This article presents critical reasons why employers should conduct background checks on new hires, organized around several key considerations:
Legal and Compliance Requirements: Employers bear responsibility for verifying immigration status and ensuring they know “the real status of your employees and people you trust.” Additionally, Social Security number verification confirms that applicants are who they claim to be.
Criminal History Assessment: Up to 25% of job applicants may have criminal records. This screening helps protect company data and financial information from potential threats.
Employment and Educational Verification: “40% of resumes contain material lies” about education or employment, with statistics showing “67% of job applicants and resumes in the U.S. contains misrepresentations.”
Negligent Hiring Liability: Employers face substantial legal exposure if they fail to conduct reasonable screening. “Employers in negligent hiring cases lose over 70% of lawsuits.”
Financial Benefits: For every dollar invested in screening, employers see returns ranging from $5 to $16 through improved safety, reduced turnover, and lower insurance premiums.
