Companies becoming lax on background checks

The following is an article from the Corporate Investigations Inc WordPress Blog written by Shelley P of Corporate Investigations Inc. I’m am posting it here also because it does point out some business practices found in all companies and is a great example of the “Clueless and Confused” in corporate America.

In the news there has been recent backlash for companies who have been found guilty of processing lax background checks. It is important that companies realize the repercussions for cutting corners and not ensuring their backgrounds checks are complete. Not only does this lax behavior put companies at potential risks for lawsuits but it also puts employees in a potentially dangerous situation.

In an article written by The DC Examiner, “A federal contractor has been sent to prison for two years and two of his colleagues are awaiting sentencing after they plead guilty to cutting corners on security-sensitive background checks for the federal government.” http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/3-plead-guilty-to-lax-background-checks-of-key-federal-workers_03_03-40576017.html

The article went on to mention that these contractors were caught when federal workers were making routine follow-up calls to the original references that were to have already been contacted by the contractors. These references stated they had never initially been interviewed. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s inspector was brought in and it was found that the three contractors had ignored interviews and documents for years but were stating that everything had been checked out. In another instance reported by RNews, “It was found throughout the various New York school districts that, 157 people with criminal pasts were hired between March 2006 and August 2008 because 469 background checks had not been completed and had languished for an average of eight months.” Not only are these school districts putting fellow employees at risk but they are also endangering the welfare of the students. http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=69367&rnews_story_type=18

The price for ensuring that background checks are completed on prospective employees is far greater than the potential risks involved in cutting corners as a means to hastily hire employees.

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