Connecticut Employment Law Blog Insight on Labor & Employment Developments for Connecticut Businesses

Tag Archives: criminal

EEOC Releases Important Guidance on Use of Criminal and Arrest Records By Employers

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in CHRO & EEOC, Highlight, Human Resources (HR) Compliance, Laws and Regulations, Manager & HR Pro’s Resource Center

The EEOC yesterday released important new guidance for employers on the use of arrest and conviction records by employers under Title VII.  You can read the guidance here as well as a short question-and-answer document too.  For employers in Connecticut, this new guidance only adds to the state-specific rules we have here in state and should… Continue Reading

The Basics: Background Checks in Connecticut

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance, Laws and Regulations

If you’re wondering if the applicant you’re planning on hiring is a closet Justin Bieber fan or a Russian spy, odds are that a background check won’t uncover that information.  What is may, uncover, however is whether that applicant has been arrested for say, vomiting on a police officer’s kid at a baseball game …. Continue Reading

General Assembly Overrules Veto of Criminal Background Check Bill

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Legislative Developments

After months of on-again, off-again views, the Connecticut General Assembly yesterday overruled Governor Rell’s veto of House Bill 5207, which changes the way that the State of Connecticut can conduct background checks on job applicants.  You can view of the text of the bill here.  With yesterday’s vote, it will now go into effect on… Continue Reading

Rell Vetoes Bill Limiting Use of Criminal Background Checks for State Applicants

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Legislative Developments

I can’t say I saw this one coming. I’ve previously reported on a bill (H.B. 5207) that passed the legislature.  That bill restricts the use of background checks for prospective state employees until after job offers have been made. Yesterday, Governor Rell vetoed the measure (H/T CT Mirror). In her veto message, she states that while… Continue Reading

House Votes to Ban Criminal Background Checks for Public Employees Until After Job Offer

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Legislative Developments

Despite initial opposition from the Chief State’s Attorney and other state officials, the  Connecticut House of Representatives today approved a bill that would limit the use of criminal background checks on state workers. I’ve discussed the bill in a prior post.  The text of the bill (with an amendment that passed) is attached.  Specifically, the… Continue Reading

A Primer on When Criminal Background Checks Are Required By Statute

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

Criminal background checks have, in many ways, never been easier for employers. The internet has made that process quicker, cheaper and more transparent. And yet, the question of "when" must employers run a criminal background check remains confusing. There are various laws on the subject but they are in different sections of the law and… Continue Reading