QBE recommends following these basic procedures during the hiring process to protect yourself from discrimination allegations – or worse.
- Have all job announcement and employment applications reviewed by an attorney before they're used.
- Include only job-related information in an employment application.
- Note on the application that your company doesn't discriminate against persons in any protected class and employment is "at will," meaning it may be terminated by either employee or employer at any time.
- All job qualifications and requirements should be job related, not personal, and presented in formal job descriptions.
- Keep job interviews to a carefully crafted script. Don't ask questions about personal matters.
- Do not cite specific reasons for not hiring an employee in turn-down letters.
You can find more related information at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission web site www.eeoc.gov. In addition, purchasing liability insurance or investing in a comprehensive policy that provides risk management guidance can help head off potential employment issues.