Pre-Employment Background Checks

Are They Right for Your Business?

Recently, a New England company that works with municipalities processing accident claims for police, fire and road crews hired a temporary employee for the position of claims processor. His work as a temporary employee for them had been very good, always accurate and timely, and he was a courteous, likeable person. So when the company advertised the position, he applied and was quickly offered the job.

When he accepted, the supervisor and her staff were pleased that he would soon become part of their team. His offer of employment from Human Resources was contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. He understood this and signed the release authorizing the company to conduct the background check. Unfortunately, what he did not tell them was that he had been convicted of a felony and was currently serving a suspended sentence. In fact, on the employment application he had checked "no" in answer to the question, "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" When asked why he had done this, he replied that his employment counselor advised him not to disclose the conviction because most employers don't actually check an applicant's criminal record.

The company also assumed that the temporary employment agency had already done background checks on the temporary workers that they represented. However when they inquired about this, the agency replied that it was their policy to run background checks only when the employer specifically requested that they do so. Because of the sensitive nature of the work this employee would be performing - accessing police and car registration information in particular - the company made the difficult decision to withdraw the offer of employment and begin the recruitment process over again. Although this was a painful experience for everyone involved, the company's management learned several lessons. Most importantly, it reinforced the value and purpose of a criminal background check.

Although most of us think we are good at assessing character, the truth is that we cannot always be sure. For this employer, misjudging the character of an applicant could have cost them an important account and jeopardized the security and privacy of information for which they were responsible. The example above is a clear case of falsifying information on an employment application. However, there are often overlooked but no less significant examples of why checking an applicant's past activities might make sense for your business. Credit history, verification of social security number, education and employment verification, as well as driver and criminal record can all be part of a thorough check of a candidate's past.

Most companies that offer background checks will allow you to pick and choose the services they offer or select a bundled package for a negotiated price. First, ask yourself the following questions about your business activities: Do your employees frequently drive for business, even running small errands to pick up supplies? Are they transporting customers or clients in your vehicles or in their own personal cars? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider a simple driver record check as part of the hiring process. Driver records are available to employers for a small fee through your state's motor vehicle records division. The candidate must sign a form releasing this information to you. Driving records reveal recent speeding tickets, DUI arrests, suspended licenses, etc. All of these violations may be a concern to you if the employee will be driving a vehicle on your behalf. Do your employees handle sensitive financial information or have access to client or company funds? If so, you may also want to obtain a credit history to determine how your candidates handle their own personal finances. Do they have a solid track record of paying creditors on time? Have they ever filed for bankruptcy? The answers to these questions may be relevant when hiring candidates for certain types of positions. Is there an academic level of achievement, professional license, certification or degree requirement for your employees to perform their jobs?If the positions you are hiring for require a certain type of license or certification, of course you will want the candidate to provide proof or verification. Some types of licensing simply require a document issued by the licensing agent, showing valid dates and authorized signatures. However, we often don't verify the education of a candidate whose resume shows an advanced degree, even when it is a stated requirement.

Yet employers sometimes find out after the fact when employees have misrepresented themselves and do not actually possess the degrees stated on their resumes. A simple verification from the college or university may prevent a difficult discussion or action with an employee down the road. There are many reputable vendors who provide affordable background checking services for employers of all sizes. We use and recommend easyBackgrounds.com to our clients. When you begin, you may want to start small and add options later. Whatever you decide, performing background checks are a good investment and will help protect you, your employees and your business.