Reviewed February 22, 2004

Good employees are the basis for any successful business venture. Good employees can be trained to be safe and productive. Selecting the right employee for your logging operation is a very important task. The following recommendations might aid in making an informed decision when hiring a new employee.

1. Prepare and make available a brief, written job description listing work requirements and the skills, aptitudes, and physical abilities required for that position.
   
   
2. Ask for recommendations from people you trust—fellow loggers, bankers, friends, etc.
   
   
3. Have a prospective employee fill out an application. The most important items on any application are "Work and Experience History" and "References." It is recommended that wage and hour information and standard applications be obtained from a state employment agency.
   
   
4. References provided by the prospective employee should be contacted in person or by telephone for any prospective employee who passes the initial screening on the application. Following are several suggested questions you may want to ask:
   1. Dates of employment
   2. Nature of work
   3. How many days missed last year—sickness, injury, other (the employer may not ask the nature of a sickness or injury)
   4. Work quantity and quality
   5. Did person get along with other employees and supervisors?
   6. Why did person leave?
   7. Would you rehire?

Other suggestions to include in logging contractor hiring practices may be physical examinations and drug tests.

Important Note: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from asking a prospective employee about his or her medical history. Every state has different employment laws. Check your state’s employment law requirements before establishing or implementing an employee selection policy or procedure.

Forest Resources Association Inc. 600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350, Rockville, Maryland 20852 Phone: (301) 838-9385     Fax: (301) 838-9481