Although the criminal history of a job applicant can be discovered through a pre-employee background screening, job applicants still lie about it on their job applications. It is usually best to have a professional employment screening firm, such as Accu-Screen, Inc., conduct a criminal background screening. By doing so, you are practicing due diligence and looking out for your business and employees.

What is a crime?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, crime is defined as:

• An act or the commission of an act this is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public

public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law

• A grave offense especially against morality

• Something reprehensible, foolish or disgraceful

Specifically, crimes against a property include arson, blackmail, burglary, deception, embezzlement, false pretenses, fraud, handling, larceny, theft and vandalism. Depending on the severity, these crimes will usually be categorized as a misdemeanor or a felony.

Why Employees Lie

Lying about a criminal background is one of the top lies applicants put on their job applications. Many job applicants will avoid disclosing a criminal background regardless of how petty or serious the crime is. The fear of being denied a job is enough of a motivator to risk a lie on a job application. Many prospective candidates figure that employers will not conduct a criminal background screening if their job application looks impressive enough. Unfortunately, that is true for some employers.

Another serious concern for employers is the applicant who is covering past criminal activity with the intent to repeat the criminal behavior in a new position. Examples are a daycare applicant who has been charged or convicted of molestation or the accountant who stole from a previous employer. It is important that all employees go through a criminal background screening. All information on a job application should be verified through a careful background screening company like Accu-Screen, Inc., regardless of how impressive a job application appears to be.

The cost of hiring an employee with a criminal record

Some of the costs of hiring an employee with a criminal record may include:

• Loss of profits through theft

• Loss of jobs for employees

• Lawsuits stemming from negligent hiring

• Bankruptcy

The loss of profits is the most obvious form of loss for an employer. This can be related to loss of money or property. A consequence related to loss of profits is the loss of employees. If an employee steals a large amount of money it can result in the layoff of fellow employees. Lawsuits stemming from negligent hiring can also drain a company of its financial resources. For a smaller company, bankruptcy can result as a consequence of loss of profits, loss of production due to layoffs and negligent hiring lawsuits.

When the high costs indicated above are compared to the low cost of a pre-employment background check, and criminal records search, it's easy to see which is the most cost effective. A little money spent on an employment background screening with a company such as Accu-Screen, Inc. today, can save an employer a great deal of money tomorrow.