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Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
On April 17, 2018, Employment Screening Resources (ESR) – a leading global background check firm headquartered in the San Francisco, California area – was profiled in a blog that revealed the company lives by the mantra of “Put People Over Profit,” according to ESR Vice President of Strategic Growth Dawn Standerwick.
In the blog entitled ‘Employment Screening Resources Takes the Risk Out of the Hiring Process so Companies Can Avoid Lost Profits and Lawsuits,’ Standerwick – who has worked in the screening industry for 26 years spoke about the importance of putting people first.
“We seek to make ethical decisions for every stakeholder,” Standerwick explained in the blog. “During a background screening, there are a lot of crossroads where we have to make decisions. And when we reach those crossroads, we side with people, even if that decision costs more.”
The blog states: (ESR) provides businesses with guidance, tools, and resources they need to make the right hires while complying with federal, local, and state laws… But ESR doesn’t just help employers make the right decisions, the company also treats applicants with the respect they deserve during the process.
Employers should conduct a thorough criminal background check on applicants but “need to do their homework before blindly trusting a company with vetting.” While there are many kinds of background check searches, Standerwick recommends the following four in addition to a criminal record search:
- Sex Offender Registry Searches: “In retail, almost any employee, from the cashier at checkout to the janitor cleaning the bathroom, interacts with customers of all ages. That’s why this search is a must.”
- Substance Abuse Testing: “We currently have an opioid crisis. Individuals who have issues with drugs seek out employers that don’t do drug testing. Unfortunately, those workers are also more likely to steal from their employers.”
- Driving Records: “Absolutely any employee who is driving for your business needs to have their driving records checked.”
- S. Sanctions and Excluded Parties: “National and international watch list searches aren’t expensive to run, but I would definitely include them. It’s an important due diligence check.”
Standerwick told DealCrunch that background screening is a complicated business where employers have to comply with changing local and federal laws. “We see a rising tide of lawsuits against employers due to the patchwork of local and state laws in addition to federal law,” she said.
Standerwick explained the lawsuits “can be for fairly technical violations that don’t really harm anyone but are still very costly for the company,” adding employers should “avoid screening firms that take a hands-off approach, and search for knowledgeable partners who will support their compliance efforts.”
Employers also need to be wary of background screening companies offering so-called ‘national’ checks as a stand-alone search. “We use the same service as a supplement, which is important, but we’re upfront with the fact that the data sources can be extremely deficient,” said Standerwick.
“Everyone has to balance solid background checks with their budget. More than anything, we see businesses come to us after working with companies who offer fast and cheap checks, but don’t inform clients that their information comes from different data sources all across the country,” she said.
Many employers also invest in more stringent background checks for higher level jobs. “A lot of companies do far more robust background searches for management and key-holder positions,” said Standerwick, adding that ESR offers background screening solutions for every level of employee.
“No matter what a company needs, from upper-level management to hourly employees, we’re here to provide it,” Standerwick concluded. The complete blog written by DealCrunch Contributing Editor Jon McDonald is at www.cardrates.com/news/employment-screening-resources-takes-risk-out-of-hiring/.
ESR Is Not A Typical Screening Firm
Employment Screening Resources (ESR) is not a typical screening firm and does not intend to become one. ESR’s mission is to empower organizations to choose the right person for the right job and believes in “Putting People Above Profit.” For more information, please visit www.esrcheck.com.
NOTE: Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) does not provide or offer legal services or legal advice of any kind or nature. Any information on this website is for educational purposes only.
© 2018 Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) – Making copies or using of any part of the ESR News Blog or ESR website for any purpose other than your own personal use is prohibited unless written authorization is first obtained from ESR.
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