February

"On January 1, a new Michigan law took effect to protect companies that hire ex-offenders who go on to cause damage or injury during the course of their employment. Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas recently passed similar laws. The Michigan law specifically provides that, in an action seeking damages for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, a ""certificate of employability"" may be introduced as evidence of an employer 's due care in hiring or retaining an ex-offender (so long as the employer knew of the certificate at the time of the decision). And, where the claim requires proof that the employer was negligent in hiring by disregarding a prior criminal conviction, a certificate of employability conclusively establishes that the employer was not negligent (so long as the employer knew of the certificate at the time of hire)."

"The Pennsylvania General Assembly amended the Child Protective Services Law (the CPSL) several times over the past year.

The most recent changes were through Act 153 of 2014. Although there are sweeping changes made to the CPSL, even in just Act 153, this Alert only focuses on criminal background checks and child abuse clearances (collectively ""clearances""). As it relates to clearances, Act 153 requires all prospective employees, current employees, independent contractors and volunteers to get and renew criminal background checks and child abuse clearances on a three-year cycle."

"Looks like there was something prickly buried in the fine print for one prospective employee and maybe many more. Paramount Pictures has been hit with a lawsuit over allegedly not telling job applicants exactly how deep into their past it intends to look. ""This class action alleges that certain policies and practices followed by Defendants Paramount Pictures Corporation and the Doe Defendants in furnishing, using, procuring, and|or causing to be procured consumer reports for employment purposes violate the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act,"" said the complaint from Michael Peikoff filed in federal court Wednesday (read it here)."