Although criminal histories can be among the most important for identifying potentially problematic employees, recent EEOC Guidelines elaborate on the use of criminal histories in hiring practices, and should not be ignored. These guidelines have made it incumbent…
Posts by Category: Background Check Laws
The “Gold Standard”
Many businesses mistakenly believe that the FBI database is the “gold standard” for identifying those with criminal records. But, the FBI database only includes criminal records that have a fingerprint associated with them, and many from the state or county level do…
Navigating Drug Testing Laws in Each State
As drug legalization gains traction across the U.S., drug testing laws vary by state. Only five states have strong workplace drug testing legislation, and 11 states lack any laws on the matter. Since 2012, 19 states, plus Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational…
State House Passes Taylor’s Bill to Expedite Background Checks for Care Workers
Washington’s House passed Bill 1385, aimed at expediting background checks for workers in caregiving roles for children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. Sponsored by Rep. Jamila Taylor, the bill facilitates the interstate exchange of criminal…
California SB 7: How AI Hiring Rules Could Impact Background Checks
California’s Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) aims to regulate AI in employment by prohibiting employers from using automated decision systems (ADS) to infer criminal or credit history, including through AI-powered social media screening tools. The bill introduces…
How to Ward Off the Rising Number of Background Check Class Actions Summary
Companies are increasingly faced with class actions for alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). FCRA claims related to background checks have grown since last year. Most companies perform background checks on employees as part of the employment…
Portion of Philadelphia Salary History Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Philadelphia Federal Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg recently held that the portion of the city’s salary history ordinance that prohibits an employer from inquiring about a prospective employee’s wage history is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment’s…
Connecticut Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law
A bill has been signed into law by Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy that will restrict employees from inquiring about applicants’ salary history during the hiring process. The law, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2019, will permit employers to inquire about “other…
Vermont Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law
Vermont has joined several other states that have enacted a law to prohibit employers from inquiring about, seeking or requiring salary history information from prospective employees. Taking effect July 1, employers and their agents will be prohibited from inquiring…
Salary History Question Off Limits on Job Applications: What Should Employers Do to Stay Compliant?
California recently joined a growing number of cities and states to pass a law that bans salary history questions. Prompted by concerns about gender- and race-based wage discrimination, the law is designed to prevent employers from using past compensation as a basis…