02/03/2012
Here’s an easy fix for a potentially big problem: Post all promotion openings. If you do, only employees who actually apply can take you to court. That can save thousands in legal fees and lost productivity. It also signals to employees that you value them and encourage equal opportunity.
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01/31/2012
U.S. combat operations in Iraq ended in December. The Department of Defense is gradually drawing down forces in Afghanistan. If you are rehiring employees returning from military service, you must follow USERRA guidelines.
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01/31/2012
Employers that compile promotion lists based on test results should tell employees that the lists will be updated periodically.
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01/31/2012
Tempted to ask applicants about their past medical history, disabilities or other private information related to potential disabilities? Don’t do so before you make a job offer.
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01/31/2012
Employers may be suspicious about a prospective worker’s claimed professional credentials or other certifications—especially if it seems like the documents may have been altered or forged. If you have such doubts, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.
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01/27/2012
Thomasville City Schools will pay $25,000 and provide age discrimination training to key personnel under a settlement agreement with a would-be school principal and the EEOC.
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01/27/2012
Some employees are serial applicants, tossing their hats in the ring for every promotion opportunity that comes up. While they may be eternally optimistic, the constant interviewing can be a huge waste of time for managers who know, based on past interviews, that the employees won’t be good fits.
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01/27/2012
Sometimes, it’s a close call to decide who will be the best fit for a job or promotion. There may be several candidates with the relevant education, training and experience. If that’s the case, the decision may come down to who has the best “soft” skills—subjective qualities indicating a good fit. Checking applicants’ references can break that tie.
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01/27/2012
Job applicants aren’t required to reveal disabilities during the hiring process. That means you may occasionally find yourself making a job offer to someone you don’t realize is disabled. At that point, what you say and what you do may mean the difference between smoothly integrating a new employee into the workforce and a costly, drawn-out lawsuit.
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01/25/2012
Q. When, if ever, can our company legally ask an applicant about his or her religious affiliation?
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01/25/2012
Many government agencies require applicants to live in the jurisdictions they will serve. There may be good reasons, too—like wanting public servants to understand the communities where they work or making sure they are available quickly in an emergency. That doesn’t mean those reasons won’t be challenged.
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01/25/2012
Pepsi Beverages will pay $3.1 million to resolve EEOC charges that it discriminated against minorities when it refused to hire applicants with arrest records.
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01/20/2012
Q. We recently extended an employment offer to someone who was later determined to be unable to perform the job’s essential functions due to a visual impairment. As a result, we wasted a significant amount of time. Aren’t workers obligated under the ADA to disclose that they suffer from a disability?
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01/20/2012
A San Diego restaurant and catering company’s nine-year history of hiring undocumented workers came to an end in late 2011 when the owner pleaded guilty to federal charges.
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01/20/2012
Do you include an arbitration agreement in your employment applications? If so, it may not be enforceable, according to a recent decision by the Court of Appeal of California.
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