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Greetings:
As social media plays a large role in our daily lives, many employers are scratching their heads in regards to what role it should play in their hiring process. This is a tricky topic, and our main article in this issue of "The Monitor" examines the pros, cons, and legal implications.
We are pleased to include an informative article from guest author Brian Lamoureux, partner at the advisory law firm of Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC, in Providence, RI. He has written a thought provoking discussion exploring the advisability and risks of using social media in recruiting and screening prospective employees.
As college graduates are heading off to job interviews with resumes in hand, prospective employers should be aware of the prevalence of resume fraud. We have included an informational article about discrepancies on resumes, including phony degrees from diploma mills.
Also in this issue, we report on the upsurge in the amount of FCRA class-action lawsuits being filed against employers, and provide an update of some current cases. In a recent win for employers, a federal appeals court upheld the dismissal of the EEOC's lawsuit against Kaplan Higher Education Corporation. Also in EEOC news, a hearing was held on June 10 titled, "The Regulatory and Enforcement Priorities of the EEOC: Examining the Concerns of Stakeholders". On a state level, more "ban the box" laws are being passed for private employers. Read our update of the most recent "ban the box" legislation impacting private employers.
Hire Image is here to assist with all of your background screening needs. We help you hire the most qualified applicants for your business.
Enjoy your summer,
 Christine M. Cunneen Chief Executive Officer Hire Image LLC |
Social Media in Hiring: "TMI" "OMG" or "FYI"?!
In our technologically advanced world, it is not surprising that employers take advantage of social media to recruit and hire potential employees. Many employers have turned to social media as a way to screen and monitor the behavior of both potential and current employees. From gaining insight into the type of person a candidate is, to determining if they present themselves in a professional manner, employers can gauge if the candidate is a good fit for the company. But just how practical and useful is this information, and what are the legal implications?
One practical application for using social media is for recruiting. A 2011 study done by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 76%
of companies use or plan on using social media sites for recruiting. Many individuals seeking employment use social media platforms to make themselves known to employers, and also to research potential employers. When social media is used in this way, it can be a highly valuable tool. However, risk occurs when employers use these outlets to screen candidates.
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A Brave Future World: Using Social Media to Find and Screen Employees
By Brian Lamoureux, Esq., Partner at Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC
"Hi, Brian - Please see this tweet sent by someone we were just about to hire. I can comfortably state that we do not want to hire him because of this vulgar tweet. Can we decide not to hire him because of this?"
This is an actual question one of my clients emailed me recently. After confirming that the tweet did not suggest that the potential employee was part of a protected class, I told my client that they were free to pass this person over. This was not a very difficult decision. But, it shows that human resource professionals are struggling with how social media can (and should) be used to find, screen, and discipline employees.
In 2013, almost 40% of employers used social media to screen candidates, according to a CareerBuilder study. Interestingly, 43% of those employers found information on social media that disqualified candidates, whereas only 19% found information that influenced them to hire a candidate. This disparity in favor of disqualifying candidates suggests that employers and potential employees need to understand that social media poses risks for each of them.
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Resume Fraud: Detecting White Lies While employers and human resource professionals may like to believe that all job candidates are honest about their past experience and education, this is unfortunately not the case. Resume fraud is becoming more prevalent in today's marketplace, and it is important for employers to know if they are truly hiring who they think they're hiring. Applicants embellish their credentials on resumes and job applications for various reasons. In a competitive job market, individuals seek to set themselves apart from their opponents. High rates of unemployment make people desperate to stand out, and many feel one of the only ways to do this is to lie about their qualifications on their resumes. A 2012 study completed by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that some key reasons job seekers lie on resumes include envy of others succeeding, a lack of confidence in their job search ability, and a history of past deviant behavior. Read more
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About Hire Image
Hire Image LLC is a specialist in the field of background screening, drug testing and verification services. Our priority is to provide timely background screening reports, thus enabling clients to make well-informed hiring and/or retention decisions. We work with organizations nationwide, from small businesses and associations to large corporations, in all industries. Our clients are best served through our exceptional support system and customized reporting, which is tailored specifically to meet their needs. By considering ourselves a partner with each client, our success is based upon their success.
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PBN Article
Hire Image CEO Christine Cunneen was featured as an expert in the background screening industry in a recent article published in the Providence Business News. Cuneen comments on resume fraud and diploma mills, a hot topic right now. Read the article here.
Inside Track
CEO Christine Cunneen will be presenting at the Greater Providence
Chamber of Commerce's Inside Track event this August. She will provide some insight about the background screening industry including trends and best practices.
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