Background Checks

Background checks don’t protect anyone if they’re ignored

05/12/2008

With four—that’s right, four—teachers charged with sexual misconduct in the Hillsborough School District this school year, residents and board members are questioning the district’s screening and hiring procedures …

Background checks, employee investigations and the FCRA

05/06/2008

Employers that use third parties (referred to in the law as credit reporting agencies, or CRAs) to perform background checks and investigations need to be aware of the requirements of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) …

Responding to background checks

05/01/2008

Q. Our HR department recently received an inquiry from another employer concerning one of our former employees who was applying for a job. The inquiry contained an authorization and release signed by the employee indicating we could share the information without liability. Should we share it? …

Is your PEO ripping you off? A primer on the fine print

04/24/2008

Say you’ve decided to hire a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle some of your HR services—or you’re considering new PEO vendors to replace your current one. You have a choice of more than 700 PEOs to choose from. Prices and services offered by PEOs vary so much it’s hard to spot the best deal …

Lack of screening did not prove negligence in truck accident

04/22/2008

In September 2004, Martin King and Tobias Ledzema were both driving tractor-trailers in Lake County when Ledzema’s trailer struck King’s. King sued Ledzema’s employer, Fierro Trucking, based in Illinois, alleging negligent hiring and supervision …

Employer may be liable when employee attacks

04/18/2008

Sometimes an employee gets into an argument with a customer, and what began as a war of words turns into actual violence. When that happens, the employer may be on the hook for damages. Under the right conditions—or more precisely, the wrong ones—the employer may be liable for physical altercations its employee may engage in while working …

Inadequate screenings at DCF

04/14/2008

Following the arrest of Department of Children & Families (DCF) spokesman Al Zimmerman on child pornography charges, the DCF inspector general launched a review of the department’s hiring procedures. A report on the results revealed serious security gaps …

Make common sense the driving force of your business

04/10/2008

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Are background checks required in Illinois?

04/09/2008

Q. I have heard that Illinois law requires background checks for employees. Is this true? …

Background-Checking firms: How to Sort out the Best from the Rest

04/07/2008

Nearly 1,000 vendors are in the screening industry now, making it difficult to sort out the top tier from the fly-by-night firms. Good news: Starting this month, you’ll have a new yardstick on which to gauge their quality …