Background Checks

Don’t rely on ‘self-service’ background checks

04/01/2004

If job candidates approach you with a written report attesting to the validity of their rÃ©sumÃ©s, don’t stop your background check there. Probe deeper with your own, independent check. New …

Don’t count on total immunity from references

04/01/2004

Q. I have a question about providing honest feedback during reference requests. Is it better to defend the fact that I provided a truthful (negative) assessment, rather than trying to explain why I can’t give any reference at all? Aren’t we protected by negligent referral and reference immunity laws? —M.R., Utah

How to prevent growing risk of ‘negligent supervision’ suits

03/01/2004

Thorough background checks can help you defeat any negligent hiring claim.
But what if applicants’ background checks come up clean, yet they begin displaying troublesome behavior at your workplace. In …

‘Angel of death’ case highlights the risk of negligent hiring lawsuits

02/01/2004

When news reports surfaced in December that a New Jersey hospital nurse admitted to killing 30 to 40 patients in his 14-year career, a pattern of lax background checks emerged.
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No need to get employees’ OK before misconduct investigations

01/01/2004

Good news: Your organization no longer has to notify employees suspected of workplace misconduct that they are targets of third-party investigations. That’s because Congress recently reauthorized the Fair Credit Reporting Act …

Warning: Temp agencies will not do your homework

01/01/2004

Issue: Temporary workers who are hired on as employees often fly under the radar of pre-employment checks. Risk: No legal recourse if your temp-turned-employee goes bad. Action: Treat temps …

Background checks: Weigh convictions, not arrests

01/01/2004

Q. We’re going back and forth on this question: On an employment application, can we legally ask about an applicant’s prior conviction record or arrest record? —T.F., Nevada

Hiring temps onto your permanent staff? Check their backgrounds

12/01/2003

Quick quiz: What does your temp agency contract say about performing background checks? Is it your duty? Is it theirs? Too many employers don’t know the answer. They simply assume a …

RÈsumÈ fraud: Not just for youngsters

12/01/2003

Remind managers to scrutinize rÈsumÈ claims of all employees, not just candidates for entry-level jobs. Reason: Experts say more applicants in their 50s and 60s are lying about their age, fudging …

Hiring commercial drivers? Probe deeper into applicant work history

09/01/2003

If you hire commercial drivers, prepare to start collecting more pre-hire information from applicants. The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wants employers to …