by Catharine Tunney - CBC News
As the number of high-profile online consumer security breaches continues to grow, the federal government is expected to introduce a bill soon to shake up Canada's privacy laws — possibly as early as this week.
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains signalled plans to introduce the legislation late last week on the House of Commons notice paper.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/privacy-bill-bains-1.5801613
by Alonzo Martinez - Forbes
Bolstering Covid-19 worker protections, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing ("DFEH") recently clarified the state’s criminal background check regulations. The new guidance expands the scope of California’s Fair Chance Act and places employers on notice regarding DFEH’s intended enforcement of the law.
by Morrison Foerster
When your organization is searching to fill a new position, you understandably want to find out as much as possible about the candidates who apply. Aside from determining whether the candidate has the specific skill set, education, and experience necessary to do the job, you want to make sure that the person will fit in with the team. Do they have a positive attitude and integrity? Are they flexible and hard working? Are they a good communicator and team player? Are they dependable and creative? If possible, you want to hear from references provided by the candidate to confirm that the candidate was sincere and meets your organization’s needs. You might even want to check how they behave on the Internet.
Read more: https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/201030-international-recruiting-programs.html
by Hunton Andrews Kurth
In the years leading up to the current COVID-19 pandemic, consumer litigation claims related to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) doubled.1 Although there has been a slight decrease in FCRA filings since March 2020 (due in large part to court closures and stay at home orders resulting from COVID-19), we expect FCRA claims will once again be on the rise as courts reopen and the relief measures under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”)2 are tested. Indeed, in the months following the initial COVID-19 outbreak, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) received its highest number of FCRA consumer complaints, with over 14% mentioning coronavirus keywords.3
Read more: https://www.huntonak.com/en/insights/mitigating-fcra-risks-in-the-covid-19-world.html
by Meagan Bainbridge and Weintraub Tobin - JD Supra
Since its implementation on January 1, 2018, The Fair Chance Act has been a source of questions for California employers. Also referred to as “banning the box,” Government Code section 12952 makes it illegal for most employers in California to ask about the criminal record of job applicants before making a conditional job offer.
Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/dfeh-updates-ban-the-box-regulations-16361/
by Richard Greenberg and Andrew L. Pepper - The National Law Review
Hawaii has narrowed the scope of what employers can consider regarding an individual’s conviction history when making employment decisions. Hawaii employers have long been required to limit their consideration of felony and misdemeanor convictions to a 10-year lookback period, unless they fell within one of the statutory exemptions as part of its longstanding “ban the box” legislation. State law has further required employers to apply a “rational relationship” test before denying a prospective or current employee a position following a background check, which means an employer may only consider those convictions occurring in the permissible time period if there is a “rational relationship” between the convicted crime and the prospective job.
by David Eggert - Associated Press
LANSING — Michigan would automatically expunge criminal records and ease the application process for those convicted of marijuana offenses under sweeping "clean slate" bills that received final legislative approval Thursday.
Read more: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/government/legislature-approves-automatic-expungement-bills
by Carla Feakins - People Management
Covid-19 has driven rapid changes in the jobs market, with some roles now in extremely high demand while others are almost disappearing. Recently published data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlights that between January and June 2020 more workers changed occupation than during the same period last year, with over half simultaneously moving into a different major industry.
by Maria Basileo - New Castle News, The Herald
NEW CASTLE – To lower prison recidivism rates and help ensure everyone gets a second chance, cities and states nationwide have enacted so-called “ban-the-box” laws.
The laws aim to reduce chances that job applicants aren’t eliminated solely because of a criminal record, or crimes that may have occurred decades ago. An estimated one in six U.S. adults has a felony on his or her record.
by Nancy R. Thomas and Joseph Gabai - Morrison Foerster
On August 31, 2020, the California legislature passed the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL). The law reflects Governor Newsom’s vision of a much more powerful banking agency with new registration authority, UDAAP authority mirroring the authority of the CFPB, and expanded enforcement authority. But important amendments adopted by the legislature will exempt many regulated entities from the scope of the law and will impose limits on the new Department of Financial Protection and Innovation’s (DFPI) exercise of its authority.
