Audit, Compliance and Risk Blog

When an employer becomes concerned that an employee may be incapable of performing his or her job, one response is formal evaluation of that employee’s “fitness for duty (FFD).” Although most cover physical abilities, referrals are also made for psychological FFD evaluations, to determine whether an employee has a psychological impairment that makes him or her unable to perform effectively and safely. These may be triggered when an employee is exhibiting signs of psychological or emotional stress, including those that manifest in hostile or threatening behaviors, or in other behaviors that lead co-workers, or the employer, to be concerned for their safety.

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.