2008 Best Employee Screening Posts
Q&A On Using Social Networks For Background Screening
I found an excellent Q&A regarding employee background screening on Human Resource Executive Online.
Question:
Can you provide the parameters for HR in the use of information discovered on the Web, such as Facebook, as it applies to job applicants?
Answer:
Social networks and blogging sites can provide an inexpensive and easy way for employers to gather a plethora of information about potential job applicants. However, employers should think twice about using information found on social-networking sites to make employment decisions because the use of such information could lead to the potential risk of employer liability.
This is because these sites contain information about job applicants that employers would not be permitted to ask about during any job interview. Therefore, using, and in some cases, simply accessing these pages for employment purposes can result in violations of various anti-discrimination statutes, privacy laws, state “off-duty” conduct statutes, and federal and state Fair Credit Reporting Acts.
For the complete article click here.
Related Posts From FYI Screening:
- 4 Tips On How To Use Social Networks For Employee Screening
- Employee Screening Through Social Networks
- 5 Legal Reasons Why Your Company Should Have a Social Networking Policy
- Twitter and Employment Law Issues
- The Pros & Cons of Googling Candidates
Photo Credit: webtreats
Genes and Jobs: Can Employers Use Your DNA For A Background Check?
Not anymore
Psychology Today has an excellent article on this subject titled “Genes and Jobs.”
The Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) comes into full effect this Saturday, November 21st.
Employers need to take note, and employees should be aware of their rights
Congress passed GINA almost unanimously, and President Bush signed it on May 21, 2008. Described by the late Senator Ted Kennedy as “the first civil rights bill of the new century of the life sciences,”
GINA protects individuals from genetic information discrimination in health insurance and employment
Even some well-informed commentators seem to have missed this landmark piece of legislation. So have some employers. The University of Akron (UA), for example, adopted a policy as recently as August that could require any candidate for employment to submit a DNA sample.
Read more about Genes and Jobs.
The Coalition for Genetic Fairness also gives the following guidelines for employers on how to comply with The Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GINA).
GINA outlines the following activities as unlawful employment practices and discriminatory on the basis of genetic information:
- The use of genetic information in making decisions regarding hiring, promotion, terms or conditions, privileges of employment, compensation, or termination.
- Limiting, segregating, or classifying an employee, or depriving that employee of employment opportunities, on the basis of genetic information.
- The request, requirement, or purchase of genetic information of the individual or a family member of the individual except in rare cases, as outlined in the drop-down section below.
- The use of genetic information in making decisions regarding admission to or employment in any program for apprenticeship or training and retraining, including on-the-job training.
Furthermore, employers should be aware that it is unlawful for an employment agency, labor organization, or training program to fail or refuse to refer an individual for employment on the basis of genetic information, nor may the agency or labor organization attempt to cause an employer to discriminate against an individual on the basis of genetic information.
Related Post From FYI Screening:
How To Protect Your Company When Googling Job Applicants
Earlier this week I wrote how 100% Of Companies Will Be Using Social Networks As Part Of Their Employee Screening Program By 2012.
Jon Hyman from the Ohio Employer’s Law Blog read this post and offers some advice on how employers can protect themselves when they use social networks to screen applicants.
- Read Googling job applicants from the Ohio Employer’s Law Blog.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannysullivan/ / CC BY 2.0
100% Of Companies Will Be Using Social Networks As Part Of Their Employee Screening Program By 2012
Dan Schawbel, a personal branding expert, gives his 10 Personal Branding Predictions for 2010. The one that caught my attention was number ten:
10) Online identities becoming as routine as employer drug tests
In 2009, Careerbuilder reported that 45% of companies are using social networks as background checks. I’m going to go with 75% of companies for 2010 and then 100% of companies in 2012. Just like a drug test, going online to review an applicants brand is easy, cost effective and can save headaches later. There are issues that arise such as possibly losing good talent because of one Facebook picture or judging someone based on their picture and not on their credibility.
What this means for your personal brand: Everyone is going to have to be very careful with what they put online. Go through your online presence right now to make sure it best represents you as a professional. Try and see your profiles through a companies eyes too.
The topic of using social networks for background checks has been controversial because of the possible legal exposure but I’m going to have to agree with Dan here…
100% of companies will be using social networks as part of their employee screening program by 2012.
It is important it note that these social searches will not replace traditional background checks (county criminal searches, verification of driving records, education and employment) but will be an increasingly important tool to help companies find the best fit employees for their organizations.
Read Dan’s 10 Personal Branding Predictions for 2010.