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Congress OKs New Genetic Bias Law—What’s it Mean for HR?

05/06/2008
Congress just passed the nation’s first federal law prohibiting employers and insurance companies from discriminating against individuals on the basis of genetic information, a protection critics have called “a remedy in search of a problem.” Find out what the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act prohibits, and why some believe it could cause trouble for employers.

Get legal advice when hiring workers with noncompetes

05/05/2008
When hiring new employees, be aware that they may have signed noncompetes or other employment agreements with their previous employers. Ask if they have. If they did, ask for a copy. Then have your attorney review the terms before you make an offer. Here’s why …

Use business necessity as rationale for pre-Employment exams

05/05/2008
Does your hiring process build in safeguards to prevent inadvertent disability discrimination? If you’re unsure, follow these guidelines for setting up the right process …

Want to discard old applications? Tell applicants up front

05/02/2008
Do you have a file cabinet overflowing with employment applications filled out by years’ worth of job-seekers? Don’t toss them out! Unless those applications included a statement that you would retain them only for some set time, your best bet is to contact every applicant and explain what you are doing …

You don’t have to tell applicants how you’ll screen for interviews

05/02/2008
Employers don’t have to tell applicants exactly how the hiring process works—for example, how you sort applications, evaluate candidates for possible interviews and make job offers. Just make sure that everyone in the HR office who handles applications knows what the rules are …

Rival unions come to blows over recruiting nurses

05/02/2008
Officials of the California Nurses Association (CNA) have sought a restraining order against members of rival union Service Employees International Union (SEIU), accusing them of stalking and harassing them. The two unions are engaged in competing efforts to represent Ohio nurses …

4 ways to recruit and retain a diverse work force

05/02/2008
DiversityInc magazine’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” is a list of employers that recruit and retain women and minority employees with perks just for them. Here are four best practices your organization might be able to adopt …

Dollars attract summer interns, but experience keeps them

05/02/2008
If your organization hires summer interns, be prepared to offer them more than a lunch and a souvenir coffee cup. If you hope to cultivate those interns as future permanent employees, it is important to pay them … But beyond the big bucks, try these tactics to recruit capable interns who will consider signing on permanently after graduation.

Service members’ jobs protected—If actually employed

05/01/2008
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects members of the armed forces by allowing them to return to their jobs when their service ends. But USERRA has limits, applying only to service members who actually were employees when they went to serve …

Anti-Nepotism trumps familial status discrimination

05/01/2008
Good news for employers with strong anti-nepotism policies: The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a claim based on alleged familial status discrimination. The court ruled that Title VII does not protect family members from an employer’s decision not to hire a relative when company rules bar nepotism …