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

Hiring

Can we ask applicant for his social media log-in info and password?

02/28/2014
Q. I am thinking about hiring someone, but would first like to check his Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts to gain a more complete picture of the candidate. May I ask the applicant for log-in and password access to his accounts?

Believe it or not, you still have to say it: Managers can’t express racial preferences

02/28/2014
By now, you might think no manager would be so stupid as to openly state their reluctance to hire someone of a particular race. Believe it or not, it still happens. When it does, that’s when expensive and time-consuming litigation begins.

Bill would target nurses who dodge drug diversion

02/27/2014
Following reports of numerous Minnesota nurses continuing to practice despite failing to abide by the state’s substance abuse diversion requirements, State Rep. Tina Liebling has introduced legislation to require regulators to suspend noncompliant nurses.

Recruiting/Screening Practices

02/26/2014

HR Law 101: In 2007, the EEOC introduced E-RACE, an initiative for “Eradicating Racism And Colorism from Employment.” The initiative’s goal: to eliminate recruiting and hiring practices that lead to discrimination by limiting an employer’s applicant pool. The EEOC noted that the makeup of an employer’s workforce is “highly dependent on how and where the employer looks for candidates.”

Job Applications

02/24/2014

HR Law 101: Most organizations ask candidates to fill out a job application. Make sure that yours meets federal, state and local requirements. Don’t ask for information that could be considered discriminatory …

IRCA: Hiring Immigrants

02/22/2014

HR Law 101: Two laws govern U.S. immigration policy: the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which was amended in 1990. For each new employee hired, U.S. employers must complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The I-9 establishes the employee’s identity and legal work status.

Acceptable Documents for I-9

02/20/2014

HR Law 101: Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, new employees must provide to employers proof of identity and employment eligibility with documents listed on the I-9 Form ….

Do candidates’ color choices predict personality?

02/20/2014
When an applicant wears red, do you see a potential power player? What does a brown suit tell you about an applicant? Apparently, clothing color does matter.

Denver school system recruits teachers for on-the-job training

02/18/2014

Denver Public Schools fills hard-to-staff teaching positions in high-needs elementary schools by hiring college grads who didn’t major in education and then training them on the job. The highly selective Denver Teacher Residency program offers would-be teachers an alternative route into a teaching.

Promotions: 8 questions to interview in-depth

02/14/2014
Internal hires often go wrong for one simple reason: HR and hiring managers assume they know the candidate. The best approach: Dig deep during interviews to identify employees who can be successful in the position you’re looking to fill—not just the job they’re doing now.