GOP lawmaker seeks background checks on candidates

The proposal by the House Minority Leader comes as legislators consider a bill expanding criminal background checks for gun purchases to include most private sales. Short says his bill has been under consideration for several weeks and that the timing of its announcement Friday – just one day after the House passed the gun background…

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New Jersey plans to ban criminal 'check box' on job applications

last week by New Jersey state Senators Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Ray Lesniak would end what they described as a “discriminatory practice” against ex-offenders. The NJ Senators would like to introduce legislation to ‘ban the box’. The ‘box’, which appears on virtually all job applications, asks whether the applicant has a criminal…

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No criminal record checks for UK job applicants

this week. The Court of Appeal said it was “disproportionate” to require people applying for work to disclose all previous records, including spent offences. Home Secretary Theresa May immediately announced she would appeal the decision claiming it could put children at risk because it would be harder to screen applicants. “We are disappointed by this judgement…

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EEOC: Be careful when conducting criminal background checks

Companies that ask job applicants if they’ve been convicted of a felony or check criminal histories expose themselves to potential discrimination lawsuits: “I would suggest to (businesses) that they think…about why they think they need to do a criminal background check,” said John Hendrickson, the regional attorney for the EEOC’s Chicago district. The EEOC in…

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Over 50% of hiring managers have hired an applicant with a criminal record

Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, and a recent Career Builder survey suggests that 51% of human-resource managers reported that their organization has hired one of these individuals. The study included 2,298 U.S. hiring managers and human-resource professionals and was conducted between May 14 and June 4, 2012, and went on to ask  hiring managers to share what job…

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Illinois gets grant to fight unemployment fraud

While authorities may be trying to stamp down on unemployment fraud, businesses should be taking steps to prevent fraud within their companies. By implementing a thorough employment screening process, you can ensure all new hires are honest individuals with integrity, and you minimize your risk of employees acting fraudulently at a later date. Employment screening…

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EEOC scrutinizes Dollar General's background check policy

according to a recent SEC filing. The EEOC has alleged that the company’s criminal background check policy has a “disparate impact” toward black job candidates and employees, a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The company was notified about the allegation in September 2011, but efforts to resolve the matter were unsuccessful. Dollar…

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North Carolina passes bill to potentially aid felons

PilotOnline reported this week how some felons in North Carolina would get a fresh start under a bill passed by a Senate panel that allows judges to erase some nonviolent convictions if the individuals met a series of requirements. To get the crimes expunged, 15 years must have passed since the conviction, and “good moral…

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