December 20 Tip of the Week

 You are looking to hire the best candidate for your open position and you want to avoid past hiring mistakes – what better way to get a fuller picture of your job applicant than a review of their social media accounts?  After all, people show their true character and values when they post their opinions and ideas on the internet and when they share their leisure time activities.  It seems simple, doesn’t it? 

When faced with the temptation to screen an applicant’s social media usage, the best advice is don’t do it!  There are a number of reasons why an employer should not review an applicant’s social media presence when making hiring decision; the primary reason, however, is that the additional information that you learn about a candidate can place you in greater jeopardy of being found to have discriminated in your employment decision.  Further, if you only examine some candidates’ social media presence and not others, that inconsistency can also place you at great risk of being found to have acted improperly.  Finally, some states have enacted privacy laws that restrict an employer’s access to an employee’s or a potential employee’s social media accounts. 

Questions about the legality of certain hiring practices, contact our attorneys at myHRcounsel today for answers!