Author: tahearn

Thomas Ahearn is the ESR News Blog Editor for Employment Screening Resources (ESR). The ESR News Blog provides up to date information about the background check industry and covers a variety of topics including Ban the Box, credit reports, criminal records, data privacy, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lawsuits, international screening, social media background checks, and workplace violence. He has a B.S. in Mass Communication and Public Relations from Boston University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College.

“Ban the Box” Laws and Second Chance Programs that Help Ex-Offenders Find Work Will Continue to Evolve

Written By Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) “Ban the Box” laws and Second Chance Programs that help allow ex-offenders in the United States with a prior criminal record – an estimated 70 million people or nearly one in three U.S. adults – an opportunity to find work after leaving prison will continue to evolve, according to …

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Continuous Screening Will Become More Widely Adopted But Employers Must Consider Certain Factors Before Implementation

Written By Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) A new and evolving practice called “Continuous Screening” where periodic background checks are conducted on employees and independent contractors will become more widely adopted but employers should consider certain factors before implementing the practice, according to the “ESR Top Ten Background Check Trends” for 2021 compiled by leading global …

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False EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Participation Claims Will Still Be Investigated Despite Invalidation of Framework

Written By Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will continue to investigate companies that falsely claim participation in the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework that allows the transfer of data from the European Union (EU) to the United States (U.S.) despite the invalidation of the framework, according to the “ESR Top Ten Background …

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EEOC Unveils New Webpage Explaining Systemic Discrimination Enforcement

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn On January 8, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) unveiled a new webpage on its website – “Systemic Enforcement at the EEOC” – that explains the use of administrative and litigation tools used to identify and pursue systemic discriminatory practices, according to an EEOC press …

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Most HR Leaders Will Allow Remote Workers After COVID-19 Vaccine Available

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn Nine out of ten Human Resources leaders will allow employees to work remotely after a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is widely adopted, according to a December 2020 survey by global research and advisory firm Gartner. Sixty-five percent of organizations reported they would continue to offer employees flexibility on …

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December 2020 Jobs Report Shows 140,000 Jobs Lost as COVID-19 Cases Rise

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn Total nonfarm employment in the United States declined by 140,000 jobs while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent in December 2020, reflecting the recent increase in Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and efforts to contain the pandemic, according to the jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor …

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DOL Announces Final Rule for Independent Contractor Status Under FLSA

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn On January 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule clarifying the standard for employee versus independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), according to a DOL news release. The rule will take effect on March 8, 2021, 60 days …

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FBI Conducted Record High 39.7 Million Firearm Background Checks in 2020

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a record high 39.7 million firearm background checks for gun purchases in 2020, according to statistics from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) that checks for the criminal records of people who may be disqualified from receiving firearms. …

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CFPB Settlement Imposes $4.75 Million Penalty for Alleged FCRA Violations

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn On December 22, 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a consent order that imposed a $4,750,000 civil money penalty against “a leading originator and servicer of nonprime auto loans and leases” that furnished credit information on the auto loans it serviced to Consumer Reporting Agencies …

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Employment Screening Resources (ESR) Renews SHRM Recertification Provider Status

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn Employment Screening Resources® (ESR), a leading global background check provider, has successfully renewed its status with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®), the largest HR organization in the world, as a SHRM Recertification Provider for a two-year term from March 2, 2021, to March 31, 2023. As …

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