Pre-employment Screening

One of the employees at a small local convenience store was a quiet man, apparently in his early fifties. He had been working there for three months, when stray cases of child sexual abuse began to surface. Then, one fine day, the man vanished. The stories of suspected child abuse also came to an end. Days later, a number of young children admitted that the ‘old man with the white moustache’ had touched them inappropriately!

In 1999, a company called Trusted Health was fined a whopping $26.5 million as damages for a murder committed by one of their employees. The ruling said that the company should have known of their employee’s fitness prior to the time of their employment.

So, is pre-employment screening necessary? Absolutely!

A nationwide survey shows that more than 10% of employees who agree to have a background check conducted on them have criminal histories. Suppose one of these employees is working for you?

Companies who employ negligently are being sued all the time. A study conducted in 2003 shows that companies lose more than 80% of all suits relating to negligent hiring. Average damages slapped on companies are in the range of $1.5-$2 million.

More than 95% of HR professionals state that their companies conduct background checks before taking in new hires. The same cannot be said about small businesses. People with criminal histories know that many mid to small businesses do not conduct through pre-employment screening. In fact, in small companies, recruitment still takes place on the basis of word-of-mouth recommendations!

Pre employment screening is a vital part of the hiring process regardless of the size of your company. Amid shameful corporate scandals, shocking white collar crimes, incidents of workplace violence and sexual assault, pre-employment screening is gaining popularity. Pre employment screening helps you achieve maximum work efficiency, meet all your financial goals and maintain a safe and fulfilling work environment.

Pre-employment screening includes criminal record checks, social searches, verification of educational background, licenses, additional qualification and previous employment. Background checks also help you verify the integrity of your employees. Credit reports included in the background check give you an insight into the employee’s financial stability and skills in handling finances.

Small businesses outsource their pre employment screening tasks. This is a good idea because experienced companies would be able to steer companies through the legal requirements and regulations regarding pre employment screening. But to get the best results, you must use an agency that makes use of superior technology to provide comprehensive yet quick criminal background records. Fast turnaround times are important because you cannot afford to drag your foot when hiring competent employees. At the same time, the report you get from the company must be readable and easily decipherable. Only such a report can help you decide whether to go ahead and employ a person.

Conducting a thorough background search is a vital part of the hiring process whether you decide to conduct your pre employment screening in-house or outsource it.