| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HR vs AI: Why HR Needs a Seat at the AI Table | |
AI is reshaping the workplace, and HR’s involvement is crucial yet often overlooked, a McLean & Co. report reveals. HR can help create a strategic, holistic AI adoption approach, mitigating risks and maximizing ROI. “The AI strategy is the central point from which both technical and people-related AI activities originate,” says Lisa Highfield of McLean & Co. Nearly 90% of HR leaders foresee reskilling up to half their workforce within five years due to AI. Clear communication and upskilling are vital, with 57% of workers eager for retraining opportunities.
Therefore, as organizations rapidly adopt AI tools, it is crucial for HR teams to collaborate with background screening providers to effectively screen for AI competence in the up and coming AI assisted workforce. This alignment ensures that the candidates not only possess the necessary AI skills but also align with the broader company goals and culture. Here are several components that HR teams and background screening providers need to emphasize in this new era of AI tools. Incorporating Certification and Credential Verifications - Certifications and Credentials: Verify the authenticity of AI-related certifications and credentials listed on resumes and applications.
Enhanced Education and Employment Verifications: - Educational Background: Ensure thorough verification of educational credentials, focusing on degrees, courses, and training programs related to AI and machine learning.
- Enhanced Employment Verifications: Validate previous work experience related to AI projects. This includes checking the scope and impact of AI-related roles held by the candidate.
Social Media and Online Presence: - Social Media Screening: Utilize social media background checks to identify candidates' contributions to AI communities, such as publications, open-source projects, and professional forums. This can provide insight into their active engagement and expertise in the AI field.
- Ethical Considerations: Screen for any potentially adverse online behavior that may indicate ethical concerns, such as involvement in AI applications that could harm privacy or security.
Continuous Learning and Upskilling: - Commitment to Learning: Evaluate the candidate’s commitment to continuous learning in AI by looking at their participation in workshops, seminars, and online courses. This can be a good indicator of their willingness to stay updated with rapidly evolving AI technologies.
Tailored Screening Packages: - Custom Solutions: Work with the screening provider to develop tailored screening packages that meet the specific needs of AI-related roles. This customization can help address unique requirements and ensure the screening process is aligned with the company’s strategic goals.
Communication and Transparency: - Clear Communication: Clearly communicate the AI strategy and screening criteria to all stakeholders, including the candidates. This transparency helps in building trust and ensuring everyone understands the importance of the screening process.
- Involvement of AI Steering Committees: Establish AI strategy steering committees that include HR leaders to align AI adoption with broader organizational goals, ensuring a holistic approach to AI implementation.
By focusing on these components, HR teams can effectively collaborate with background screening providers to screen for AI competence, ensuring they hire candidates who are not only technically proficient but also ethically aligned with the company’s values and goals.
How EDIFY Can HelpEDIFY Background Screening is uniquely positioned to assist HR teams in navigating the complexities of AI competence screening. With our comprehensive and customizable screening packages, we can verify educational credentials, work experience, and AI-specific skills. Our social media background checks help identify a candidate’s engagement in AI communities and potential ethical concerns. And we ensure compliance with FCRA and other relevant laws, providing reliable and actionable screening results. Plus, dedicated support team and advanced technology platforms streamline the screening process, ensuring that HR teams can confidently hire AI-competent candidates who align with their organization’s goals and values.
| | New Laws Impacting Employers Conducting Background Checks | | Starting July 1, 2024, employers across the United States will need to adapt to new laws that impact employment practices, including background checks, data privacy, pay equity, and workplace safety. Immediate updates to policies and procedures are necessary to ensure compliance. Key Legislative Changes Include:
California Labor Code § 6401.9: Workplace Violence Prevention Plans
California employers must now implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Plans under the new Labor Code Section 6401.9. This law requires employers to develop strategies to prevent workplace violence, including conducting thorough background checks. Additionally, employees must be trained on these plans to ensure they understand the procedures and protocols. Cal/OSHA is developing a standard to meet these requirements, expected to be adopted by December 31, 2026.
Colorado SB 58: Job Application Fairness Act
Effective July 1, 2024, the Job Application Fairness Act (JAFA) in Colorado prohibits employers from seeking information that might reveal a job applicant’s age during the initial application process. This includes inquiries about dates of attendance or graduation from educational institutions. Employers must revise job applications and interview procedures to comply with this new law, fostering a fairer hiring environment that focuses on skills and qualifications rather than age.
New York City Workers’ Bill of Rights
New York City employers are now required to display the multilingual “Your Rights at Work” poster visibly and provide a copy of the Workers’ Bill of Rights to employees on their first day of work. This document includes crucial information about worker classification, job applicant rights, pay transparency, salary history bans, and more. Employers must integrate this requirement into their onboarding processes to promote workplace transparency and fairness.
South Dakota SB 12: Medical Cannabis in the Workplace
South Dakota’s SB 12 clarifies that employers are not required to accommodate medical marijuana use in the workplace. Employers can take adverse employment action based solely on a positive test result for cannabis metabolites, particularly for safety-sensitive jobs. This law supports the enforcement of drug-free workplace policies without legal repercussions related to medical cannabis use.
Data Privacy Laws: Florida, Oregon, and Texas
New data privacy laws in Florida, Oregon, and Texas, effective July 1, 2024, establish responsibilities and privacy protection standards for businesses collecting personal data. These laws aim to safeguard consumer privacy while allowing exceptions for background checks conducted under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
How EDIFY Background Screening Can HelpAt EDIFY Background Screening, we understand the complexities and challenges these new laws present for employers. Our comprehensive background screening services are designed to help you stay compliant with evolving legal requirements. We provide: - Customized Screening Solutions: Tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization, and updated regularly ensuring compliance with all relevant state and federal laws.
- Up-to-Date Compliance: Regular updates and compliance checks to keep your HR team and background screening practices current with new legislation.
- Training and Support: Resources and training to help your HR team understand and implement necessary changes in policies and procedures.
- Data Privacy and Security: Ensuring that all personal data is handled according to the highest standards of privacy and security, in line with new data privacy laws.
By partnering with EDIFY Background Screening, you can navigate these changes confidently, ensuring your organization remains compliant and your hiring practices are robust and fair. | | | | | | | | | | Compliance with the FCRA: Key Obligations for Users of Consumer Reports | |
In the realm of human resources, ensuring compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is crucial for maintaining lawful hiring practices. The FCRA outlines specific responsibilities for users of consumer reports, which include background checks and other pre-employment screenings. This blog post will delve into the key obligations outlined in the "Notice to Users of Consumer Reports" and provide practical guidance for HR professionals to ensure compliance.
Key User Obligations Under the FCRA 1. Users Must Have a Permissible Purpose: Congress has established permissible purposes to protect consumer privacy. Permissible purposes include:
- Court orders or federal grand jury subpoenas.
- Written instructions from the consumer.
- Employment purposes with written permission from the consumer.
- Underwriting of insurance based on a consumer's application.
- Legitimate business needs in connection with a business transaction initiated by the consumer.
2. Certifications to Consumer Reporting Agencies: Before obtaining a consumer report, users must certify to the CRA:
- The specific permissible purpose(s).
- That the report will not be used for any other purpose.
- That competent legal counsel will be consulted to ensure suitability.
3. Notification of Adverse Actions: When taking adverse actions based on consumer reports, users must:
- Notify the consumer of the adverse action.
- Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the CRA.
- Inform the consumer that the CRA did not make the decision and cannot explain it.
- Notify the consumer of their right to a free copy of the report and their right to dispute the information.
4. Address Discrepancies: Users must develop policies and procedures to respond when notified of discrepancies by a CRA.
- This includes verifying the consumer’s identity and ensuring the accuracy of the consumer's information provided for the background check.
5. Disposal of Records: Users must implement policies to dispose of consumer information securely, ensuring that records are unreadable and inaccessible upon disposal.
6. Special Procedures for Employment Screening: When using consumer reports for employment purposes, users must:
- Provide a clear and conspicuous written disclosure to the consumer.
- Obtain prior written authorization from the consumer.
- Certify compliance with FCRA requirements to the CRA.
- Provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action.
- Issue a post-adverse action notice in the case of taking adverse action.
How EDIFY Helps Ensure Compliance At EDIFY Background Screening, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the complexities of the FCRA. Our services include: - Compliance Support: Providing guidance on permissible purposes and certification processes.
- Adverse Action Assistance: Helping clients with the necessary steps for pre-adverse and adverse action notifications.
- Training and Resources: Offering training and resources to keep clients informed about their obligations under the FCRA.
By partnering with EDIFY, HR professionals can confidently manage their compliance obligations, ensuring a fair and lawful background screening process.
| | | | PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT: Education Verifications | | | | Enhance Your Hiring Process with Social Media Checks | |
In the modern hiring landscape, a comprehensive approach to background screening is essential. At EDIFY Background Screening, we are excited to introduce our new Social Media Background Checks, a valuable add-on to any of our background check packages. This service provides deeper insights into a candidate's online presence, ensuring your organization makes informed and responsible hiring decisions.
Key Components of Social Media ChecksOur Social Media Background Checks are available in two tiers: Social Media Search BASIC
- Coverage: Reviews three years of the most recent publicly available content.
- Categories: Screens for potentially adverse material such as intolerance, violence, theft/fraud, solicitation, underage drinking, illicit drugs use, criminal behavior, and sexually explicit content.
- Report: Provides a summary with screenshot examples of flagged content.
- Sites Include: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, SnapChat, and dozens more.
Why Incorporate Social Media Checks?Holistic Candidate Evaluation: Social media checks allow employers to gain a more complete understanding of a candidate's behavior and values beyond their resume and interview. This can help ensure alignment with your company’s culture and standards. Mitigate Risks: By identifying potentially harmful behaviors such as intolerance or violence, social media checks help mitigate risks associated with negligent hiring. For example, hiring an individual with a history of violent behavior could lead to workplace safety issues and legal liabilities. Protect Company Reputation: Employees represent your company both inside and outside of work. Ensuring they adhere to acceptable standards of behavior online helps protect your company’s reputation. For instance, an employee engaged in discriminatory behavior online could tarnish your brand’s image if discovered by clients or the public. Enhance Compliance: With increasing scrutiny on companies' hiring practices, social media checks can help maintain compliance with industry regulations and standards. They provide an additional layer of due diligence, ensuring you are making well-informed hiring decisions.
Real-World Examples- Educational Institutions: A school looking to hire a new teacher can use social media checks to ensure candidates have not engaged in inappropriate behavior that could endanger students or tarnish the school’s reputation.
- Corporate Entities: A business hiring for a customer-facing role can verify that potential employees maintain a professional online presence, reducing the risk of public relations issues.
- Non-Profit Organizations: Ensuring that volunteers or employees align with the organization’s values is crucial. Social media checks can reveal any discrepancies between an applicant’s behavior and the non-profit’s mission.
Getting Started with Social Media ChecksOur dedicated team uses a combination of advanced technology and human expertise to provide accurate and actionable insights. By adding this service to your existing background check package, you enhance the thoroughness of your hiring process, ultimately protecting your organization and its people. Incorporating social media checks into your background screening process is easy with EDIFY.
Click the button below to learn more about our Social Media background checks and take advantage of a special offer we have going on now when you add Socal Media to any of your packages! | | | | | | | | | | | | This issue of show off your PETS features the adorable "Wall-E" submitted by Kelly B. Director of HR in PA. Kelly writes, "I no longer have my Pitbull Mix Wall-E (he passed away last year at 11), the very best boy! We had him for 11 years. He was a very kind soul who had a ton of friends (both animal and human). He loved us dearly and we loved him all the same. He was the perfect balance of gentle and protective. My Children called him WaWa and still talk about him to this day (my kids are 2 ½ and almost 5.)"
Thank you Kelly for sharing fond memories of your special friend "Wall-E" with us all.
Show off your pet in the next issue by sending us a picture and bio of your furry friend(s).
| | | | | | | |  CONTACT US: If you have feedback or a question, feel free to email or call.
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