There are multiple factors involved in the hiring process to find a qualified applicant to fill an open job position. This holds true for employees in your workplace as well as in-home contractors and subcontractors performing work on your company’s behalf. In this article, we will outline best practices to help ensure your chosen applicant is qualified for the job and the right fit for your company.
To start, employers should always perform their due diligence by performing reasonable and nondiscriminatory checks to ensure:
- A thorough criminal background check is conducted
- Previous employers have been verified
- Education and employment references and qualifications have been validated
- Drug and Driving checks are performed as appropriate
- Additional tests are completed, depending on the industry
The bullets above generally cover the basics, but employee types vary considerably, and with that comes additional variables: job duties, the degree to which an individual interacts with customers inside or outside their homes, the sensitivity of the information the individual handles, the value of the merchandise handled, etc. Based on the nature of the role, the following may also be helpful:
- Continuous Monitoring, which alerts of arrests/booking events in real-time
- Social Media Screening, which researches a person’s online presence
In addition, if your company is screening only a portion of the employees and contractors in your network for criminal history, you may be greatly increasing your risk of negligent hiring and/or retention lawsuits, potentially damaging the reputation of your business, and putting your employees and customers at risk. After all, as countless news stories have demonstrated, all it takes are the action of a single individual to bring down a company’s reputation, cause harm to staff or customers, and cause substantial financial damage. It is imperative to protect your company and customers from individuals who may have insufficient qualifications- or worse, dangerous propensities and/or previous misdemeanors and felonies on their records.
It is also important to have a written and consistent screening policy, complying with applicable laws, outlining your company’s screening process so that you are legally protected and your applicants know what to expect from the hiring process, and they have the opportunity to clarify any negative information that may be brought forward through various searches. A reputable background check provider can help you with this and can help evaluate criminal history on a case-by-case basis.
PlusOne Screening Solutions is here to help with your background screening process. To learn more about our services, Contact us today. For additional questions, or to request a quote, call us today at: (833) 447-5871.
