In yesterday’s CED , we covered legal challenges related to social media background checks. Today, tips for managing such checks, plus an introduction to a webinar you won’t want to miss. In an interview, you have at least some control over what you’ll learn, but when you go online...

I-9 audits can strike fear into the heart of even the most diligent HR professional. We try to ensure that we are meeting all obligations to only hire individuals who are legitimately eligible to work in the United States, but what can California employers do to protect ourselves in the case of an I...

You’re going to find out interesting things about potential employees online—like how often they update Facebook—and some of what you find is going to be information you would NEVER ask about in an interview. What are you going to find out online? Gender is typically no surprise, says...

Keeping accurate personnel records for every employee can be a burdensome task; there are varying legal requirements in terms of what must be kept and also how long it must be kept. How do you keep it all straight? In general, the records must be kept in indelible, typewritten or digital form for all...

Yesterday , we looked at the rules regarding consumer reports in California. Today: the rules that apply if you conduct your background checks yourself. We’ll also tell you about a detailed recordkeeping resource, specifically for California employers, you won’t want to be without. Go It...

If you obtain, or have prepared for you, criminal background checks, consumer reports, or investigative consumer reports from a consumer reporting agency, you must comply with the various requirements of the federal Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA). What’s a Consumer Report? The FCRA defines a consumer...

The recordkeeping requirements imposed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), discussed yesterday , apply to nonexempt employees. But don’t forget that the Equal Pay Act (EPA) expands the scope of the FLSA’s recordkeeping requirements and requires employers to maintain detailed records for...

Perhaps the most important of employer records, personnel and payroll records are often subject to heightened scrutiny in terms of both legal protection and corresponding enforcement activity by regulatory agencies. Consequently, proper maintenance of these records is of the utmost importance. FLSA Recordkeeping...

Utilizing electronic records can be a way to reduce paperwork in your office, but do you know how to stay in legal compliance while utilizing electronic employee records? How do you ensure your files are safe in case of an emergency? In a CER webinar titled "Electronic Recordkeeping in California...

Yesterday, we looked at some of the key aspects of the I-9 rules. Today, the penalties you face if you get it wrong—plus an answer to the question of what to do if you discover that you’re missing I-9s for one or more employees. The info below is courtesy of Dora V. Lane and Anthony L. Hall...

What if you conduct an I-9 audit and discover that you are missing some employees’ I-9 forms? You don’t know if they were accidentally purged, filed incorrectly, or never completed. Can you ask the affected employees to fill out another I-9? If so, do you ask them to backdate it or use the...

In yesterday’s CED , we covered “almost smoking gun” mistakes; today, more mistakes your managers make, plus an introduction to a helpful resource that will automate an important recordkeeping duty and take it off your plate once and for all. Today’s mistakes are again courtesy...

The worst-case scenario in defending against discrimination claims is the “smoking gun.” (“Too old for this job” written on a candidate’s resume, for example.) In today’s CED, several of the less outrageous mistakes that can still shoot your defense to pieces. Smoking...

Electronic recordkeeping saves trees, office space, and maybe time, but security and retention issues come along with it. Let’s explore them. We all know the advantages of electronic recordkeeping. You get quick, simultaneous access in as many places as there are computers; you can search by keyword;...

Yesterday , we looked at 5 potential employment policy perils you want to be sure to avoid. Today, the rest of the dastardly top 10 — plus a California-specific handbooks resource that practically does the work for you. Here’s the rest of the top 10, courtesy of Mark Schickman and Cathleen...

The employee handbook: Probably not the most enjoyable part of your job. It’s even less fun when a judge rules a policy unenforceable for some reason, forcing your company to hand over thousands of dollars to a disgruntled employee or former employee. Here are 10 potential policy perils to avoid...

HR departments as small as one face big challenges. Here's a program especially designed to help them. In countless businesses, usually with fewer than 100 workers, the HR "department" is just one person, or one with an administrative aide or two. As if HR wasn't complex enough, the...

Yesterday , we looked at some of the rights employees have under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Today, some of the things unions are not allowed to do – plus a convenient resource that will ensure you're always up to date on the various state and federal posting requirements, with...

Think your posting area for legally required employee notifications is crowded? Well, it's about to get a little more so. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a final rule that will require almost every private employer — whether unionized or not — to notify employees...

The NLRB has delayed until January 31 its final rule requiring most private-sector employers to post the new "Employee Rights" poster. The original deadline had been November 14 of this year. The deadline has been moved, according to the NLRB, to "allow for enhanced education and outreach...