Effective employment screening practices

Since 1991, employers in the USA may be liable for the criminal actions of their employees even if those actions are not job‐related. As a result, costly law suits and settlements are on the rise. The right person in the right job makes economic sense. However, choosing the right person for the right job is more difficult that it sounds. As corporate America continues downsizing, competition for jobs has intensified. Resume fraud and mis‐stated information on applications is common. Therefore, effective pre‐employment screening is a necessity not an option. Pre‐employment screening covers a broad spectrum of personal information about the applicant. New approaches and methods have been introduced. Outsourcing reference and background checks are common practice. To employ effective screening practices, a company must know what information to gain, how to gain it, and what to do with it once it is received.