Month: March 2011

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Background Checks Criminal Records Miscellany Staffing Uncategorized

Background Checks for Illegal’s Wanting Utah Driving Records

I amnot sure how this works, exactly.  I last left off in my brain where the controversy was that undocumented workers or illegal immigrants, you pick the term, could not obtain  a driver’s license in the United States.  I guess I was behind the times.

Now, in Utah, undocumented workers must undergo stricter background checks before being awarded driving privileges in that state.  SB138 requires fingerprints, photographs, and criminal background checks as part of the application for a driver’s license.  If you are an illegal immigrant.  Er. undocumented worker.   Whatever.

According to the Deseret News, those found to have felony criminal records would be referred to ICE and those with outstanding warrants to the appropriate jurisdiction.  Which to me means you have to be pretty damn desperate or stupid to apply for a license when you have criminal records.   But some with criminal records and outstanding warrants will still apply for their driver’s license, I’m sure.

For those interested, here is the link to SB138.

The State House and Senate both have approved the bill.   To go into law the bill requires the Governor’s signature.

Categories
Background Checks Criminal Records Human Resources Miscellany preemployment screening Staffing Uncategorized

Federal Government to Fund Grants for Background Checks to Prevent Nursing Home Abuse

It’s not secret that many of the patients had nursing homes suffer abuse.   As I reported earlier, on Recruiting Blogs.com in an article entitled Ninety Percent of the Nursing Homes Hire Those With Criminal Records, it is small wonder the frail and the informed are subject to everything from physical and emotional abuse to being victims of theft.

There are numerous reports and a variety of studies about the shoddy hiring practices and the related abuse at nursing homes.   Some of it can be attributable to the old adage that good help is hard to find.   One factor is the low pay for employees at nursing homes.   And, finally, some recruiting and staffing groups are just trying to get their people hired.  If they run background checks at all,t hey are limited and often not subject to careful review.    Why ruin the prospects of a decent commission for getting your people hired?  Little things like previous criminal records and a history of drug abuse should never get in the way.    And if your potential nursing home employees did abuse patients at other institutions, why stir things up by conducting comprehensive background checks?   In these cases, background checks are just a necessary function, and evil, and not something that serves to filter out the bad guys from the good.

According to an article in World News Report, the Federal Government will be funding grants for states to use to conduct background checks on job applicants at nursing homes.    Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has started providing grants to states to establish programs to guarantee comprehensive criminal background checks of applicants who will have direct patient care responsibilities. This will add a new level of accountability to facilities as they can now run background checks on the government arm or explain to the courts, following abusive actions, why they never bothered looking into their employee’s criminal history.

Maybe this will have some effect on the abuses the elderly must suffer.   Not only is there the direct abuse, physical and mental, but abuse out of negligence, dehydration, bed sores, and malnutrition due to substandard care.

It is tough enough to grow old and deal with illness and possible incapacitation.  No senior person needs to be abused as an extra measure of risk and humiliation.

Categories
Background Checks Criminal Records Economy Human Resources Miscellany preemployment screening Staffing

Washington D.C. to Mandate Background Checks for Political Hires

In an economic downturn, there are some employers and many state and local governmental concerns that look to cut costs by avoiding background checks on public officials and political candidates.  Invariably, it seems, such avoidance of background checks comes back to haunt them.   Ugly stuff about an employee’s political history is later discovered and this proves embarrassing and in certain cases costly.   There are often civil litigation and liability issues to be considered.

All too often and only then do state and local  governments and public service agencies decide to move forward with background checks as part of their employment screening program or political campaigns.

Washington D.C.  Mayor, Vincent C. Gray,  has ordered that expanded background checks be conducted on political hires.   The order was initiated a subsequent to revelations about the legal troubles of some hies that prove embarrassing to the administration.    Originally, as the  article in D.C. Wire notes,   and according to the press release, Cabinet-level appointments were scrubbed with “background checks into credit history, criminal offenses, driving and traffic records, bankruptcies, property ownership, liens and judgments. It also covered education, legal, and business affiliations.”

The news release described the expanded background searches as “unprecedented.”   The funding for the expanded background checks came from private contributions.

In far too many incidents, governments and public service agencies do not learn from prior mistakes.   They skirt over the embarrassment, pay off the liability claims and move on in the same dysfunctional form.  Mayor Gray, it appears, has taken proactive measures to be sure his political hires meet the standards expected of public servants.  Good for him.

Categories
Background Checks Criminal Records Economy Human Resources Miscellany Staffing Uncategorized

Arkansas Legislature Files Bill for Background Checks on Political Candidates

Here is a bill that makes sense around here.  Arkansas House Bill 2061 proposes that background checks be mandated for any political candidates.  Presumably, the background checks would check criminal records for anyone running for political office.

At a time when states are hesitating to conduct background checks, due to budgetary concerns in a bad economy, I see this as a proactive move.  A smart move, in fact.

According to the Tolbert Report, HB2061, presented by Representative Leslee Milam Post,  is currently a shell bill.   Judging by its title ,  this  bill  would create rules governing criminal background checks on political candidates.  Rep. David Meeks has proposed a  similar bill.    His  bill is HB1982.   Meeks bill offers more specific detail and is more comprehensive than HB2061. in scope.

These bills come on the heels of a controversial issues surrounding someone in Arkansas political office.   Allegedly, information about his past criminal convictions was leaked to the media.   Presumably, the proposed legislation would circumvent such misdealing by instituting background checks at the beginning of a political campaign.