The Importance of a Background Check

Every company needs employees, but the process of finding those employees can be nerve wracking. Not only does the human resources manager need to ensure that the candidate has the right skills for the job, he or she also needs to make sure that the candidate is a right fit for the current team. This includes making sure that the prospective new employee is not a danger to the company or the other employees.

A background check is vital to making the right choice when filling a new job position. Checking an applicant’s criminal history is especially essential when a job includes responsibilities that require constant contact with the public, cash or other financial transactions, or sensitive personal information of clients.

Many organizations believe that references are enough to determine the worthiness of a job applicant. Unfortunately, character and job references can be faked. There are even organizations that offer fake reference services! This is why it’s best not to rely simply on character references.

As in many other situations, there is the danger of discrimination lawsuits. To protect itself from potential lawsuits, an organization needs to know the legal ramifications of a strict “no convict” hiring policy.

The law requires that when a person with a criminal history applies for a position, the company must look at 3 separate factors prior to making a hiring decision. First, what was the offense, and how bad was it? Second, how much time has passed since the applicant was convicted (or completed their sentence, whichever is applicable)? And third, what type of job is the person applying for?

If the offense doesn’t relate to the job applied for, there isn’t really any recourse for not hiring the person, as long as they are qualified. However, is someone convicted of fraud applies for a position in which they will have contact with sensitive identity information of customers, the company would have a legitimate reason to turn the person down for the job.

If the actual offense has no relation to the job he or she applied for, do your research to see if the applicant is a good fit for the position. Talk to the police officers involved on the case, the applicant’s parole officer (if applicable), and read the court transcripts of the case.

It’s important for a business to hire employees that have the right skills, will fit in with the current team, and are not a danger to the business. Therefore, a policy requiring background checks of all potential employees should be mandatory. It’s just as important to be mindful of the laws about discriminating against convicts; this will help avoid costly discrimination lawsuits.