It’s finally Spring—warmer weather, flowers blooming, and Spring cleaning

Springtime is the perfect time to do some Spring cleaning. And that includes taking a look at your employee background check protocols—the upcoming hiring season is almost upon us. This is especially relevant for hotels, restaurants, and retail stores , especially those who will be hiring for a busy tourist season. Also, summer camps, sports centers, and children’s activity centers will be hiring staff.

The COVID nightmare is just about over, so people are chomping at the bit to get out and enjoy life again—and that means visiting businesses to shop, dine out, vacation, and get active.

Keeping Your Business and Your Employees Safe—
Workplace Crimes Have Increased.

So what do we mean when we say, “take a look at your employee background check protocols?” Well, we mean keeping your business and your employees safe. As many as 48% of human resources professionals in the U.S. claim that their organizations have, at some point, experienced workplace violence, according to a 2019 survey released by the Society for Human Resource Management. This number is up from 36% in 2012—a 12% increase over seven years. Just last month we blogged about the increase in workplace violence against women.

And it’s not just violent crimes that have increased. Milica Milenkovic wrote recently in an article for Small Biz Genius, a firm that provides small business owners with up-to-date, accurate, and reliable information and statistics: “theft schemes affect approximately 75% of all U.S.-based businesses and U.S. businesses lose up to $110 million a day due to employee-related crimes.”

 An Overall Increase in U.S. Crime Affects Businesses.

Crime in general has increased, so of course that spills over into businesses. The Wall Street Journal reports that murders in U.S. cities were near record highs in 2021 and that a spike in smash-and-grab robberies is driving retailers to find new ways to boost security and protect merchandise.

What Can Employers Do to Protect Their Businesses?

You must thoroughly check a prospective employee’s background to avoid hiring the wrong person and a potentially disastrous situation. This thorough employee background check should include the following:

• Misdemeanor and felony criminal records searches at the county, state and national levels (international also, if necessary)
• Sex-offender status searches
• Social Security number traces and validations
• Employment and education verifications
• Professional license verifications
• Checks on references, credit reports, civil records, driver’s license and motor vehicle records
• Military records verifications
• Workers’ compensation history searches
• Healthcare sanction checks
• Address history checks
• Social media screening

It is also recommended that employers implement a continuous monitoring of existing employees to identify changes in criminal or other status since their hire.

In addition, employers must make sure they are in compliance with state, federal, and county laws (including workers’ rights). These laws and regulations are continually being updated and added to, and a business owner needs to be abreast of them in order not to violate and be subject to hefty fines, lawsuits, or worse. Compliance is getting more and more complex and requires extensive knowledge, preferably a professional with solid experience in these matters.

Why Choose The Hire Authority for Employee Background Screening?

At The Hire Authority we are experienced, professional, and thorough in our screening, which guarantees that you will receive information that is current and relevant. We also are experts in compliance with state, federal, and county laws. We care about your security, and we will work with you to keep you safe from harm or unnecessary problems. Be safe, not sorry.

We’d be happy to talk to you about screening your employees. Call us at  (508) 230-5901 or visit our website www.hireauth.com with any questions you may have.

 

The foregoing should not be construed as legal advice. Employers should always consult their own legal counsel for advice on labor and employment matters.