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Background Checks

Municipalities and School Board’s Need for Faster Background Checks

Background checks are a necessary part of hiring employees in the modern world.   But there is no sense in conducting background checks as your preemployment screening practices, if you are not going to get them back in a timely fashion or review them once you do have them returned.

These two factors have plagued a fair number of states, cities and the consequent municipal services that have conducted background searches as part of their preemployment screening programs.   I have reported a few, but there are far too many occurrences of neglect and lack of oversight to report them all.   Job candidates are hired who shouldn’t be.   Only when there is a scandal is their true criminal history or sexual offender’s history revealed to a startled a disappointed constituency.

The Saint Cloud Times has reported that local Minnesota school boards are looking for fast background checks.   The need was perceived after a local school dismissed the boys’ soccer coach, after it was revealed he had a  history of violent behavior.

To date the city has used a local background checking service.   The timing has been such that many teachers and school board employees are hired before their background checks are finally returned.   Only then can their past indiscretions be covered.

As we say, check them out before you hire.  But do it in a timely fashion.

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Background Checks

Claims Now that Bozeman Background Checks Were Compulsory

Not long ago I posed a blog article about Bozeman Montana joining a long list of other municipal agencies in experiencing mishaps in its background checks for employment candidates.   At the time city commissioners claimed that the request applicants present their email and login codes for their social networking sites was voluntary.

Now, a recent report that resulted in the study of the Bozeman situation, claims that the social networking background checks, etc. were compulsory.    The city will hold a public hearing on the report, this month.

Whether the city was overzealous in attempting to hire the best employment candidates or intrusive, regarding the personal lives of its job candidates, it s a matter for debate.   But this is one more controversy in the ongoing series of controversies affecting state and city agencies, and municipal services, regarding their background checking policies with respect to recruiting new employees.   On a broad scale,  this will be awhile before this issue is finally ironed out.

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Background Checks Business Research Healthcare Employment Advice Human Resources Miscellany preemployment screening Staffing Uncategorized

Ongoing Need for Background Checks for Florida Caregivers

An interesting editorial in the St. Petersburg Times wisely advocates background checks for caregivers in Florida.  The editorial cites, among other things,  the vast amount of transients who come to Florida.  Many of these transients end up working in the healthcare industry.   Some have serious criminal record.  Some are listed on the sexual offender’s registry.

The editor notes a six month study conducted by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  The fact that this newspaper conducted this sort of study, by the way, is but one more justification for the survival of newspapers.     The study claims that literally thousand of ex-felons are working in healthcare.   While the study demonstrates that nearly four out of five caregivers are law abiding and free of criminal records, there are a number who have been convicted of theft and sex crimes, some of which are violent.

The study gives the opinion that nationwide criminal background records should be conducted on all job applicants in the healthcare industry, but cautions that the threshold should not be so stringent that the reformed criminals should be denied work and a new start in life.

As we always say, check them out before you hire.

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Background Checks Business Research Economy Human Resources Miscellany preemployment screening Staffing Uncategorized

Jobless and Less, An Entertaining Blog Site

With national unemployment statistics posted at close to double digits, we can pretty much double that estimate for the real figure.   Factor in those working part time, and there is much credibility in the projections for a jobless recovery.

With the economy still in dire straits, and with unemployment exceeding the national average in certain cities and states, the blog, Jobless and Less: The Blog for the Employmentally Challenged, brings a smidgen of levity to the recession.   I stumbled on this site not long ago and promptly read the most recent half dozen postings.    This witty blog site is written by Norm Elrod, a marketing professional with an MBA who has experienced four layoffs in the last nine years.

Elrod writes intimately while addressing the more universal issues of the job market from a first person perspective.   As a self-proclaimed expert in being unemployed, he chronicles  his life of layoffs and the subsequent spare time.    I especially enjoyed his post about a ten day vacation while being unemployed.   He writes about his experiences at job networking events and  the different job sites he has encountered on the Internet.   I enjoyed his comments on the various seminars he has attended.

Truly, to some extent this is dark comedy, but an enjoyable read, nevertheless.    In a world where most blogs are nearly impenetrable, suffering from either bad writing or mangled and disconnected thoughts, Elrod’s  Jobless and Less is concise and breezy in style.  Someone, after all, has to make a mockery of the different events its founders and money makers offer up ever so sincerely, in hopes the desperate job seekers will keep attending.   A great piece of marketing, even if it has not yet yielded desired results.

Jobless and Less has the interactive component where fellow unemployed workers, can post their comments.   If nothing else, this bit of entertainment about the job market, or lack of it, serves as a thoughtful distraction from the general malaise of unemployment.   For those who are lucky enough to still be employed, Jobless and Less offers insight into how the other half tries to live.

Norm, good luck with finding work.   Although, if you do, you may be too busy to maintain your blog.   And that would be a loss.