Consumer Reporting

District Court’s FCRA Decision:
Employer Guidance for “Clear and Conspicuous” Disclosure
As you know, before an employer pulls a consumer report for employment background screening purposes, the FCRA requires that the employer provides the applicant with a “clear and conspicuous” disclosure that the employer may obtain this report.

Furthermore, the disclosure document must consist solely of the disclosure. A recent Ninth Circuit Court ruling detailed that even with good will and intention, this disclosure must not include extraneous information—even if the employer believes that information is related to the disclosure.

The court did hold that disclosure may also include some concise explanation of what a consumer report is, how it will be obtained, and the type of employment purposes for which it may be used. However, additional information regarding consumer rights under federal and state law—additional information added in this instance by the employer to the disclosure—was extraneous. This case illustrates just how important strict compliance with the FCRA’s standalone requirement really is.
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California and Michigan Date of Birth Redaction
As we’ve mentioned, efforts in Michigan and a number of California counties to redact date of birth from court cases reported via public indexes make timely employment background screening extremely challenging.

For California: 
A California Court of Appeal decision has unfortunately resulted in CA Courts restricting or limiting in-person research requests, and limiting PII provided for potential record matches. These efforts are being implemented with little notice, and as you can imagine, are having a profound impact in the ability for consumer reporting agencies to efficiently report criminal history.

For Michigan: 
Court rules in Michigan that limit PII provided to researchers are in effect. However, implementation has been delayed until January 2022.

A-Check Global, along with other CRAs, are very involved in working toward any and all potential opportunities for resolution. That said, answers may not be available in the near future. The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) Government Relations Date-of-Birth Redaction Task Force is also focused on resolution efforts, and they invite employers to learn about how to support the path toward solutions.
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We’re focused on helping you remain compliant, and always welcome your questions.

I-9 Compliance

Ongoing Extension: Form I-9 Requirements in response to COVID-19

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, 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.

UPDATE: Because of ongoing COVID-19 precautions, remote I-9 document review has been extended; the expiration date for these accommodations is now December 31, 2021.

The government has suspended 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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Substance Abuse Testing

Rhode Island
Could Rhode Island be next? Lawmakers say they are very close to reaching a deal on a marijuana legalization bill that could be taken up during a special session this fall. A-Check will keep an eye out and let you know.
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Connecticut
The Connecticut Governor signed Senate Bill 1201—effective in 2022—making CT the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older, but will allow employers to continue implementing drug-free employment policies. This new law will require expungement of certain existing marijuana convictions, but also creates employment protections for recreational marijuana users. That said, employers are permitted to continue prohibiting employees from engaging in the recreational use of marijuana, subject to certain statutory requirements.
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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. 

Criminal History Reporting

Maine
Governor Mills signed into law LD 1167, “An Act Relating to Fair Chance in Employment.” With this new Legislation, Maine joins a growing number of states in adopting a “ban-the-box” law that restricts employers’ ability to ask job applicants about their criminal history. While there are exceptions, new law prohibits employers from requesting criminal history information on applications or stating that a person with a criminal history may not apply or will not be considered for a position. Employers are also prohibited from stating—prior to determining a person’s qualifications—that candidates with criminal history will not be considered. This new law goes into effect on October 18, 2021, and employers who do not comply with the new law are subject to a penalty of $100-$500 per violation.
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Data Privacy

Ohio
California, Colorado, and Virginia have passed comprehensive consumer data privacy laws. Additional legislation was recently introduced that, if passed, would create the Ohio Personal Privacy Act. By introducing the Act, Ohio follows the growing trend toward stronger state privacy laws related to consumer rights. The Act primarily applies to businesses in Ohio or businesses that collect data about consumers in Ohio, and among other guidelines, dictates that businesses must provide a “reasonably accessible, clear, and conspicuously posted privacy policy” to inform consumers about the data collected.
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Questions? We’re here to help!