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After much deliberation, here is HRE's list of this year's winners and losers in the world of HR.

Though employers have had a few months now to become familiar with the U.S. Equal Employment Occupation Commission's guidance on the use of criminal background checks, questions and confusion about how best to respond have only grown.

In what stage of the hiring process can employers request an applicant to submit to a criminal-background check? Can they ask for it early on in the interview (to see how he or she reacts) or do they have to wait until they give the applicant an actual offer?

Ability tests can be exceptional predictors of job performance for job applicants, but a recent settlement by the Department of Labor should spur employers to ensure that such tests do not adversely affect minority applicants, experts say.

Some employers are simply refusing to follow the new EEOC guideline on criminal background checks for fear it will either put them out of business or create an unsafe working environment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention look for what people search for on Google to spot outbreaks of diseases, says one expert, while people are using Twitter to accurately predict the opening box-office revenue for movies. Take a look at how Big Data is also changing the role of HR in employment screening, recruiting and building great companies.

Due to employers' widespread use of criminal background checks and concerns about their unfair effect on protected classes, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued a much-heralded guidance on considering criminal history in employment decisions.

Employers are bracing for strengthened guidelines from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that will govern the use of criminal-background checks during the hiring process.

The EEOC is considering issuing a guidance that could limit an employer being able to ask about criminal backgrounds on employment applications. While a multitude of business groups spoke against such a limit, observers believe the agency is leaning toward restricting use of such investigations.

On April 4, the same day President Obama began his re-election campaign, Shawn McBurney, senior vice president of governmental affairs at the American Hotel and Lodging Association, decried the way the administration was targeting the hospitality industry.

A criminal background-screening proposal that required a DNA sample raised an outcry sufficient enough for the university to rescind the requirement. The issue raises questions for HR leaders about balancing individual privacy and employer needs.

Employers have a multitude of state and federal restrictions to comply with should they seek information on criminal histories of job applicants or employees. Today's broad collection of laws -- including laws affecting employees who test positive on drug tests -- are designed to protect those who may be the most disadvantaged by the current recession.

Question: Should a criminal-history questionnaire be part of a basic employee application or not? Is it best to have the candidate complete that form AFTER an offer has been made and such that it becomes part of the pre-hire hiring process?

Can an employer legally ask an applicant with prior military service if (s)he has been honorably or dishonorably discharged?

Various laws and regulations restrict the ability of HR personnel and hiring managers from asking various questions, such as those relating to military discharges and disabilities. In this month's column, the three cardinal rules of interviewing are disclosed.

While many organizations have embraced the HR BPO model, Washington-based Watson Wyatt Worldwide recently issued a report that indicates a preference among HR professionals for a more selective approach to HR outsourcing. The report cites studies by two independent technology research firms: CedarCrestone and the Aberdeen Group.