Prince George’s County is the latest Maryland County to hop on the Ban the Box bandwagon. Starting January 20, 2015, employers with at least twenty-five full-time employees in Price George’s County (MD) are prohibited from asking an applicant about his or her criminal record until the conclusion of the applicant’s first interview. Once the Council’s… More
FCRA
Banning the Box: A Gray Area for Employers?
According to recent reports, roughly one in four adults has a criminal record. As such, the momentum in support of “ban the box” legislation—i.e., legislation that restricts an employer from including a little check box on a job application asking, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?”—continues to grow. On July 14, 2014, the… More
BACKGROUND CHECK LAWSUITS ON THE RISE
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) requires that employers take certain steps before they ask a “consumer reporting agency” to run a background check on applicants or current employees. What does this mean? Employers who use background checks often must first give applicants and employees written notice that they will obtain a consumer report, get… More
Top Seven Laws Every Employer Should Know*
1. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)– In brief, Title VII bars certain employers from discriminating against employees, former employees, or applicants for employment based on race, color, national origin, religion or sex (including gender and pregnancy). Title VII also prohibits harassment and retaliation based on the same protected characteristics…. More
Background Check Class Action Underscores Need for Prior Authorization
Be careful when doing background checks on applicants and employees! The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) establishes a series of hoops through which employers must jump when using a third-party vendor to do most background checks. Fail to jump through the right hoops at the right time and you could be facing a lawsuit. Just… More