CONSUMER REPORTING

Compliance with Form I-9 and E-Verify Requirements in Light of COVID-19
The in-person requirement for the Form I-9 is temporarily suspended if your company is closed or taking other precautions due to COVID-19.The general rule is that an employer must undertake a physical inspection of the document(s) presented by the employee for section 2 purposes. However, in light of COVID-19–the government is suspending the in-person and physical inspection of the document(s) presented by the employee when completing the Form I-9. During this time, an employer can view the document(s) presented by the employee via Zoom or Skype, for example.
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House and Senate Bills Introduced to Amend FCRA in Response to COVID-19
On March 17, 2020, the United States Senate introduced a bill to amend the Fair Credit Report Act, preventing negative credit reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 23, 2020, the United States House of Representatives introduced a similar bill.  “The Disaster Protection for Workers’ Credit Act” seek to place a four-month moratorium on all negative credit reporting.
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING

Marijuana Legislation: Coming Soon to the Southeast?
The 2020 state legislative sessions are underway across the country and a hot topic in many states is medical marijuana. Last year, Alabama was poised to become the first Deep South state to enact a medical marijuana law. The Alabama legislature ultimately tabled the issue until the 2020 legislative session. Now, the Alabama Legislature is considering Senate Bill 165 (AL-SB165), which would create the Compassion Act to legalize medical marijuana in Alabama. The Kentucky legislature is considering House Bill 136 (KY-HB136), which would legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky. Finally, Mississippi voters will soon have the opportunity to vote on whether to amend the state constitution to allow medical marijuana.
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Recent DOT Guidance on Drug and Alcohol Testing During COVID-19
Monday, March 23, 2020: the United States Department of Transportation issued guidance for DOT-regulated employers, employees, and their service agents that might be facing challenges in meeting the department’s drug and alcohol testing requirements due to the pandemic. While DOT-regulated employers remain obligated to comply with applicable DOT training and testing requirements, this guidance addresses optional best practices if collection sites and related services are unavailable.
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New Jersey: Medical Marijuana Industry Advocates Recommend Legislation Changes
The state Health Department amended the medical marijuana program to serve patients and inhibit the spread of the coronavirus by letting dispensaries make curbside sales. As an upcoming change, Attorney Bill Caruso, a founding member of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, expressed optimism that support for home cultivation would also grow.
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AS A REMINDER: At A-Check, we’re happy to help implement a drug screening program that meets your evolving needs—or make adjustments to the program you’re already running with us. Just give us a call at 877-345-2021 and ask to speak with someone on your Client Relations team.

DATA PRIVACY

Seven Coronavirus Scams Targeting Your Business
Please know that businesses are at risk, too. Keep your guard up against these seven B2B scams that try to exploit companies’ concerns about COVID-19.
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SALARY HISTORY

States and Localities that have Outlawed Pay History Questions
State and local governments are increasingly adopting laws and regulations that prohibit employers from requesting salary history information from job applicants. In fact, there currently are 18 state-wide salary bans in place, and another 21 cities/jurisdictions who have salary history ban legislation. To keep it all top of mind, here’s a great site that lists them all, including recent additions, and upcoming bans:
Colorado: January 1, 2021
St. Louis, Missouri: March, 2020
Cincinnati, Ohio: March, 2020 (estimated)
Toledo, Ohio: June, 2020
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