California has a unique set of rules for background checks for employment that go beyond the other 49 states and the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you’re an employer in California, it’s important to follow the rules to the letter, since applicants can sue for up to $10,000...

By Attorney Lester Rosen, Founder & CEO of Employment Screening Resources (ESR) You have heard it said before many times in both positive and negative ways: California is different. One example is that California has unique rules for background checks that go beyond the other 49 states and the federal...

Yesterday , we looked at the first 5 of our "Top 10" list of common hiring mistakes made by California employers. Today, the rest of the Top 10 – plus an upcoming webinar you won't want to miss. [ For mistakes 1-5, click here.] 6. Not using offer letters Offer letters, like job descriptions...

Given the recent state of the economy, most employers have been more concerned with how to conduct effective layoffs than with avoiding mistakes in the hiring process. Yet as the economy gradually (if fitfully) shows signs of improvement, companies need to prepare to hire again. Are you ready? Now is...

Yesterday , we explained why rushing into a new-hire decision can be a big mistake. Today, we'll look at a valuable tool that many employers don't take advantage of: the introductory period. Take Advantage of the Introductory Period Almost every employer declares the first 90 days of employment...

Are you a buyer rather than a shopper? You may fit this mold if you know precisely what you want, go directly to it on the store shelves, grab it, and head immediately for the cash register. While this strategy may make for efficient purchasing, it can also make for disastrous hiring. No one wants to...

Yesterday , we looked at some of the legal concerns for employers that social media raises. Today, some tips for protecting yourself — as well as an introduction to a webinar you won't want to miss next week. The following suggestions are courtesy of the law firm of Epstein Becker & Green...

If your employees aren't plugged in to social media sites on a regular basis at work, it's likely because you have (a) a draconian firewall or (b) a workplace entirely free of computers. It's also possible that (c) you're in deep denial. Like it or not, social media is here to stay. Here...

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Ontario, California police department didn't illegally invade an officer's privacy when it reviewed the racy messages he sent and received via his department-issued pager. What does this mean for your policies? The U.S. Supreme...

On Fridays, California Employer Daily will often be given over to an “E-pinion” column by Jennifer Carsen, Esq., ERI’s Managing Editor. If you’ve got an idea for a 500-700 word column on any topic of interest to California employers, we’d love to have you as a guest columnist...

How important is it to keep accurate employment records? Not very, some might say, but they’d change their tune as soon as the lawsuits started to fly. Poor or missing records make it hard to defend lawsuits, says attorney Allen Kato. But if you have good records supporting your actions, opposing...

“Social media networks and blogs are now the fourth most popular online activity, ahead of personal e-mail,” says Cynthia L. Gibson, Esq. And they are getting more popular with HR for background checks. Unfortunately, she says, once you turn up information you don’t want, “you...

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case regarding whether a federal contractor's employees in "low risk" positions can be required to undergo extensive background checks. The case involves workers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is located on federally owned land but is...

Knowing what questions to ask applicants is key to finding the right people for your company. But it's just as important to know what questions not to ask to avoid potential lawsuits. For example, asking job applicants about personal information like marital status, sexual orientation, and pregnancies...

To ensure that individuals who join [Company Name] are well qualified and have a strong potential to be productive and successful employees, it is [Company Name]'s policy to investigate the backgrounds and employment references of applicants. In addition, [Company Name] may conduct background investigations...

We're hiring maid staff for our hotel. Is there a specific type of background check we should perform? We're looking to do the minimum possible while still being responsible. For any employment position, you should at least verify the candidate's work history. Whether you do it in-house or...

We're trying to be as careful as possible in prescreening the people we interview. We hear a lot about resume falsification—some amazing percentage of resumes supposedly have "mistakes" or outright lies on them. What are some of the common things people lie about on their resumes...

I recently returned from a meeting where one expert recommended doing a Google search on applicants as part of the evaluation process. He said you often find very interesting things about people, especially if they blog or have their own website. Someone else thought it might be an invasion of privacy...

We've had two bad hiring experiences in which we found out later that candidates misrepresented certain areas of their background. Now, we want to improve our background checks. What can you recommend? — Isabella, HR Staffing Specialist in Oakland Great question, Isabella. Background checks...

Social networking websites—such as Facebook, Friendster, and MySpace—allow users to post information about themselves, to stay in touch with friends and meet new ones. A typical member profile might include photos; education; career interests; lists of family, friends, favorite music, television...