If the answer is 'yes' to all of these questions, information about race, gender, and ethnicity must be obtained and recorded by your business.

Let's review some examples as it relates to the new technology being used by recruiting and staffing companies today.

• A person registers with your business on the Internet and sends you an email indicating they are looking for a receptionist position. Even if you have receptionist positions open, this person has not indicated interest in a particular position and therefore, gathering information is not necessary.
• As a recruiter, you search a Job Board for a .NET developer because you have a specific job you need to fill immediately. Even though you have a specific position in mind, you do not need to collect information on those resumes you reviewed for this position. Resumes posted to Job Boards are not considered applicants of your position.
• You find a resume on a Job Board and it looks great. You call this person and speak with them about the position. They are very interested and indicate they want to send you an updated resume. This person now knows about and is interested in the position. Additionally, they are following your standard submission steps by sending you an updated resume. You are required to record their information. However, if you call them and they indicate they are not interested or they do not return your call, it is not necessary to record their information.
• You have a job posted on your corporate website. One of your registered candidates applies for the position using your website. This person has gone through all the proper channels to inform you of their interest in a specific position. You are required to gather their information.

The difficult part of this process for staffing and recruiting firms is not so much about knowing when as it is about knowing how to capture the information in a timely and efficient manner. With sophisticated staffing software such as VCG's StaffSuite WorldLink or WebPAS WorldLink, recruiters and staffing firms can electronically capture race, gender and ethnicity information at all the right times in the process, thus helping them stay legal.

- end -

Lesli Peterson is a Business Analyst with VCG, Inc., the leading provider of staffing software to the staffing industry. She has nearly 10 years staffing industry-related experience. Phil McCutchen is Marketing Manager for VCG, Inc. He has been associated with the staffing industry for over 13 years, and has more than 25 years of marketing related experience. For more information: VCG Staffing Software

Google News Updated : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:25:37 GMT Gustav on the Brink of Explosive Development - Washington Post Telegraph.co.uk Gustav on the Brink of Explosive Development Washington Post - 1 hour ago Over the past 48 hours Tropical Storm Gustav proved it was a survivor, as it withstood difficult journeys over Haiti and Jamaica. Now it may turn into a monster. Video: Gustav Set to Batter Cuba, Enter Gulf of Mexico AssociatedPress Gustav threatens Caymans after swamping Jamaica The Associated Press KIII TV3 - AFP - Voice of America - AccuWeather.com all 5,361 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:05:23 GMT Mayor Melton Advises Public of West Nile Precautions - WLBT-TV Mayor Melton Advises Public of West Nile Precautions WLBT-TV - 57 minutes ago When planning outdoor activities this Labor Day weekend, Jackson residents are encouraged to reduce their risk of contracting West Nile virus by protecting themselves from mosquito bites and removing sources of standing water near their homes. DELAWARE: West Nile virus appears later than usual Bethany Beach Wave West Nile victim's widow ponders his death Newsday Los Angeles Times - eFluxMedia - WSYR - The Olympian all 545 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:28:14 GMT Evacuations begin in Louisiana - Houston Chronicle Calgary Herald Evacuations begin in Louisiana Houston Chronicle - 1 hour ago By DANE SCHILLER Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle NEW ORLEANS - About 1000 disabled and elderly residents west of the city are being evacuated this afternoon and New Orleans officials are considering whether to order more people out of the projected ... Video: New Orleans Braces For Gustav CBS Gulf Coast prepares as storm Gustav approaches The Associated Press BBC News - ABC News - Bloomberg - The Swamp - Tribune's Washington Bureau all 4,379 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:56:04 GMT In Lack of Health Insurance Coverage Texas Is First - eMaxHealth.com Ontario Now In Lack of Health Insurance Coverage Texas Is First eMaxHealth.com - 3 hours ago Texas is at the top of the heap again - this time we are the most uninsured state, health care-wise, in the country. Oh wait, being without health insurance coverage is not a good thing, is it? Number of uninsured Americans drops Bizjournals.com Update2: Number Of Americans Without Health Insurance Drops eFluxMedia dBTechno - UT The Daily Texan - Bolingbrook Sun - U.S. News & World Report all 336 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:22:00 GMT Thai Protest Stops Trains and Planes - New York Times Times Online Thai Protest Stops Trains and Planes New York Times - 54 minutes ago By THOMAS FULLER BANGKOK - Protesters in Thailand ratcheted up their campaign to oust the government on Friday, broadening their occupation to stop trains and block provincial airports, as well as waging an unsuccessful attack on police headquarters ... Thai rioters attack police station Aljazeera.net UPDATE 8-Thai protests hit police HQ, disrupt airports Reuters The Associated Press - guardian.co.uk - United Press International - AFP all 2,319 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:31:31 GMT Detroit mayor's political future back in court - The Associated Press Washington Post Detroit mayor's political future back in court The Associated Press - 1 hour ago DETROIT (AP) - A lawyer for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick asked a judge Friday to freeze next week's hearing that could remove him from office, accusing Gov. Judge to decide Tuesday on mayor's bid to halt ouster DetNews.com Hearing under way on suit against Granholm Detroit Free Press Chicago Tribune - Crain's Detroit Business - MyFox Detroit - New York Times all 1,672 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:06:32 GMT Microsoft to Buy Greenfield, Adding European Web Shopping Site - Bloomberg Siliconrepublic.com Microsoft to Buy Greenfield, Adding European Web Shopping Site Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By Phil Serafino and Dina Bass Aug. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., seeking to catch Google Inc. in the Internet-search market, agreed to buy Greenfield Online Inc. for $486 million to add Web sites that help consumers find product reviews and ... Survey Says ... Microsoft Is a Smart Shopper Motley Fool Microsoft to buy price comparison website Financial Times BetaNews - Red Herring - Web Host Industry Review - Xconomy all 356 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:24:21 GMT Merchant Datafeeds Amazon Associate Software