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Background Checks

Scrutinize resumes; layoffs increase lying

10/01/2001

Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar’s Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily …

Bankruptcy bias: Handle deadbeat applicants carefully

06/01/2001
Don’t refuse to hire applicants, and don’t fire current employees, solely because they’ve filed for bankruptcy. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code bars such discrimination. However, you can consider an applicant’s overall …

Reduce company’s risk
of hiring ‘risky’ applicants

06/01/2001
If you’re willing to take a chance on a new employee with a shaky past, a government program can reduce your risk.
Through the little-noticed Federal Bonding Program, you can …

Don’t assume whether or not workers can pass job tests

05/01/2001
Jade McKenzie never had a negative job review in 10 years with the county sheriff’s department. Then came a psychological meltdown prompted, in part, by post-traumatic stress related to childhood sexual …

Slash costs of in-house fraud

09/01/2000
The average U.S. company loses more than $9 a day per employee to fraud and abuse, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). A new ACFE report …

Stop violence with strong policy, calm approach

09/01/2000
Courts say your company has a responsibility to keep workers and customers safe from dangers that it can “reasonably anticipate.” With nearly 2 million assaults …

Background checks: Close holes in your employee screens

09/01/2000
The frantic competition for workers has caused many companies to become lax about screening job candidates. That’s not smart. Liars, thieves and violent criminals …

Train all staff to head off violence

05/01/2000
While many companies train managers to identify the warning signs of violent behavior, only 24 percent offer such training to all employees, according to a recent …

Don’t ask reference things you wouldn’t ask candidate

05/01/2000

Q. I know that it’s illegal to ask applicants certain questions, like whether they are married. Are there any questions I can’t ask a previous employer or reference? —F.T., Maine

Check state law before asking about convictions

04/01/2000

Q. Our employment application asks whether the candidate has been convicted of a felony. Is it legal for us to ask this? If so, can we ask what the applicant has been convicted of and can that information be used as a basis for not hiring an individual? —C.H., Arizona