In these tough economic times companies may be thinking about saving time and money by cutting back on their employee screening programs. This would be a big mistake! If you hire a dangerous or unfit person without doing proper “due diligence” and harm occurs, you are opening yourself up to a negligent hiring lawsuit.
Here are several tips to help you avoid a negligent hiring lawsuit :
1. Create a Program
Create an employee screening program for your company. This program should document employee screening policies and procedures for each position in the organization.
2. Train to Ensure Hiring Managers Follow the Program
Train all hiring managers on the employee screening policies and procedures. Document this training.
3. Audit Employee Screening Program
Create an audit procedure to make sure the employee screening program is being followed throughout the organization. Document this procedure.
4. Ensure FCRA Compliance
If you are using a third party employee screening service make sure they are in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).