InfoCheck, Inc. Employment Screening

NEWS

Educated Hiring Decisions
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You!
Written By: Ursula Golebowski and Dave Cavallo
of InfoCheck, Inc. Pleasant Hill, CA

Business is booming and it's time again to add more people to your staff. With the job market having the lowest unemployment in years the demand for qualified help has companies hiring people they would have possibly rejected in the past. Many good candidates are long gone before you even make your offer. Timing is critical. Verifying your candidate's references can be time consuming, leaving you with the tendency of bypassing this important step in the hiring process. Perhaps you weren't able to complete a verification recently because a past employer didn't return your call and you needed to make a decision. Have you ever asked yourself how valid the information an applicant submits is?

The need to check criminal records and verify references is something you may have considered in the past but felt it might be too costly or just unnecessary. Today it should be an integrated part of your hiring process. For insurance purposes many companies are requiring background checks on sub-contractors or applicants from placement services. Companies are ultimately responsible for the actions of their employees, but an applicant with a past record should not necessarily be considered a bad hire. There are a number of employers that work with rehabilitating members of their community and find past offenders can be a viable part of their work force.

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You!

The new mechanic you hired a month ago falls into an argument with your service manager and attacks him with a wrench. The mechanic has a criminal history of violence and there is a two-year-old bench warrant for his arrest for failure to appear on yet another assault charge. Your service manager is hospitalized, doctor bills are escalating and he's in the process of suing your dealership for negligent hiring.

Two individuals applied to be your new Assistant Sales Manager. They both interviewed well and each candidate claimed to have a degree in business. After a few months your chosen sales manager has proven to have exaggerated their credentials and was incapable of fulfilling their role and your expectations. The applicant you turned away is now at the dealership down the street breaking new sales records.

One of your lot attendants accidentally backs up over a small child. The police find the attendant had consumed alcohol earlier that day and he is arrested and charged with a DUI With Injury. The attendant has no valid drivers license as it was revoked two years ago. He had been convicted two times for driving under the influence of alcohol and never informed you. The child has to undergo major surgery and you are responsible for all costs.

Using a Screening Service

Outsourcing screening to a pre-employment background information service can help you build a solid due diligence program that can lower your liability. Screening services offer several methods of obtaining criminal records, which fall under Felony, Misdemeanor, Federal and Civil. Criminal Records are best obtained directly from the courts. Some services retrieve records through a network of experienced court researchers visiting the courts on a daily basis for the most current information available.

This method takes about 48-72 hours in most cases. Other services maintain large databanks, which hold thousands of records that can be accessible through a subscription with monthly fees plus retrieval costs. This may take less time but be aware the information in these databases may not be current or have all records reported in a timely manner. There may also be hidden costs involved to pull a record with a criminal hit. Direct court access is the most reliable way to check criminal records. It is wise to check not only felony records but misdemeanor as well since many violent crimes fall under misdemeanors or are plead down from a felony charge. Other verifications such as social security track, motor vehicle report, work history, academic, credit and professional license are also to be considered depending on the position to be filled. For positions that require contact with funds a credit check or litigation search may be a good idea to alert you to character. A reputable pre-employment screening firm should have national access to records, carry Errors and Omissions insurance for your protection and provide you with current references and information regarding the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

You Can't Judge a Candidate Solely by Their Interview

A comprehensive pre-employment screening plan can be implemented for less than a days wages per hire. The saying "you can't judge a book by its cover" never rang more true than when dealing with a professional interviewer. Questions to ask yourself are: How do you know where to look for criminal records? Do you check by the addresses the potential hire gave you? What if the applicant intentionally omitted the areas of known criminal records or provides false references? With over 13,000 courts in the United States it is a grueling process of determining where to check for records. These questions can all be answered with a simple call to a reputable pre-employment screening service. Some of these services now offer secure Internet access making the process to request and receive reports simple and cost effective.