News & Resources

Businesses stay safe when conducting background screenings

Jul 16, 2012 Philip Burgess

Companies and organizations want to stay away from the risk of fraud and employee identity theft, which is why many employers will not hire someone who has a criminal past that could jeopardize operations. But sometimes job applicants lie. That is why it is crucial for businesses, especially short term lending companies, to implement background screenings into the hiring process. Pennsylvania State University has recently made the decision to administer background screenings to all potential employees once they are approved for hire by the institution, according to the Daily Gant. The checks will focus mainly on any criminal and child abuse infractions on an individual's record. This will include all employees of Penn State, not just academic professionals. Additionally, the university-wide policy will also require all current employees to disclose any criminal activities they have been convicted of, says the news source. Pittsylvania County, Virginia, is another example of an area that has realized the benefits that background screenings offer. GoDanRiver reports that the county's parks and recreation department has implemented a new policy that requires all youth sport coaches to undergo checks. Each coach will have their records screened every two years while they serve their roles. County officials are looking for convictions that would pose a threat to the job performance, such as abuse, drug charges and embezzlement, states the news site.