Posted on Mon, Jul 30, 2012
During the recruiting process, certain information is obtained from applicants. With the Internet, organizations can now simultaneously receive a large number of applications for multiple job openings and store it all in an applicant system. This often leads to questions about information security and what to do with applicant data.
For all job postings, be sure to follow Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) guidelines, only asking for information that relates to employment with your company. Do not ask for Social Security numbers, birth dates, or other information that could pose a security risk for the applicant. Do not require applicants to self-identify race and gender, although you can ask these items as voluntary questions. Use a password-protected applicant tracking software, where job postings and applicants are stored on your secure server.
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Posted on Wed, Nov 09, 2011
A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment or modification that an employer provides to give a person with a disability equal access to employment opportunities. Reasonable accommodations are an important aspect of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal civil rights law enacted to prevent discrimination and help individuals with disabilities to enjoy full participation in all areas of society.
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who enforces the ADA law, employers must provide reasonable accommodations so persons with disabilities can apply for a job, perform a job, or have access to benefits equal to what is offered to other employees.
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Posted on Fri, Jul 29, 2011
The unemployment rate may be high right now for many Americans in general, but for one segment of the population, it has remained stubbornly high.
In a 2011 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 15%, slightly higher the previous year. (These individuals surveyed were not currently working, were available for work, and actively seeking employment in the previous month.) A large proportion of disabled individuals (8 in 10) are not in the labor force at all.Tax credits and other incentives can offer help to businesses interested in hiring people with disabilities. Here are a few other points you should know:1. Read the Guide to Disability Rights Laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Primer for Small Business, which describes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to small businesses. The ADA is a federal civil rights law designed to prevent discrimination and enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society, and applies to businesses with 15 or more employees.2. Understand what the Americans for Disabilities Act requires of you as an employer. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers covered by the ADA must ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to:
- apply for and work in jobs for which they are qualified,
- be promoted once they are working,
- benefits and privileges of employment offered to other employees, and
- not be harassed because of the disability.
3. Employers need to know the do’s and don’ts in the hiring process as they apply to people with disabilities. For example, during an interview, you can’t ask questions about a disability, how a person became disabled, or the use of medication, among other questions. 4. You must respect the confidentiality of an applicant or an employee. This can include requests for reasonable accommodations, as well as storage of medical information separate from the person’s regular personnel file.For more information on adding employees with disabilities to your payroll, check out the Disability.gov website.
This content has been provided by Patriot Software, Inc., developer of online software for small businesses, including payroll software, applicant tracking software, human resources sofotware, and employee self-serve software. For more information, visit www.PatriotSoftware.com. Read More