This document discusses the latest trends in employment screening and challenges faced by employers. It addresses issues like litigation risks, ban the box laws, individualized assessment requirements, and legalized marijuana. The objective is to help employers navigate these challenges and streamline their screening processes to minimize legal risks and improve the candidate experience to stay competitive in attracting top talent. Top takeaways include ensuring proper disclosure, authorization and adverse action procedures to avoid FCRA litigation; considering standardizing criminal history inquiries and assessments; adopting substance abuse policies for legal marijuana and new OSHA rules; and making screening a transparent, positive experience for candidates.
$4.75- Dish Network; $12 – Wells Fargo, $6.7 Kelly Services; $22.5 – Lowes; $4.4 = Swift Transportation; $6.8 Publix;
At time of screening authorization
Gather info Yes – Specific offense, date, interim period,
Ask individualized assessment questions
The final rule revises OSHA's regulation on Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (29 CFR 1904). The new rule requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness data to OSHA that they are already required to keep under OSHA regulations. The content of these establishment-specific submissions depends on the size and industry of the employer.
In order to ensure the completeness and accuracy of injury and illness data collected by employers and reported to OSHA, the final rule also:
1. requires employers to inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation;
2. clarifies the existing implicit requirement that an employer's procedure for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses must be reasonable and not deter or discourage employees from reporting; and
3. incorporates the existing statutory prohibition on retaliating against employees for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses.
If the employer had a reasonable basis after concluding the drug use could have contributed
An employer has a heightened interest in determining if drug use could have contributed to the injury or illness
Improve tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
Reporting requirements-effective January, 2017 (2016 due by July, 2017)
Establishments with 250 or more employees that are subject to OSHA's recordkeeping regulation must electronically submit to OSHA some of the information from the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300), the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A), and the Injury and Illness Incident Report (OSHA Form 301).
Establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries must electronically submit to OSHA some of the information from the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A).
Establishments with fewer than 20 employees at all times during the year do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA.
Improve tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
Reporting requirements-effective January, 2017 (2016 due by July, 2017)
Establishments with 250 or more employees that are subject to OSHA's recordkeeping regulation must electronically submit to OSHA some of the information from the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300), the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A), and the Injury and Illness Incident Report (OSHA Form 301).
Establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries must electronically submit to OSHA some of the information from the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A).
Establishments with fewer than 20 employees at all times during the year do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA.
What’s At Stake
Willful violations per day $70K to 124K
Serious violations per day $7,000-$12,471
Consider testing anyone involved and whose actions cannot be ruled out as a contributing cause of the incident
Over 22 million current marijuana users
Strong association between marijuana use and diminished lifetime achievement and motor vehicle crashes
Short-Term effects of marijuana use include impaired short-term memory, impaired motor coordination, and altered judgment
Substantial evidence for association between marijuana use and memory impairments lasting at least seven days
Regulation and statutory requirements
Mass SJC
“Use of medical marijuana by a qualifying patient is lawful as the use and possession of any other prescribed medication”
Patients shall not be denied “any right or privilege” on the basis of their medical marijuana use
An Individual who uses marijuana at the recommendation of a licensed physician is a “qualified’ handicapped person and entitled to reasonable accommodation
In a recent decision (Callaghan v. Darlington Fabrics Corp.), the Rhode Island Supreme Court has held that under Rhode Island law, an employer cannot refuse to hire a medical marijuana cardholder, even if the applicant admits during the interview that he/she will not be able to pass the employer’s mandatory pre-employment drug test.
Drug Testing Policy
Consider the type of position (Safety-could impaired employee pose an unacceptably signification safety risk to the public, or employer
Will the positive test violate a contractual or statutory obligation
Legitimacy of employee/applicant medical marijuana use;
Equally effective alternative medications/accommodations; and undue hardship
What can employers do? Be Proactive
Are you in a state with medical/recreational marijuana law?
Do you have a policy that covers drug use? Testing?
Does it address marijuana?
Does it define marijuana as “illegal” or prohibit it entirely?
Does it clearly define what is and is not permissible, when, and where
Consider accommodation and what are the alternatives
When we drill down into some of the specifics, we find candidate feedback to include:
31% say the turnaround time is too long. Typically background checks take 2-3 business days, but sometimes longer. There are many reasons for background check turnaround time becoming extended. Things like slow processing time by the information source, backlog in courts, lack of response by schools and employers, and more. ….. Generally we can’t do very much about factors like those.
Perhaps more importantly, 72% of Career Builder respondents were frustrated by not understanding what takes so long. That is something we do have some control over. We can share information upfront with the candidate about turnaround time and why things sometimes take longer. Perhaps we can even give them real time access to results. But at the outset, one of the important points to emphasize is a delay does not necessarily equate to a problem. Candidates often assume the worst.
54% of candidates expressed concern with background screening vendors processing outside the U.S. as the perceived security risk to their PII automatically becomes higher. And one final point … 59% of candidates rated the experience as “easy.” If that doesn’t seem so bad, what would the impact on your organization be if only 59% of your employees were productive and engaged.
I suggest a fundamental concept for successful communication is simple – No surprises. Candidates want to be informed. They want to know what to expect, when to expect it, and how they will be kept informed throughout the screening process.