Prospective Employee Background Checks No Simple Matter
A complex web of resources and databases help identify problematic job candidates.
Companies risk a lot when they hire people with criminal or negligent histories. But much can be prevented with a thorough background check conducted by experts.
Every employer wants high-performing employees. But within the pool of available hires lurk millions of individuals with problematic histories. This includes sex offenders, dangerous drivers, petty thieves and individuals found guilty of financial fraud or who leave a trail of debt in their wake. Undocumented individuals can sometimes be adept at job interviews with American-based companies. This fact makes employee background screening a vital tool in protecting a company, not only from a problematic employee, but from liability.
There are means to identify if and when prospective employees have a red flag in their backgrounds, but available tools are not as simple to use as a Google or Yahoo! search engine. City, county, state and federal criminal records are not consolidated, with the one exception being the National Sex Offender Registry. To identify if a crime was handled in any of the 3,144 U.S. county courts, for example, one cannot consult a single clearinghouse based on the name of the individual. For financial crimes such as tax evasion or wire fraud, federal criminal records spottily yield sought-after information. Civil judgments for such things as breach of contract, small claims or product liability need to be found in the civil courts. In the cases of shoplifting or retail employee theft, a consortium of retailers maintains a private database of offenders.
The key benefits to effectively screening prospective hires include the following:
A violence-free workplace – An employee who is prone to violence is an endangerment to everyone around him or her. If drug use is involved, it raises additional worries about criminals on the periphery of the workplace.
Vehicular safety – Some employees need to operate heavy machinery or drive vehicles, where the potential for grievous harm and significant property loss is high. A fraudulently presented driving record puts the employer at significant risk.
Prevent negligent hiring lawsuits – Case law in California recognizes that an employer can be held liable for criminal acts committed by an employee while working.
Reduce employee theft – The California Restaurant Association reports that 95 percent of all businesses suffer some employee theft, and that managers tend to be the worst offenders. In other types of workplaces, embezzlement by white-collar workers or sharing of trade secrets can be extremely costly.
Protection of company reputation – Internet-driven reputation problems get the biggest headlines. But long-term trust can be lost with critically important customers, months and years after cyberspace has moved on to the newest viral video. Rebuilding that trust can require significant time and money.
In a social media world, the value of employee integrity, ethics and general life behaviors is greater than ever. When an employee goes rogue, it can become international news in a matter of hours. A disappointed customer, an angered co-worker and even the offending employees can be remarkably adept at sharing information online.
Note the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act places limits on what can be researched and how. Also, it is difficult for even human resources professionals to conduct the different background checks necessary to minimize hiring mistakes. For these reasons, companies routinely engage the services of a certified background investigation firm.
A complex web of resources and databases help identify problematic job candidates.
Companies risk a lot when they hire people with criminal or negligent histories. But much can be prevented with a thorough background check conducted by experts.
Every employer wants high-performing employees. But within the pool of available hires lurk millions of individuals with problematic histories. This includes sex offenders, dangerous drivers, petty thieves and individuals found guilty of financial fraud or who leave a trail of debt in their wake. Undocumented individuals can sometimes be adept at job interviews with American-based companies. This fact makes employee background screening a vital tool in protecting a company, not only from a problematic employee, but from liability.
There are means to identify if and when prospective employees have a red flag in their backgrounds, but available tools are not as simple to use as a Google or Yahoo! search engine. City, county, state and federal criminal records are not consolidated, with the one exception being the National Sex Offender Registry. To identify if a crime was handled in any of the 3,144 U.S. county courts, for example, one cannot consult a single clearinghouse based on the name of the individual. For financial crimes such as tax evasion or wire fraud, federal criminal records spottily yield sought-after information. Civil judgments for such things as breach of contract, small claims or product liability need to be found in the civil courts. In the cases of shoplifting or retail employee theft, a consortium of retailers maintains a private database of offenders.
The key benefits to effectively screening prospective hires include the following:
A violence-free workplace – An employee who is prone to violence is an endangerment to everyone around him or her. If drug use is involved, it raises additional worries about criminals on the periphery of the workplace.
Vehicular safety – Some employees need to operate heavy machinery or drive vehicles, where the potential for grievous harm and significant property loss is high. A fraudulently presented driving record puts the employer at significant risk.
Prevent negligent hiring lawsuits – Case law in California recognizes that an employer can be held liable for criminal acts committed by an employee while working.
Reduce employee theft – The California Restaurant Association reports that 95 percent of all businesses suffer some employee theft, and that managers tend to be the worst offenders. In other types of workplaces, embezzlement by white-collar workers or sharing of trade secrets can be extremely costly.
Protection of company reputation – Internet-driven reputation problems get the biggest headlines. But long-term trust can be lost with critically important customers, months and years after cyberspace has moved on to the newest viral video. Rebuilding that trust can require significant time and money.
In a social media world, the value of employee integrity, ethics and general life behaviors is greater than ever. When an employee goes rogue, it can become international news in a matter of hours. A disappointed customer, an angered co-worker and even the offending employees can be remarkably adept at sharing information online.
Note the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act places limits on what can be researched and how. Also, it is difficult for even human resources professionals to conduct the different background checks necessary to minimize hiring mistakes. For these reasons, companies routinely engage the services of a certified background investigation firm.
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