7 Steps to Prevent Hiring a Criminal

The following article appeared in BLR's January newsletter.

7 Steps to Prevent Hiring a Criminal

We don’t know about you, but the thought of unwittingly hiring a criminal gives us nightmares. A recent story about a notorious nurse–reporting that he has now pleaded guilty to giving fatal medication overdoses to 23 patients and nonlethal overdoses to 5 more–is especially scary. During a 16-year career as a nurse at hospitals in several states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Charles Cullen says he killed between 30 and 40 people. Why didn’t anyone discover sooner how dangerous this employee was?

That’s why we’re passing along some tips from an expert in background checking. He is Barry Nadell, president of Infolink Screening Services. At one of his websites (www.greathire.com), Nadell lists seven steps employers can take immediately to prevent hiring a criminal. As you will see, the primary goal of these steps is deterrence, just as you might post signs on your factory or office building, home, or motor vehicle that the property is protected by an alarm system. Better still, these measures cost little or nothing.

• Post prominent signage at your facility that you conduct background checks and drug tests for all new hires. Many (but not all) undesirable candidates will be discouraged from applying for jobs with you.
• Post a similar notice on your website, where you list openings in your organization.
• With your application form, hand out "ominous" (Nadell’s word) disclosure and authorization forms regarding background checks and drug testing.
• On the application form itself, repeat these notices prominently at the top, and ensure that the form includes all questions you may legally ask any candidate.
• Inform all current employees of your policies regarding new hires, and request them to authorize background screening should you find it necessary in the future.
• If you ever use temporary employment agencies, insist that they perform background checks on their candidates, and request copies of reports on any workers you hire through them.
• Require any vendor or independent contractor that sends its employees into your facilities to conduct background checks on those people. Give each such supplier a checklist of the kinds of screening you require, and ask each to verify that all steps were taken with any worker sent onto your premises.

Tip: For more information on Nadell’s services and other advice, see http://www.infolinkscreening.com, or Nadell’s book, Sleuthing 101 Background Checks and the Law.