Negligent Hiring: Don‘t get caught saying “We should have known”

employment background check process to ensure an applicant is trustworthy and capable of performing job duties. Common examples of negligent hiring include a truck driver with numerous traffic violations, a substitute teacher who is a convicted sex offender, or a controller with convictions of embezzlement. These deviances are often a direct result of negligent hiring and can lead to enormous lawsuits for those companies left saying, “We should have known!” Today plaintiffs based on negligent hiring are increasingly being ruled in favor. Companies are vulnerable to such litigation as they are big targets with big pockets. Often times companies will settle early, even if there is room for their case, to avoid harmful media attention. Human Resources Management specifies that the average settlement of a negligent hiring lawsuit is about 1 million dollars. The weak economy only increases the hazards pertaining to this situation as people look for more ways to acquire money. Remember that the costs and time spent by a company defending itself from such claims caused by negligent hiring end up outweighing the costs for a proper background check. If a company takes the latter step it need not worry about being negligent. Negligent hiring also poses threats within the workplace. If an employer does not perform reference checks or the proper screening, the hired employee may exhibit existing deficiencies that could have been clarified. The company, by exposing itself to such vulnerabilities, creates an atmosphere less reactive to productivity. Negligent hiring also poses a higher degree of danger for other employees who have to work in an environment where there may be undetected criminal subjects. It is the employers responsibility to protect their employees and clients from “foreseeable” acts of an employee. By avoiding a negligent hiring process a company  decreases the chances of lawsuit and ensures a healthy working environment. Mind Your Business is willing to provide you with an adequate pre-employment background check so the statement “We should have known!” is avoided.  ]]>