Audit, Compliance and Risk Blog

When the majority of people hear the word “violence” they think of physical assault. Of course we know that acts of violence go beyond the physical to include any act in which a person is abused, threatened, intimidated, or assaulted. Every year almost two million U.S. workers report having been victimized by acts of workplace violence, yet many cases still go unreported. Workplace violence is a much bigger problem than many people realize, and it can happen anywhere at any time, and everyone is at risk.

Do You Screen Applicants for Criminal Backgrounds?  EEOC explains how to avoid negligence and discrimination when doing background screening. What if one of your employees is caught in criminal activity – white-collar bribery, embezzlement, or worse yet, violent assault or murder? And what if you find out it was a repeat offense—a skeleton that would have popped out of the closet if you’d run a criminal background check prior to hiring? If this ever happened, you would have to deal with the emotional and financial fallout, which could include legal suits against your organization for “negligent hiring." Many employers seek to avoid such nightmares by screening potential employees for criminal backgrounds.