Maryland drops nearly 15% of new Uber, Lyft drivers for failing background checks

Nearly 15 percent of new ride-hail drivers in Maryland have been dropped from the apps over the past six months for failing state screening, despite having passed Uber and Lyft’s background checks, says state Public Service Commission (PSC). The rejections included 460 applicants with disqualifying criminal histories and 900 who were flagged because of issues…

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Report: Only 5% of employers fully utilitizing social media background checks

NAPBS and HR.com recently released a report on their latest national survey of human resources professionals. One statistic that stood out to us: Only 23% of employers perform social media background checks and only 5% perform them for all candidates. It’s surprising that the continued rise of social media use does not correlate with the rise of social…

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57% of Denver child-welfare workers can't prove they passed background checks

More than half of Denver child-welfare caseworkers (57%) could not prove they had passed required background checks during a recent review. This information was revealed in an audit report, published just this month. “Those who protect our smallest citizens and our aging loved ones must be held to high standards, and that includes proof of background…

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California introduces 'ban the box' law for private companies

It was almost five years ago when California passed ‘ban the box‘ legislation that applied to public state agencies, cities, and counties. Now, the private sector has followed suit. California has become the 10th state to require private-sector employers to ‘ban the box’ on employment applications asking about applicants’ criminal conviction histories. with Governor Jerry…

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New proposal would augment background checks for ride-share drivers

A proposal to strengthen background checks for ride-share drivers, such as those who drive for services like Uber and Lyft, was recently released by the California Public Utilities Commission on their website. The proposal sets forth three enhancements: It requires that the background check companies that ride-sharing companies use be accredited by the Background Screening Credentialing…

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September 2017 employment: US loses 33,000 jobs

According to ‘The Employment Situation‘ report released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US economy lost 33,000 jobs in September 2017 due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey while the unemployment rate declined to 4.2 percent. The jobs report revealed a steep employment decline in food services and…

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The prescription drug crisis hits the workplace

Drug abuse in the workforce is a growing challenge for American business. Increasingly, it’s legal drugs that are having a negative affect. Most media outlets right now focus attention on the opioid epidemic’s role in keeping people out of work, but two-thirds of those who report misusing pain-relievers are already employed. This does not only…

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