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Daily Archives: October 8, 2019

US job seekers scrub their social media accounts to get success

ZDNet – “Many of us behave differently on social media and at work. But what are Americans hiding from their employers, and how far will they go to protect their professional reputations by securing their social media sites? Pittsburgh, PA-based screening company JDP surveyed 2007 Americans about their social media habits and how job hunting affects these habits. Over four in five (84%) believe that social media activity regularly impacts hiring decisions, and 82% have set up some degree of privacy on their social media profiles. One in four have every social platform set to private, and one in five admit to posting material that could jeopardize a current, or future opportunity. Over two in five (43%) have used privacy settings to avoid employers or co-workers, and 40% have created an alias account. Almost half (46%) have used a search engine to see what can be found online about them, and have modified their social media settings based on the information that they found. The most incriminating material was found on Facebook…”

Beware of Automated Hiring – It won’t end employment discrimination

The New York Times Opinion: “Algorithms make many important decisions for us, like our creditworthiness, best romantic prospects and whether we are qualified for a job. Employers are increasingly using them during the hiring process out of the belief they’re both more convenient and less biased than humans. However, as I describe in a new… Continue Reading

The Endangered Species Act and Climate Change: Selected Legal Issues

EveryCRSReport – The Endangered Species Act and Climate Change: Selected Legal Issues . September 20, 2019 R45926:”For more than a decade, federal agencies have grappled with how to address climate change effects when implementing the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). The ESA aims to protect threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plants from extinction.… Continue Reading

New Cybersecurity and Privacy Law in NY Affects Employers in NY and Beyond

JDSupra – Pillsbury – “The SHIELD Act will impose substantial new obligations on any employer with an employee residing in New York State, as well as on many employers across the country that conduct online hiring. TAKEAWAYS Regardless of their location or size, employers that receive, collect or otherwise possess private information about New York… Continue Reading

SCOTUS ruling could completely alter lives of LGBTQ Americans

USA Today: “Four years ago, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the United States, and many Americans believed the fight for LGBTQ equality was finally won. But that ruling did not address all the ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in their everyday lives. Same-sex partners can now legally marry, but in a majority of states you can still be… Continue Reading

U.K.-U.S. CLOUD Act Agreement Is Finally Here, Containing New Safeguards

Lawfare: “On Oct. 7, the United Kingdom and the United States released the text of the long-awaited data-sharing agreement—the first of the executive agreements envisioned by the CLOUD Act, enacted in May 2018 in order to better facilitate cross-border access to data in the investigation of serious crime. At the time of enactment, there was… Continue Reading

Senate Intel Cmte Releases Bipartisan Report on Russia’s Use of Social Media

“Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released a new report titled, “Russia’s Use of Social Media.” It is the second volume released in the Committee’s bipartisan investigation into Russia’s attempts to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election. The new report examines Russia’s efforts to use… Continue Reading

Court rules FBI surveillance violated Americans’ rights

The Hill – “The secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) ruled last year that some FBI surveillance violated the targets’ constitutional rights, the intelligence community revealed Tuesday. The ruling, a rare loss for the government on surveillance matters, found that the FBI may have violated the law, as well as constitutional protections against unreasonable searches, as it searched… Continue Reading

Legal Authority to Repurpose Funds for Border Barrier Construction

CRS report via FAS – Legal Authority to Repurpose Funds for Border Barrier Construction. Updated October 2, 2019: “President Trump has prioritized the construction of border barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Over the course of negotiations for FY2019 appropriations, the Administration asked Congress to appropriate $5.7 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for… Continue Reading

Executive Branch Service and the “Revolving Door” in Cabinet Departments

CRS report Via FAS – Executive Branch Service and the “Revolving Door” in Cabinet Departments: Background and Issues for Congress. October 7, 2019. “Individuals may be subject to certain restrictions when leaving the government for private employment or joining the government from the private sector. These restrictions were enacted in response to what is often… Continue Reading