• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Hiring

Why so few applicants can read: Graduation rates tell the tale

06/17/2008
According to a new study, “Diplomas Count 2008,” only 58% of Georgia students graduate from high school on time. The practical consequence for Georgia employers is an entry-level labor pool with poor basic skills. That means someone—most likely employers—will have to pick up the slack …

Centerville dodges negligence charges in case of rogue cop

06/17/2008
On Dec. 27, 2004, Centerville police officer Terry Ware was transporting Heather Breland following her arrest on forgery charges when he sexually assaulted her in the front seat of his cruiser. Ware was prosecuted for the assault and sentenced to prison. Breland sued the city …

Negligent hiring: Take proper steps to avoid the costly pitfall

06/17/2008
In recent years, the Georgia courts have significantly expanded employers’ obligations—and therefore potential liability—in the area of negligent hiring and supervision. At the same time, employees and applicants now enjoy significantly expanded privacy rights. So it’s more important than ever for employers to pay close attention to their application, hiring and background-check policies and practices …

Updating job descriptions

06/17/2008
Q. Several of our job descriptions have not been revised in decades. What type of information should we include in the updated descriptions? …

House passes off-Duty activities bill

06/12/2008
In a vote split along party lines, the Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit employers from firing or refusing to hire workers because they engage in legal off-duty activities such as smoking …

Expunged convictions set hidden trap for Illinois employers

06/11/2008

If you are an Illinois employer with 15 or more employees and your application asks job-seekers to detail their criminal histories, expunged criminal records pose a hidden trap for you …

Federal Contractors Must Use E-Verify to Confirm Worker Eligibility

06/10/2008

Employers doing business with Uncle Sam will soon have to begin using the government’s E-Verify Internet-based employment eligibility verification system. Critics say the system is already inaccurate and overburdened. If you’re a federal government contractor, you need to know about this big change. If you’re just generally concerned about increasingly complex employment eligibility rules, we’ve got the info you need.

Dining-Out dogs take precedence over illegal immigrants

06/10/2008
The 2008 session of the Minnesota Legislature closed without hearings on any illegal immigration bills, despite Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s calls earlier this year for a crackdown. “We had time to debate whether dogs should be allowed to eat in cafés … But we didn’t have time to stop identity theft or human trafficking,” House Minority Leader Marty Seifert groused …

Is E-Verify mandatory in Minnesota?

06/10/2008
Q. I have heard rumors that Minnesota employers are now required to use E-Verify. What is this? …

The wisdom of correcting I-9s

06/10/2008
Q. As the HR person at our company, I just recently concluded an internal audit of the Form I-9s that we have on file. I am concerned that many of those forms may be incorrectly filled out. Should I just throw them all out and complete new Form I-9s for our employees? …