In a story that shows why background checks are needed for small businesses, WCCO-TV CBS Channel 4 in Minneapolis, MN reports that a sex offender who worked for a small business in Minnesota that provided bouncy houses and other fun inflatables at birthday parties and graduations was recently arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.  WCCO-TV reports that the arrest that caught the owner of the small business, who was unaware that the employee was convicted of a sex crime in 1995, off guard. The WCCO-TV story is available here: ‘Sex Offender Case Highlights Need for Background Checks.’

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A recent story from The Charlotte Observer about an ex-felon hired to work at a cafe who allegedly killed a pregnant cafe manager by fatally stabbing her during a robbery demonstrates the need for small businesses to perform background checks, as well as the risks taken when hiring employees with criminal records or the exposure to legal liability faced when failing to conduct thorough background checks on job applicants. The Charlotte Observer story ‘Killing puts background checks in spotlight’ is available at: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/28/2965684/killing-puts-background-checks.html. (more…)

Employment Screening Resources (ESR), a leading national employment screening firm announced today the release of a web site focused on providing quick and easy access to legally comliant essential background checks to small and medium businesses.  The service is available at: http://www.esrcheck.com/smallbizdivision.php.

The new service, called ESRDirect, provides small and medium business with a simplified online ordering system that is as easy as ordering a book online.  Employers have full control over their budgets since the exact final cost is available before the employer approves the request.  Users of ESRDirect also receive unlimited consultation with background screening specialist so that employers are not on their own in fulfilling this essential function. 

The new site is aimed at removing roadblocks faced by small and medium business that do not hire in large numbers but need to avoid hiring applicants that are dangerous, unfit, unqualified or dishonest.  A small or medium business may not always get the attention they need and may need to use a complicated ordering system that is difficult to remember if not used frequently. The cost can be a big surprise, if extra fees are added on for court costs or other third party fees. 

“With ESRDirect, small and medium employers enjoy the convenience of a simplified, cost-effective and intuitive system that does not drain their time, energy and budgets,” commented Jared Callahan, Director of Client Services, and a national speaker on topics related to safe hiring. “Small and medium businesses now have available the resources and tools enjoyed by Fortune 500 firms to keep their firms safe and profitable and the security of knowing they are conducting legally compliant background checks.” 

ESR further protects small and medium business by not sending data offshore beyond U.S. privacy laws, which endangers applicant privacy and can lead to identity theft. Furthermore, ESR does not expose employers to claims of discrimination by engaging in automated decision making. ESR supplies information to employers so they can determine if there is a business justification to utilize a criminal record in hiring, taking into account the nature of the crime, the nature of the job and the age of the criminal record.

Employment Screening Resources (ESR) is the firm that literally wrote the book on background checks, The Safe Hiring Manual, and provides pre-employment screening services and drug testing internationally.  The firm specializes in legal compliance expertise and industry leading technology, service, accuracy and turnaround.

About Employment Screening Resources: Employment Screening Resources (www.ESRcheck.com) is a safe hiring partner and provides REAL background checks, not cheap database shortcuts or off-shoring or the use of home operators that endangers privacy. Contact:  Jared Callahan for additional information at 415-898-0044 or by email jcallahan@ESRcheck.com

By Jared Callahan, Employment Screening Resources

According to an article in HR Morning, the two biggest headaches for employers when it comes to hiring are the blanket  exclusion of individuals with poor credit histories or a criminal, record, and not showing a correlation between background checks and the job itself. 

The author notes that in response to seeing an increase in claims of discrimination based upon criminal records and credit reports,  the EEOC began the E-RACE Initiative (Eradicating Racism And Colorism from Employment).  This excellent article can be found at:

http://www.hrmorning.com/recruiting-eeoc-warns-about-background-checks/

As ESR has advised employer on a number of occasion, the unfair use of credit reports or the automatic exclusion of individuals with criminal records without considering if there is a business justification are two big area of potential liability for employers.  The Safe Hiring Manuel, the first comprehensive book on background checks that was written by ESR goes into these issues in detail.  It can result in an action by the EEOC or a lawsuit for discrimination.  Needless to say, employers would rather not face either.  As noted in a recent ESR blog, the EEOC has brought a legal action against one national employer alleging the discriminatory use of credit reports and criminal records. http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/1057/new-eeoc-lawsuit-for-discrimination-based-on-credit-report-and-criminal-records 

The one thing that small and medium businesses do not want to do is to use screening software that makes automated decision.  That is a big risk taken for no good reason.  

To attempt to minimize exposure, employers may want review the following articles by ESR:

1. http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/815/basics-of-credit-reports-and-background-checks
2. http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/942/the-basics-of-criminal-records-searches

An excellent article on how employers can deal with workplace has appeared in the Coshocton Tribune in Ohio.  It was written by Ohio human resources consultant Jim Evans is president of JK Evans & Associates LLC, a Zanesville-based human resources consulting firm. 

The article recounted some recent incidents of workplace violence and reminded employers and managers that they are tools to prevent and deal with workplace violence.  For example, employers should have policies on how to deal with workplace misconduct, and managers should be trained to recognize the warning signs and how to deal with it.  The article also cites due diligent in hiring as an important tool to avoid bad hires and to demonstrate due diligence in hiring.  See: http://www.coshoctontribune.com/article/20091115/NEWS04/911150313 

This article underscores the critical role of pre-employment background screening plays in the hiring process.  For employers, there are a number of resources available to accomplish employment screening.  Setting up a program is very quick and easy, and the cost is minimal compared to just one workplace incident.  As a general rule, screening employees cost less then their first day salary.  In fact, an employer can provide a great deal of protection just by a well designed application, interview and past employment checking process. 

For job applicants, background checks are NOT an invasion of privacy.  The items being checked are what a person has done in their public life, such as where they worked, where they went to school or if there are relevant criminal records. Applicants also have a great deal of rights under federal law to view any report and to correct errors, and must give their specific consent and be advised of their rights.  There are rules about using criminal records unfairly. 

The bottom-line is that workers also want the protection of a safe workplace with qualified co-workers that have the credentials claimed.  More information on how to conduct employment screening and available resources is available at www.ESRcheck.com. A specific game plan for hiring is set out at: http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/730/cost-effective-employment-screening-and-safe-hiring-techniques-for-large-employers.