Three industries that should conduct pre-employment background screening

“possibly a few other specific jobs,” Clark wrote, though he stated that the majority of those who worked in departments such as public health, auditing services and county records prior to 2014 did not undergo any types of background checks in order to obtain their positions. Clark argued that the lack of pre-employment background screening puts the county’s residents at risk for identity theft, as county employees may have access to sensitive information, such as dates of birth, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers and more. More than 80 percent of employers currently run background checks on potential employees, and there are some industries in which pre-employment background screening processes should be mandatory for the sake and safety of those whom their work might affect. If your industry or department falls into one of the following categories, you should strongly consider conducting background checks on new hires.

• Those whose work affects public safety. This may include, but is not limited to, those who work in law enforcement — both in the field and in offices — and social workers, to reduce the risk of corruption and potential criminal behavior. It also extends to those in transportation, such as bus and taxi drivers.
• Those who are local, city, state or federal government employees. This includes employees of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Internal Revenue Service, county clerks’ offices, and other public services. These employees are likely to have access to private records and sensitive information — including financial statements, social security numbers, license numbers and employment identification numbers — that may put citizens at risk for identity theft.
• Those who work in finance-related fields. This could be accountants, those who work at banks or credit unions, tax collectors and other fields in which employees may be trusted with financial records, account numbers, and any sensitive information required to access these records. This helps prevent the risk of identity theft, as well as theft of assets, either corporate or personal.