Background Checks

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

Secure one-time consent for all employee credit checks

12/01/2005

Issue: Must you seek permission each time you want to review an employees’ credit record?
Benefit: As a new court ruling shows, the answer is ‘no;’ you can obtain one …

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

09/01/2005

Your organization can be held liable for “negligent hiring” if an employee commits a crime and you could have (or should have) prevented it. That’s why it’s crucial to run background …

Workplace violence: Keep staff safe the legally smart way

09/01/2005

THE LAW. Employees who commit violent acts in the workplace obviously violate state criminal laws. But the liability trail doesn’t stop there.
Employers have a legal obligation to maintain a …

Check bankruptcy records when employees sue

08/01/2005

If your organization is hit with an employee lawsuit, consider having your attorney check for a bankruptcy filing by the employee who sues you. If the lawsuit isn’t listed as an asset with …

Save medical exams for last step in pre-hire screening