Attorney and safe hiring expert Lester Rosen, Founder and CEO of nationwide accredited background check firm Employment Screening Resources (ESR), will present the webcast ‘Web 2.0 Caution! Using Social Networking Sites and Search Engines to Recruit and Screen Applicants’ for HR.com’s Institute for Human Resources (IHR) on Monday, February 27, 2012 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET (12:00 PM to 1:00 PM PT). To register for the event, visit: http://www.hr.com/en/webcasts_events/webcasts/upcoming_webcasts/web-20-caution-using-social-networking-sites-and-s_gxdvyhqe.html. (more…)

Employers and recruiters have discovered a treasure trove of information about potential job applicants on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and so-called ‘social media background checks’ are becoming more popular and prevalent than ever. However, the use of social media background checks for job applicants has become controversial and can present legal risks. Failure to utilize social media resources can arguably be the basis of a negligent hiring claim if an unfit person was hired for a position where a search of the internet may have raised a “red flag.” Conversely, employers face numerous landmines and pitfalls that can include that include privacy, discrimination, and accuracy issues. Lawsuits and developments in this area will likely be an ongoing topic in 2012.  This is Trend Number 3 of the fifth annual ‘Employment Screening Resources (ESR) Top 10 Trends in Background Checks’ for 2012. To view the list of trends, visit http://www.esrcheck.com/ESR-Top-10-Trends-in-Background-Checks-for-2012.php. (more…)

Employers and recruiters have discovered a treasure trove of information about potential job applicants on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. However, the use of these sites can present legal risks, including privacy and discrimination issues, according to safe hiring expert Les Rosen, CEO of Employment Screening Resources (ESR), who will present the 90 minute webinar ‘Avoiding Legal Landmines when Using Facebook, LinkedIn & Other Social Media Websites for Screening Candidates’ on Monday, December 12, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT. To learn more or to register, visit http://www.thompsoninteractive.com/site/offer.jsp?promo=00125651&priority=00295701745. (more…)

According to a news release on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, social network service Facebook has agreed to settle FTC charges of failing to keep promises of privacy after the company “deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public.” The FTC’s eight-count complaint against Facebook – part of the agency’s ongoing effort to ensure companies live up to the privacy promises they make to American consumers – charged that the claims that Facebook made “were unfair and deceptive and thus violated federal law.” (more…)

 Employment Screening Resources (ESR) – a nationwide background screening firm accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has announced the development of the “ESR Assured Compliance_SM” process that allows employers to automatically comply with federal and state laws governing employment screening background checks through the company’s online paperless Applicant Generated Report (AGR) system that is constantly updated with required changes in hiring and employment regulations. For more information about “ESR Assured Compliance_SM,” visit http://www.esrcheck.com/ESR-Assured-Compliance.php. (more…)