Background Checks

Root out violent applicants by asking right questions

05/01/2002

Sept. 11 put a new kind of workplace violence on the radar screen, but the threat of verbal and physical attacks by co-workers, customers and spouses is still just as pressing …

Beware legal traps of hiring online reference checkers

12/01/2001

Since Sept. 11, security fears have sent companies scurrying to do criminal background checks on job applicants. Many companies are outsourcing this function to Web-based reference checkers. But beware: Some …

Don’t pull punches; fire when necessary

11/01/2001

The Cook County, Ill., Sheriff’s Department fired Harriet Rizzo when it discovered that she didn’t have a high school diploma as required, and she had lied about it on her job …

Scrutinize resumes; layoffs increase lying

10/01/2001

Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar’s Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily …

Bankruptcy bias: Handle deadbeat applicants carefully

06/01/2001

Don’t refuse to hire applicants, and don’t fire current employees, solely because they’ve filed for bankruptcy. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code bars such discrimination. However, you can consider an applicant’s overall …

Reduce company’s risk
of hiring ‘risky’ applicants

06/01/2001

If you’re willing to take a chance on a new employee with a shaky past, a government program can reduce your risk.
Through the little-noticed Federal Bonding Program, you can …

Don’t assume whether or not workers can pass job tests

05/01/2001

Jade McKenzie never had a negative job review in 10 years with the county sheriff’s department. Then came a psychological meltdown prompted, in part, by post-traumatic stress related to childhood sexual …

Slash costs of in-house fraud

09/01/2000

The average U.S. company loses more than $9 a day per employee to fraud and abuse, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). A new ACFE report …

Stop violence with strong policy, calm approach

09/01/2000

Courts say your company has a responsibility to keep workers and customers safe from dangers that it can “reasonably anticipate.” With nearly 2 million assaults …