With more and more employees testing positive for state-legalized marijuana, employers are encouraged to rethink testing and rewrite policies. Positive saliva and urine tests are climbing in both federally mandated, safety-sensitive workplaces, and general U.S….
Posts by Category: Background Check Laws
In the Weeds: Florida Lawmakers Provide Medical Marijuana Guidance for the Workplace
There’s good news and bad news for employers after Florida Governor Rick Scott recently signed a medical marijuana bill into law that provides guidelines on the implementation of the state’s Constitutional Amendment regarding medical marijuana. In 2014, the governor…
Business Group Files Amended Complaint in Lawsuit Challenging Philadelphia Wage History Law
The Philadelphia Wage History Ordinance, scheduled to take effect in May, has been subject to a federal court stay pending resolution of a lawsuit for a preliminary injunction brought by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. The Ordinance prohibits…
West Virginia Enacts Law Permitting Broad Employment-Related Drug and Alcohol Testing
The Safer Workplace Act, will goes into effect July 7, 2017, will broaden the circumstances under which employers may conduct workplace drug and alcohol testing. Employers must comply with all of the statue’s requirements in order to take advantage of its benefits….
Arkansas Legislature Adds Employer Protections to Medical Marijuana Law
Arkansas has passed a constitutional amendment that establishes a medical marijuana program, which includes sections that clarify when an employer can take an adverse employment action against an employee who is a medical marijuana user. Some sections place limits on…
New York City Mayor Signs Pay Equity Law – Impact on Employment Background Checks
New York City has joined Massachusetts and Philadelphia in prohibiting employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s salary history during the hiring process. Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the new law in May, which will take effect Oct. 31 and applies to…
The City of Philadelphia Has Agreed to Stay the Enforcement of the Philadelphia Wage Equity Ordinance Pending Resolution of Court Challenge
Although the Philadelphia Wage Equity Ordinance has generated controversy, the City of Philadelphia has agreed to stay the enforcement. In April, the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern…
Kansas Federal Court Grants Partial Approval to Background Check Disclosure Class Action Settlement
In January, the United States District Court for the District of Kansas granted partial preliminary approval to the class settlement in Lengel v. HomeAdvisor, Inc., No. 15-2198-KHV. The plaintiff alleged that the company violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)…
Chamber of Commerce to Sue Philly Over Wage Equity Law
In an effort to block the city’s newly signed wage equity law, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia plans to file a lawsuit, stating that the law “violates businesses’ freedom of speech.” The law, which will take effect May 23, bans employers from asking…
Burgum Signs Applicant Privacy Bill
In April, Gov. Doug Burgum signed a bill that shields applicants for public jobs in North Dakota. The new law makes any records that could identify an applicant for a job with a “public entity” confidential until at least three finalists are designated. Opponents say…






