In an era of automating business processes that were previously done manually, many companies are taking advantage of recruitment and applicant tracking applications to help them filer resumes based on a set of criteria. These can include; years of experience, schools attended by the applicant, ability to travel etc. If you are not sure what kind of questions to ask, consult your HR department, an employment lawyer or the local Human Rights Commission in the state or province where you do business or hope to attract applicants. Questions that might be permissible in one state may not be permissible in another province or country and this could land a company in hot water.
Recruitment applications are not unlike workforce management solutions in that, what comes out correlates to the data that was keyed into the application. So before, before you post job vacancies, go over the criteria carefully and seek the advice of an HR person that understands the region where you are doing business, to make sure you avoid the topics that are illegal. Based on several studies and in no particular order, here is a short list of questions should be avoided on online applications:
Race: Why this question is even an option on a recruitment application is mind boggling. Since it has no bearing on an applicant’s ability to perform the job, why ask it anyway? Sooner or later, prospective applicants will start turning down jobs when this question comes up. They will also start telling their friends on social media which companies to avoid based on their initial experience, and we all know how fast negative news can travel. Diversity is here to stay and the companies who embrace it will be sought after by bright candidates from all walks of life. Avoid asking this question at all cost-it’s not worth the hassle.
Social Insurance /Security Number: If a candidate is eventually hired then this number is required for filing necessary taxes to the regulator tax agency. However, asking for this information on an online application is another question that should be avoided.
Political or Religious Affiliation: This also has no bearing on the applicant’s ability so avoid it and instead focus on the applicants’ reasons for applying for the particular position.
Gender, Marital Status, Family Status: Do not ask the candidate if he has plans for marriage or family, childcare. If these questions are part of your criteria on the application form-it shouldn’t be.
Sex of the Candidate: Does it really matter if it’s a man or woman who’s applying for the VP of Sales vacancy at your company? There is no justifiable reason to ask for the sex of the person on your application form. Trying to diversify a workforce should not amount to asking candidates about their sex or race on an online application.
The Alberta Government has a tip sheet titled “Human Rights and You: What Can Employers Ask?” It can be used as tool for businesses that are unsure about the questions that should be part of their criteria for posting jobs.
Once you have hired the right candidate, now it’s time to use cloud-based time and attendance, employee scheduling and workforce management software to keep track of attendance. You might also want to automate benefit accruals, vacation planning and time-off request and that’s where ATS comes in. To learn more, go to our website.
