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Hiring

Drug testing is perfectly legal … if done properly

10/01/2005

Q. I have an employee who says that our drug-testing program is a violation of his constitutional rights. What can I tell him (or show him) to prove that we’re well within the law? —S.H., Texas

Use random tests to combat drug-test cheaters

10/01/2005
Can you trust negative drug test results anymore? The Internet is flooded with products, more than 400 by one count, that help employees and job candidates cheat on drug tests. The …

You can be sued for what you say during an investigation

09/01/2005
When discussing hiring, firing or promotion decisions, make sure you can back up any claims with some proof. And impress upon others involved in such discussions to also be truthful and …

Smoke out applicants’ lies with savvy interviews, testing

09/01/2005
Issue: Experts say that up to 30 percent of job-seekers stretch the truth or flat-out lie on their rèsumès. Benefit: By approaching applicants and their rèsumès more skeptically, you’ll have …

Beyond orientations: 4 steps to help you retain new staff

09/01/2005
Issue: Many employers run new hires through an orientation process, then instantly start treating them like every other employee.
Risk: Some of these new hires won’t assimilate so quickly. Without …

Background check isn’t enough; tight supervision keeps liability at bay

09/01/2005
Your organization can be held liable for “negligent hiring” if an employee commits a crime and you could have (or should have) prevented it. That’s why it’s crucial to run background …

Workplace violence: Keep staff safe the legally smart way

09/01/2005
THE LAW. Employees who commit violent acts in the workplace obviously violate state criminal laws. But the liability trail doesn’t stop there.
Employers have a legal obligation to maintain a …

Watch those nicknames: Turning El-Hakem into ‘Hank’ spells bias

09/01/2005
You know that ethnic slurs and name-calling have no place in the workplace. But a new court ruling proves that any kind of ethnic intolerance can be punished.
If supervisors …

Lure ‘passive’ job candidates with the right first impression

09/01/2005
Issue: Recruiting “passive” job candidates requires a different strategy than ones used to attract active job-seekers.
Benefit: Choose the right words in that initial contact to prevent quick rejections and …

Review your personality test: Is it an illegal ‘medical’ exam?

09/01/2005
Issue: A recent court ruling says certain employment personality tests may violate the ADA.
Risk: If your test screens out people with mental disorders, it could be deemed an illegal …