Background Investigation Blogs

In an effort to boost workplace safety, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) and the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Southeastern Michigan Chapter signed a formal alliance this week to protect the safety and health of Michigan's construction industry workers.  However, if maintaining the safety of employees is a real priority, then random drug testing must be enforced, especially in the field of construction.

According to data released by Reed/ACP, "The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in Michigan.  Only about 4% of Michigan's workforce is employed in construction — however, construction fatalities account for more than 40% of all fatal workplace accidents."

But this isn't out of the realm of normality in terms of construction deaths and injury nationwide.

Why?  There are two factors to blame: the danger involved in using heavy machinery, often for long hours, and a lack of random drug testing.

Working with heavy machinery is simply a part of the construction lifestyle, and can only be regulated with smart and sensible policies regarding overtime and hours worked.  However, unfortunately drug abuse is also part of the construction "lifestyle," and too many construction agencies rely on simple pre-employment drug testing, or none at all.

It's easy for anyone to stay sober long enough to pass a single test.  This is why a real impact in drug abuse on the job is only seen when random drug testing is implemented.

And the result of the testing offers great results, including fewer fatalities, fewer injuries, less damage to property, higher morale, higher productivity, and lowered insurance claims.

In Montgomery California, taxi cab drivers have been faced with a different kind of tough customer; with the implementation of a criminal records check, 5 drivers in the past 8 months have had their taxi licenses revoked.

At the examiner.com, drivers are reported to have concealed everything from assault, to possession of drugs with intent to sell, to unpaid traffic tickets.

But, in an unnerving twist, "in each instance, the drivers cleared the requirements to get a temporary license - passing the state background check and a county written and oral exam - and were able to cruise county roads and pick up customers" before discoveries of their criminal acts were unearthed in a federal criminal records check.

The risk that was taken with the lives and property of potential clients is very disturbing.

This just proves, yet again, that a criminal records check must take place on a local, state, and national level.  This only comes along with quality pre-employment background screening, as well as other necessary screening procedures like blood/alcohol testing, random drug testing, resume/education verification, and yes, a DMV records check.

We commend the americanchronicle for suggesting that everyone should follow through on background screening their potential employees in order to avoid the hiring someone who could prove "deceitful," or even "dangerous."

Unfortunately this advice falls back on many of the dangerous perceptions that have led to unpleasant surprises on-the-job and the failure of instant background checks.

In terms of background screening it's absolutely important to "screen the applicants basic information such as full name, date of birth, educational qualifications, medical records and social security number."

And, it's smart to take into consideration everything from "previous employers," to "references," to your "applicant's behavior" in previous workplace situations and beyond.

But by suggesting the use of cheap instant background checks, the article falls short of recommending the quality background screening that has proven superior every time.  Relying on quick data researched from the "computer at the comfort of your home" always means relying on poorly organized, haphazard public records.

And public records have a bad habit of missing the kind of information that makes a potential hire "dangerous."

As Wal-Mart released its shocking statistics on employee theft this week, azcentral.com discusses the same issue as it confronts the small business owner, and suggests that a criminal background check is part of the solution to a potentially devastating problem.

And it is, to a degree.

As the article makes clear, reports regarding employee theft prove that "small businesses were the most likely to be affected and also sustained the largest median losses compared with bigger companies."

Why?  Mostly because losing funds is more devastating to small businesses, and they often don't have the means to launch the kinds of investigations and lawsuits required to catch and punish those guilty of employee theft.

But it's employee background screening that can help to minimize the problem before it begins, and this requires more than a criminal background check.

Sure, it's very important to know that the person you're about to hire doesn't have a history of fraud.  But what about a credit check to prove that this same person won't be tempted to sell information?  Or, how about a social security trace to prove that the potential hire isn't someone else with a long history of fraud and/or employee theft?

A criminal background check makes up just one small part of the entire background screening package required to stop employee theft before it can even start.

At newburyportnews.com, frightening tales of registered sex offenders who slip away into new, anonymous lives serve as a stark reminder of the need for in-depth criminal background screening.

The problem with offenders in general is that the state is dependent upon them to reveal who they are, and what they've done.  For registered sex offenders, this means that they simply move away and don't register in their new town or state.  "Officials admit that sex offenders are able to slip through the network of state officials, parole and probation officers, and police that tries to keep track of them.  One reason: Once they are off probation, it's up to the offenders to register when they arrive in town or move to another town or to a different address in the same community."

But this happens with all criminals.  It's easy to relocate and get a new job, or even a new name.  Most cheap background checks only look into public records on a local level, missing national levels, and criminals, altogether.

Which is why criminal background screening is so very important.  Good quality criminal background screening covers records on a local, state, and national level, revealing registered sex offenders among all other criminals.  And good background screening should also include a social security check, which can prove that an employee is who he or she says they are….and not a dangerous person who has something to hide.

Seniorjournal.com reports the proposal of a bill introduced into the Senate today that would require all long-term care workers to be subject to background screening procedures in an effort to keep predators away from vulnerable populations.

Under today's disorganized system of background checks many employers cannot determine which applicants have records of abuse or crime.  In nursing home settings, nursing home abuse is increasing at an alarming rate, with almost 1/3 of these facilities cited for abuse.

And abuses ranges from sexual abuse, to physical and mental abuse, identity theft, and even the stealing of important medications for pain and illness.  Nursing home abuse is fast becoming the easiest means of taking advantage of a population often helpless to defend itself.

This why anyone with access to vulnerable populations should be subject to the most stringent of background screening policies.  A criminal background check on a local, state, and national level would reveal a history of abuse or crime.  A credit check can reflect which potential caregivers would be tempted to steal and sell important personal information, and random drug testing can remove addicts from an environment where medications are in easy reach.

Passing such a bill making quality background screening mandatory for all long-term caregivers would help to eradicate nursing home abuse, as well as at-home abuse of those delicate populations who cannot always protect themselves.

As it says at chattanoogan.com, "corporate fraud remains a significant threat to businesses, despite legislative efforts, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to address it." But what the article fails to address is that one key aspect of fraud prevention isn't utilized nearly as much as it should be: background screening.

American businesses lose billions a year to corporate fraud, but few have embraced the kind of fraud risk management programs listed in the article.  Why?  Not many businesses are aware of their benefits, and even fewer want to pay for them.

But in terms of preventing corporate fraud managers and business owners first ought to look to their background screening processes.  With quality background screening, potential employees with a history of fraud, the mismanagement of money, or of simple dishonesty can be kept out of the workplace before they have the chance to do any damage to your company.

This is why quality screening agencies offer a credit check, resume check, social security check, and much more to verify the true identity and history of each potential hire.  After all, the easiest way to prevent fraud is that you don't hire the criminals in the first place.

The use of employee drug testing to prevent accidents on the job has proven so effective, that some worker's comp companies are offering incentives to businesses that test their employees.

At gillettenewsrecord.com, a new drug and alcohol testing program is getting a lot of attention.  "The Workers Compensation Drug and Alcohol Testing Discount Program offers a 5% discount on workers compensation premiums to entice employers to implement drug- and alcohol-free policies in their workplaces."

Why such a discount?  Employee drug testing is so effective in maintaining everything from worker's morale to workplace safety that it everyone saves money when it becomes part of a background screening program.

John Pettyjohn, S&S Builders safety manager, has helped his company become one of the first Gillette businesses to be accepted into the program.  Since then, morale is up, accidents are down, and productivity is at an all time high.

Since drug users are 3 times more likely to cause an accident, and 5 times more likely to file a claim afterwards, keeping them out of the workplace also keeps insurance costs and worker's comps claims at a minimum.

Which is why any quality background screening program should offer employee drug testing, as well as random drug testing and post-accident testing, as part of their standard screening package.