are off-limits on an employment application or when conducting a job interview? …

Must we pay for tryout time?

10/20/2008

Q. I recently heard the phrase “tryout time” and wondered what this phrase meant and how it may be applicable to my workplace …

Immigrant numbers fall as enforcement spikes

10/17/2008

The number of people immigrating to the United States, both legally and illegally, has slowed dramatically. Main reasons: increased enforcement of immigration laws coupled with the sputtering U.S. economy.

How should we handle background checks during a merger or acquisition?

10/14/2008

Q. We are acquiring another company and intend to hire hundreds of its employees. Can we rely solely on that company’s background and criminal checks? …

Illegal immigrants enslaved workers

10/14/2008

Five Mexican citizens living illegally in the United States pleaded guilty to forcing undocumented workers to labor on their family farm in Immokalee …