| Although many employers have a solid policy | | | | employer sends out a letter and can then say |
| regarding pre-hire background checks, most have | | | | "hey, we asked!" The problem is - well, one of the |
| no policy in place that dictates a regular schedule | | | | problems - that such a weak effort of protecting |
| of post-hire, or ongoing, background checks? Why | | | | their underage charges against a less-than-moral |
| is this issue? Well, from an employee standpoint, | | | | workforce is not likely to hold up in court. |
| you're certainly not going to tell your employer | | | | It is the onus of the employer, not the employee, |
| that you've committed a crime that might get | | | | to ensure that their employees meet the |
| you fired... if you can avoid it. But, from an | | | | standard of morality that is required of the job, |
| employer standpoint, this is need-to-know | | | | whether that job involved working with children, |
| information. | | | | money, or confidential information. When |
| Unfortunately, far too often, individuals who have | | | | something goes wrong, as it inevitably will, it is not |
| worked for one employer for any length of time | | | | the employee that ends up on the financial hot |
| commit crimes that may make them ineligible for | | | | seat; it's the employer. |
| employment with their current employer. Again, | | | | Sure, the employee will have to pay the piper in a |
| an employer can't rely on the honesty and | | | | criminal court, but it is the employer who |
| self-reporting of its employees to police the | | | | harbored said criminal employee that will lose |
| off-duty behavior of their workforce. Yet, in | | | | revenue and reputation because of their own lack |
| many cases, performing frequent background | | | | of conscientious monitoring of their own staff. |
| checks can be cost prohibitive. | | | | After all, if you are a parent whose child has been |
| To combat the problem, one large employer, | | | | violated by a predator, do you sue the employee |
| whose employees have direct contact with | | | | who has no money or the employer who has the |
| children, sends out annual notices that employees | | | | financial resources to pay up? |
| must report any offenses that may render them | | | | Finding oneself in such a situation is not only |
| ineligible to perform their employment duties as | | | | embarrassing and expensive; it can completely |
| assigned. Certainly, this is one way to get the | | | | ruin your company's reputation. Although there is |
| word out. But, honestly, does this employer, or | | | | no way to immediately ensure that you catch an |
| any other workplace that adopts the annual notice | | | | employee's indiscretion as soon as it happens, you |
| technique, really expect their employees to call a | | | | can protect yourself by developing a company |
| confidential number to report their criminal | | | | policy that requires regular background checks on |
| behavior since they were hired? Not likely. | | | | your employees. Companies that have initiated |
| In reality, the annual notice sent out by the above | | | | background checks on an annual, bi-annual, or |
| employer is a cover-your-rear effort to avoid a | | | | even every five year basis have had some |
| lawsuit in case any of their employees is found to | | | | success in weeding out the bad apples that may |
| have violated the sacred bond of good moral | | | | cause them serious legal issues down the road. |
| conduct when working with children. The | | | | |