The agency used a list of crimes not found in state laws to find that some applicants shouldn’t be hired. The list, which included misdemeanor DUIs and other minor crimes, was in a bill considered but not approved by the 2003 Legislature.

The article touches upon the subject of application notifcation and whether the job applicants received an adverse action letter based on the background check. 

Capt. Phil O’Neill, who runs the division, said he didn’t know of anyone who lost a job over the mistake, adding they might not have been hired for other reasons.

This response sounds like code speak for “we found somebody better qualified” in which the company wouldn’t have to issue an adverse action letter.

adverse action letter
FCRA
background checks
Nevada DPS
Nevada Criminal Records

“While we had certainly hoped that the district and the attorney general’s office would have respected the privacy of individual citizens, we’re now forced to file suit to protect the fundamental rights of AISD employees,” said Doug Rogers, the group’s executive director.

Read the full article here:

While the courts decide the issue, it’s worth discussing what’s at stake here.   The trouble with protecting public records about teachers in a public school is that the students of citizens attend these schools.  It seems that the public has a right to the results of the background checks conducted on the teachers, at least the ”public records” portion, such as criminal background history, civil background history, liens, judgments, etc. 

The importance of background checks in public school cannot be igored.  In light of the litigation involved in the Roman Catholic church scandal over abuse inside the church, any organization must be aware of the potental fallout of negligent hiring and not running background checks on your employees.  School need to screen all employees of the school system, not just teachers. 

 background checks
teacher background checks
education verification 

In addition to her position as office manager, she helped in women’s ministries, led Bible studies, did some churchwide event coordinating, prayed regularly with staff t is a licensed minister,

Read the full article in the Beach Reporter  to learn about some of the practices this employee used to hide her theft.

Anderson was paying all of the church’s bills, but whenever there was money left over, she would take it.

I knew we were looking at phony bank statements. She was having the statements retyped and she was stealing money through online banking. She set up online accounts with my (the pastor’s) Social Security number”

 There has been a spike in newspaper stories recently about employee theft , and unfortunately houses of worship are an easy place for a financial predator to strike.  It can be very hard to protect your business or non-profit organization from this type of criminal behavior if you are not careful. Loss prevention not only the battle against theft, or but also the litigation costs associated with negligent hiring.   The article doesn’t mention whether the church had originally run a background check on this employee.  It is paramount for any organizaton to properly screen their employees, especially anyone with check writing and fidicuary responsibilties.   Run a credit history check for employment, and also check county civil records search for any and all bankruptcy, liens and judgments records.  Finally, run a criminal records seach to make sure your candidates hasn’t been convicted of embezzlement.  

Hopefully the church will be able to get back some of the stolen funds.  Stay out the news by background screening all of your organization’s employees. 

Read the full article here:

 background checks
employment screening
church screening
volunteer background checks

For universities we recommend conducting complete criminal record history searches for all coaches and sporting officials.  While an instant criminal database search will speed up the proceed, we also recommend conducting a social security trace to determine address history and then cunning county criminal records searches on all the counties where your candidates have resided.  

Check out the full article here and keep your team in the sports page, not the rumor column.       

 background checks
ncaa football
university background checks

no background checks were done on Graeme Reeves before he was employed as an obstetrician at two South Coast hospitals in 2002 despite being banned from the specialty in 1997.  

Police are investigating hundreds of serious allegations against Mr Reeves of sexual assault and botched procedures, including genital mutilation

The importance of Background Checks
Since this case is being discussed in Australian parliament and reported widely in the news, it’s important for businesses across the world the realize the potential public relations nightmare involved with negligent hiring.  It’s important for any business, not matter the size, to develop and implement and background screening program for their firm.  Background checks costs vary widely, and not all firms needs the same type of background checks.  

Hospitals, as per the above horrible case, would do well to not only conduct a comprehensive criminal record search in the candidate’s address history, but also check references  and verify employment, at least three previous employers.  For professional medical positions, it’s imperative to verify that person’s educational background and check their professional licenses for current registartion and any disciplinary action.  We also recommend running OIG/GSA sanctions list for all healthcare workers.

A comprehensive background check programs should provide you with a safeguard against embarrasing public relations as well as lawsuits arising out of damages caused by your employees.

 background checks
negligent hiring

The Baptist press recently quoted a church member:

“I recommend that any church conduct checks on everyone, paid staff and volunteers, who works with children, infant through high school,” Self said. “Run background on everyone, new people or old people. Include Granny and her children.”

While screening children might be taking it too far, it’s important for churches to develop a screening standard for various positions.  A simple registered sex offender screening may protect a church for many negligent lawsuits.  A more thorough criminal records search can be purchased for $15-$30 and can come in the form of a nationwide criminal records database search or a hand pulled county criminal search.  

 background checks   volunteer background checks

Timothy Keil, a camp volunteer, was caught sexually molesting a child inside a cabin at a Perry County youth camp. His crime revealed a loophole that legislators are working to close. The state requires background checks at summer day camps but no checks for residential or overnight camps.

Senate Bill 321 calls for criminal background checks for all camp staffers, FBI hecks if the person has not lived in Ohio for the past five years and requires Social Security number background checks on camp volunteers.

Background checks are becoming more integrated into all aspects our society, usually as reactions to tragic events.  Only too late do we see the potential for developing a screening program for various situations where our children are exposed to criminals.   As with the tragic events of 9-11, we are having a failure of imagination.   A truly effective loss prevention program must include a proper threat assessment that imagines these possible scenarios and institutes the appropriate prevention programs.  Even a simple backgound checking program for your organization can help remove the most egregious of problem candidates, the registered sex offenders.  As you develop the screening standards for you program, you can delve deeper, into criminal history, civil court searches, and even credit report history if your candidate has a fidiciuary responisibility.  

At the suggestion of the Monmouth County Fire Marshal, the council looked into performing background checks for all public safety volunteers.

The new background check policy will apply to all volunteers for the Borough Fire Department. Apparently the background checks will include a criminal records search and possibly fingerprinting, which would mean a check against the New Jersey State Police.  According to the article, the fire department volunteer services do much more than fighting fires, including various activites involving children, such as coaching, etc. 

These background checks should help prevent egegrious crimes against the children involved in the fire departments volunteer efforts. Hopefully, the pure fire fighting efforts won’t be hampered by the new policy