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Drug Screening

8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence

January 22, 2010 By Chris Miller

workplace_violence

I just read an excellent article from the The Houston Chronicle entitled “Employers can minimize risk of workplace violence.”

The author stresses these important points:

“While violence cannot always be anticipated, this does not relieve employers of their obligation to provide a safe workplace. First, federal law requires it. With the Department of Labor adding investigators and stepping up workplace safety enforcement, compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations should be a management priority. Second, workers compensation insurance provides Texas employers only limited protection against liability from the inevitable lawsuits following a workplace tragedy.”

Here are the the 8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence from the article:

  1. Accept reality: The recent shootings reinforce the fact that the risk of workplace violence is omnipresent. Employers must be proactive to prevent or minimize exposure to such incidents.
  2. Use effective pre-employment documents and conduct background checks: An effective application coupled with valid legal releases and disclaimers provide key information on the applicant. Employers should conduct background investigations to discover prior convictions, litigation history, motor vehicle records, employment references, credit history, education records and other relevant background information concerning the applicant.
  3. Establish policies on workplace violence: Employers should establish a written zero-tolerance position on violence, threats or abusive language and make clear that any violation of these rules can be grounds for termination. A workplace violence policy should also include a procedure to confidentially report threats.
  4. Conduct substance-abuse testing: Private employers should test all applicants and employees for substance abuse to the extent allowed by law. Negative test results should be a condition of employment.
  5. Develop procedures for investigating threats: These procedures should include specific guidelines for conducting an investigation and interviewing witnesses and the individual who allegedly made the threat. To the extent necessary, employers should retain security consultants, psychologists, attorneys or other professionals for advice on how to handle threats quickly, effectively and legally.
  6. Train supervisors and employees: Supervisors should be instructed to identify violence risks and report all threats to management immediately. Supervisors should be trained in conflict resolution, stress management, managing change in the workplace and recognizing the early warning signs of violent employees. They should also be trained to be sensitive to the fact that seemingly small issues can suddenly escalate into workplace problems. Employees should be trained regarding their responsibility to report threats or violence.
  7. Implement an employee assistance program: EAPs can help employees who are having a difficult time handling stress in their lives.
  8. Audit and improve security measures: Employers should establish a relationship with local law enforcement officials and a security consultant. Employers should also conduct an audit to determine areas of vulnerability and/or procedural weaknesses. Basic systems for protecting property, such as lighting, pass keys or cards, intercoms, employee identification, surveillance or alarm equipment and other systems or devices should be considered.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

  • 4 Tips For Preventing Workplace Violence
  • Free Drug-Free Workplace Toolkit
  • 4 Questions Employers Have About Employee Screening

Photo credit: Flickr

Filed Under: Drug Screening, Workplace Violence Tagged With: Drug Screening, Workplace Violence

Best Employee Screening Articles For August & September 2009

October 1, 2009 By Chris Miller

human_resourcesIn case you missed any of our employee screening articles for August and September, here’s a quick recap of our most popular:

  • Recruiters Are Checking You Out On Facebook
  • Top 10 Articles On Employee Screening
  • The Secret of Successful Hiring
  • Truth and Lies On Resumes
  • More Background Checks
  • Sex Offenders In Ohio
  • Florida’s Flawed Background Screening System
  • The Pros & Cons of Googling Candidates

Smart, Compliant Hiring Decisions Made Easy

FYI Screening, Inc. is a leading provider of on-demand, easy to use employee screening solutions.

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Photo credit:  net_efekt

Filed Under: 2010 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Background Checks, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Drug Screening, E-Verify, Employee Screening, Employee Screening Tips, employment background checks, Identity Theft, Job Search, Legal Compliance, Negligent Hiring, Negligent Retention, Resume Fraud, Sex Offenders, Social Networks Tagged With: Background Check, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Criminal Background Checks, Drug Screening, E-Verify, Employee Screening, Job Search, Legal Compliance, Negligent Hiring, Resume Fraud, Sex Offender, Sex Offenders, Social Networks

More Background Checks

September 25, 2009 By Chris Miller

background_checks

It’s not everyday that I see a headline like this  in our local newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch.

Last night the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities voted to require background checks every three years on all their employees.  Previously, background checks were conducted upon hiring and the county relied on the honor system for employees to report any offense after that.

This is a good reminder that your organization should have a Post-Hire Screening Program in place.

A Post-Hire Screening Program (also called recurring screening) is considered a best practice for employers. It ensures a safe workplace and helps reduce the risk of a negligent retention lawsuit. Conducting checks on all new hires is essential. Keep in mind, that a lot can happen in the years after a new hire comes aboard. Companies should consider protecting themselves with periodic post-hire criminal checks and drug screening.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

  • The Importance Of Post-Hire Background Checks
  • The Importance Of Accurate Background Checks
  • Six Background Screening Mistakes To Avoid

Filed Under: 2009 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Background Checks, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Drug Screening, employment background checks, Job Search, Negligent Retention, Sex Offenders, Social Networks Tagged With: Background Checks, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Criminal Background Checks, Drug Screening, Negligent Retention

New Employee Screening Trend -Second Chance For Ex-Offenders

June 17, 2009 By Chris Miller

school_bus

There is a growing trend in employment screening that places more responsibility on employers to analyze a past criminal record to determine whether there is a business justification not to hire a person.

From The Columbus Dispatch:

Schools Could Hire Former Criminals

Custodians, bus drivers, secretaries and cafeteria workers could work in schools even with a past drug or theft conviction under a new rule being considered by the State Board of Education.

Committing a sex crime, kidnapping and murder still would prevent someone from working in a school. But some people who have committed nonviolent crimes — including robbery, cultivating marijuana or drug trafficking — could show they have been “rehabilitated” under the proposed rule.

The proposal would allow people with those less-serious convictions that occurred well in the past — ranging from five to 20 years, depending on the type of crime — work in a school if they can show evidence that they have walked the straight and narrow since. It would apply to new applicants and current employees.

Read the article here.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

  • Background Checks For The Education Industry
  • The Importance of Employee Screening for Nonprofits
  • Top 4 Things You Need To Know About Employee Screening
  • 6 Background Screening Mistakes To Avoid

Photo Credits: krispdk

Filed Under: 2009 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, Employee Screening Trends, employment background checks, Legal Compliance, Nonprofits, Sex Offenders Tagged With: Drug Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, Education Background Checks, Education Screening, Nonprofits, Sex Offenders

The One Thing Not To Post On Twitter

June 8, 2009 By Chris Miller

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Filed Under: 2008 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2009 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2010 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, Employee Screening, Job Search, Sex Offenders, Social Networks Tagged With: Drug Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, Negligent Hiring, Social Networks, Twitter

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