Ban the box legislation to take effect in Louisiana on August 1

ban the box law allows employers to ask about criminal history during interviews and perform criminal background checks on applicants. This new legislation will take effect August 1, 2016. The National Employment Law Project estimates 70 million American adults have arrests or convictions in their past that can make it difficult for them to obtain…

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Connecticut signs ban the box into law

will be permitted to perform checks: (1) when the employer is required to do so by an applicable state or federal law, or (2) when a security or fidelity bond or an equivalent bond is required for the position for which the prospective employee is seeking employment. The law also establishes a “fair chance employment task…

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Department of Labor announces $10.4 million in grants

announced the award of $10.4 million in ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grants to expand and expedite registered apprenticeship programs nationwide. The grants – awarded to 51 states and territories, and the District of Columbia – are part of $90 million in funding announced in April to expand apprenticeship in the U.S. The recipients announced today will…

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May 2016 employment: US adds 38,000 jobs

The Employment Situation’ news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy added just 38,000 jobs in May while the unemployment rate declined 0.3% to 4.7% (resulting in 7.4 million unemployed persons). Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.3 percent),  adult women (4.2 percent), Whites (4.1 percent), and…

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Security Clearance Background Checks: Senators question oversight plans for creation of new agency NBIB

the letter. “We also want to ensure that the [National Background Investigations Bureau] will not simply be a new name for the [Federal Investigative Service]. Instead, it is critical that you make significant structural changes to improve the integrity, management, and oversight of the security clearance process.” The letter follows McCaskill’s recent introduction of legislation…

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North Carolina consider background checks for all school employees

Last month, they appear to have made progress as a measure to strengthen background checks of teachers and other school personnel moved out of a Senate committee. Currently, local school districts have background check policies, but they vary. The State Board of Education cannot now require applicants for teaching licenses to be checked for criminal…

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How to avoid a bad hire

69% of businesses are affected by bad hires and the ROI of a bad hire can be as awful as -298%. Small businesses, in particular, are  vulnerable to embezzlement and other kinds of employee theft because they lack the checks and balances of big corporations. It’s critical that business owners minimize their risk when hiring…

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