Background checks have become an important part of the hiring process for many companies. Realistically, a background check is one of the most powerful tools a company can use. This is because it can help to eliminate unqualified or undesirable candidates from the pool.

However, some businesses still decide to skip background checks or make exceptions, whether it be for time, hassle, or financial reasons. Unfortunately, this can be a huge mistake and can have serious consequences. Continue reading to find out some of the risks that a company takes when it skips criminal background checking.

Violent or Related Criminal History

There are many people who may have a tarnished history of criminal convictions. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that they are not a great job candidate. However, knowing prior convictions by using criminal background checks can help to eliminate those who do have a history that would not work well with the position. For instance, retail establishments probably want to avoid hiring an individual with a history of theft at a retail establishment. Moreover, places that work with children do not want to hire someone with a history of sex crimes.

Background Check for History of Drug Use

An individual who has a history of drug use should not be immediately disqualified, but this is something employers may want to know. If the individual is hired and then begins displaying signs of potential drug or alcohol use, knowing their history can give the employer cause to have them take a drug test. This can help prevent users from being involved in workplace accidents and perhaps even help those who have relapsed get back on track. That being said, it is important to give those in recovery a chance to be great employees.

Shows the Employees Actual Experience

Say that an individual comes in for an interview with a resume that shows a great history of experience or references. They get hired and then display that they know nothing about the job or are unable to perform the duties. Unfortunately, some people will lie on their resume in an attempt to give them a leg up above the competition. Verifying experience and work history with an employee background check can prevent lost income, lower statistics, and increased workplace accidents.

On the Hook for Negligent Hiring Cases

Negligent hiring essentially describes when there is an incident with an employee and the employer holds some liability because they knew or should have known that there was a risk. If a business hires a man who has several criminal cases of sexual harassment, and he then harasses employees in the new workplace, the employer could be considered liable for his behavior.

If victimized employees decide to pursue recourse, then a company found guilty of negligent hiring can be on the hook for hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars. This is a situation that is easily avoidable by criminal background checking and it is dangerous for companies to skip over this as part of the hiring process.

Looking for a Good Source for an Employee Background Check?

If you are looking for an accurate and reliable criminal background check, then we are here to help. We have partnered with the National Crime Search (NCS) to be able to provide multi-state and single-state database searches. Using name and date of birth, we can show felony and misdemeanor convictions from the past 7 to 10 years. Do not put your company and current employees at risk by skipping background checks. Let us help you rule out the wrong candidates. If you have any questions, you can call Soteria at (479) 695-2111.