Social media as a hiring tool

▤ Summary

As the practice of vetting job candidates through review of their social media presence becomes more prevalent, especially in industries and businesses oriented around interactive digital technologies, the question of whether employers are legally entitled to do so becomes an increasingly relevant one. Screening candidates by checking their social media accounts could also be a time and labour-intensive process, particularly for employers with smaller human resources departments. In the course of reviewing a potential employee’s social media profiles to determine their suitability for a position, it is likely that the employer will come across information about the candidate’s personal attributes. To decrease the risks around this practice, employers could consider creating a firewall between the social media reviewer and those involved in making the hiring decision. When in doubt, employers should seek the advice of legal professionals to assist them with identifying the risks and liabilities applicable to their specific hiring processes.

▦ Linked Companies

First Reference

$1M to $5M