Is Checking Social Media Sites the Next Wave in Pre-employment Screening?

Last week the Federal Trade Commission decided to stop investigating a start-up company that searches social media and other websites to perform background checks on potential (and current) employees.

The government has decided that as long as the company complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act by telling applicants if something that was found in their employment background check resulted in them not being hired.

This is potentially big news in the pre-employment screening industry, as it could signal the future of background checks may include an element that delves into personal information shared on social media websites and other online outlets.

There could be a slippery slope there of what some employers would want to find out about a potential employee’s personal life, and whether knowing such things as sexual orientation or religious preferences could taint an employer’s view of the applicant, or even hurt their chances of being hired.

It’s true that many employers already check out applicants’ Facebook and Myspace pages and perform other cursory Google searches to find out whatever they can about a potential employee. Stay tuned for more as this trend possibly develops into something more…

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Legality of Using of Credit Scores During Hiring Could Change

Times are tough out there for many hard-working Americans, and credit scores across the country are suffering because of the economic slump. Many people who waded through months or more of unemployment or underemployment, and saw their credit suffer as a result of their decreased income, are now facing an uphill battle scoring better jobs that would help them get back on track financially and increase their credit scores BECAUSE of their less-than-stellar credit reports. This is because so many employers have been using a credit check as part of the background check criteria during the hiring process.

But now lawmakers across the country are trying to change that by introducing bills that would restrict the use of credit reports when determining whether to hire workers. For example, California lawmakers recently voted to block employers from using consumer credit reports during the hiring process. If signed into law, the bill would stop the use of credit checks in hiring, except for managers, law enforcement, financial jobs and certain other positions that handle valuable items or information.

In addition to states like Hawaii, Illinois and Maryland enacting laws that limit the use of credit histories by potential employers, Congress is working on the Equal Employment for All Act that would prohibit the use of credit report information in most employment decisions. The act could change the face of hiring across the board when it comes to the use of credit reports, so employers should stay tuned to make sure their hiring processes remain in compliance with state and federal law.

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