Georgia employers who hire and retain employees with prior criminal convictions may be protected against negligent hiring and retention claims under the new Fair Business Practices Act, which took effect July 1, 2014.
The Act provides that employers are presumed to have exercised the necessary due care in hiring, employing and otherwise interacting with former criminal offenders who either received a pardon or earned a program certificate issued by the Department of Corrections for successful completion of a re-entry assistance program. The new law does not extend protection for serious violent offenders, and it does not give employers unchallenged protection against claims of negligence.
Negligent hiring or retention claims still may be supported by evidence outside the scope of the pardon or program certificate of which the employer knew or should have known. For example, the new law does not alleviate the need for background checks by employers. For additional information, read the full article.
Georgia Employers Given Protection against Negligence Claims in Hiring Ex-Offenders
Article: Georgia Employers Who Hire Ex-Offenders are Provided New Protection against Negligent Hiring and Retention Claims