Background Checks

Health care employers: Negligent hiring harder to prove

09/01/2006

A recent Texas Court of Appeals case is good news for employers who run health care facilities, such as mental health centers. Reason: Patients who claim that the facility negligently hired employees who subsequently assaulted the patient will have to meet the very stringent rules on the Texas Medical Liability and Insurance Improvement Act …

Employer not liable for acts by independent security staff

08/01/2006

If your organization contracts out security services, the Texas Supreme Court has just handed you a substantial victory that makes it less likely you’ll be liable if your independent-contractor security guard injures someone …

Texas city provides lesson on background checks

08/01/2006

When the Grand Prairie parks department hired Damon Bryan as a maintenance worker, it asked him about his criminal background. Bryan told them he had a conviction for aggravated assault, but he left out the type of assault. He had been convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl …

Consider criminal check for problem employees

08/01/2006

When you’re thinking about discharging a problem employee, consider running a criminal background check. In many cases, discovering a serious crime conviction can provide additional justification …

Don’t Let Pared-Down Résumés Derail Your Selection Process

07/01/2006

Overqualified candidates are becoming more adept at trimming their résumés, which may skew your hiring decisions. The solution: Draw on references and your questioning skills to probe for missing details …

Hiring licensed applicants? Check for violations that revoke the license

02/01/2006

When hiring people who need to possess certain licenses, make sure you do more than just check that the applicant holds the license. Your application process should include a background check into any violations that could lead to a license revocation …

Obtain OK to share background-Check info with clients

12/01/2005

Q. Our company routinely runs background checks on all people to whom we offer positions. Can we legally disclose an employee’s background information to a customer who requests it? (The employee is working on the customer’s job site.) —L.B., North Carolina

Background Checks

Health care employers: Negligent hiring harder to prove

Employer not liable for acts by independent security staff

Texas city provides lesson on background checks

Consider criminal check for problem employees

Don’t Let Pared-Down Résumés Derail Your Selection Process

Hiring licensed applicants? Check for violations that revoke the license

Obtain OK to share background-Check info with clients

Secure one-time consent for all employee credit checks

Background check isn’t enough; tight supervision keeps liability at bay

Workplace violence: Keep staff safe the legally smart way

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