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The St. Paul Chamber of Commerce is seeking to fund a study on structural barriers to hiring. The focus is on job requirements that may not be necessary to fulfilling job duties but have the practical effect of creating a barrier for applicants otherwise qualified to do the job. For example, a driver’s license requirement…

An applicant’s wage history is often a factor employers consider in making hiring decisions. In fact, it is not uncommon for an employment application to ask how much a candidate made at their previous positions.  Various good faith reasons may support this question.  For example, how much an applicant was paid may indicate, beyond job…

If you’re an employer struggling to fill open positions with qualified candidates, you’re not alone.
According to the Star Tribune, the number of job openings in Minnesota is now greater than the number of unemployed job seekers.  Specifically, in October of 2015, there were 97,977 job openings, but only 89,793 Minnesotans seeking jobs.  The…

On November 2, 2015, President Obama announced new executive action to “ban the box” by requiring federal agencies to wait until later in the hiring process to inquire about an applicant’s criminal history. In addition, the President is supporting efforts in Congress to impose similar ban-the-box requirements on the entire federal government as well as…

When recruiting and interviewing new employees, there are a variety of potential landmines that employers should do their best to avoid. Here are some of the topics about which employers should not inquire during the hiring process – either because they directly reveal a protected status or may indirectly reveal a protected status:

  • Marital status

…

Generally no – Minnesota law provides that, unless specifically authorized by law, no employer or prospective employer may “require an employee or prospective employee to pay for expenses incurred in criminal or background checks, credit checks, or orientation.”  Minn. Stat. § 181.645.
The primary exception for the rule is for teachers.  Minnesota law allows…