Summer's Coming: Background Checks and Temporary Hires
With summer right around the corner many high school and college students are looking for part-time employment. As tuition and cost of living continues to increase the need for these summer jobs is at an all-time high. And the good news is that employers are looking for help.
Even as the economy crawls out of the recession, summer jobs are increasingly available. Many of these jobs are available in vacation hot spots such as Florida and California, but every state has a unique summer destination such as concession stands at beaches, large amusement parks, hotels and restaurants. Closer to home are parks, pools, smaller amusement areas, movie theatres, book stores, and mall shops offering extended summer hours, increased foot traffic, and an increased need for staffing.
Many employers conduct limited or less stringent background checks due to the temporary nature of summer help and that's a mistake.
Risk mitigation and loss reduction are key cost factors in running a retail operation. Whether it is a restaurant, a clothing store or an amusement park; theft and loss can be huge hits to the bottom line. Every year a typical retail establishment will lose significant profits due to employee theft. It is so well accepted that loss will occur in a retail environment that many businesses actually budget for this activity. Another noteworthy cost factor may be in the potential of risk. Workers' Comp fraud claims are on the rise and affect every part of the economy. One might think that this type of fraud only occurs in construction or related industries but that is not the case. Worker's Comp fraud occurs in every work environment, from manufacturing to general office to retail. More fraudulent Workers' Comp claims are paid out than challenged.
Further, existing employees have a right to assume a safe work environment. This consideration involves the environment itself being safe and secure from threat as well as a safe environment with those that they work with on a daily basis. Long term employees, specifically those that have the experience, knowledge, and understanding of how a business is operated in a profitable manner, can be impacted by the hiring of a single bad employee. There is risk in losing productivity. Additionally, new employees that have not been fully vetted may create risk to existing employees if they have a criminal background.
As the summer season begins to ramp up, employers need to consider the employee's they hire and how to best protect both their profits and their existing employees. A simple background check is a solution that will provide information an employer needs to make a well thought out decision. There are several reports one may require to complete this process:
- Social Security Number Trace -
- This report allows an employer to verify an application as well as know counties of residence and any associated AKAs.
- Criminal Records Check -
- The simplest and most accurate criminal records check is at the county level. By utilizing a SSN trace an employer will know what counties to search for criminal activity in.
- Sex Offenders Records Check –
- As most summer work involves interaction with children this may be the most important record to pull. The public relations damage that could be generated by the discovery of an employee that is on an offenders list will destroy a company.
- Workers' Comp Claims Check -
- A valuable tool is understanding if an employee you are looking to hire has ever made a Workers' Comp claim but it is important to note that an employer must have an offer in place prior to running this particular report.
A background check for summer help need not be extensive or costly. Consider that the cost of a single background check package that includes some or all of the reports listed above is far less than the cost of a single bad hire.
Go to http://www.CriminalBackgroundRecords.com/ and discover the wide variety of background check reports that are available. It's low-cost, fast and an efficient step in protecting your business.
To consult with a sales representative about discounted pricing and/or to setup a monthly billing account please send an email to bd@infoeinc.com and a representative with contact you.
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