John Kennish - Pre-employment Screening

John W. Kennish, CPP - Security Consultant
62 East Pond Meadow Road, Westbrook, Connecticut 06498
Phone: (860) 399-8545
Fax: (860) 399-4150
Kennish.com
E-Mail John Kennish
© 2000 John W. Kennish, CPP

Pre-employment Screening

Concerning the quality of prospective new employees, it is to the advantage of the hiring organization to ask the right questions and to seek-out the right answers for a variety of very important reasons. Gaining relevant and accurate information on candidates during the screening process can better assure that not only is the best person hired, but also that a potential problem person is not hired. The point is, if you don't ask the question: you don't get the answer.

Why Screen New Employee Candidates ?

Under some circumstances, pre-employment screening in various degrees may be a requirement of a law, or bonding standard. Screening also sends a message to both new applicants, and current employees that the organization cares about personnel quality, and integrity. This sends a warning to applicants who may have something to hide, and can foster an attitude of quality and pride among the existing employees. It can also help assure that someone with a propensity for certain types of crime is not unknowingly hired into an employment position which may be sensitive due to a new employee's past, or potential future criminal or other unacceptable behavior.

Objectivity is added to the selection process as screening requires that a number of people be involved in the hiring and evaluation effort. This increased number of participants adds valuable opinions and observations. Also, as the volume of evaluation information increase for a given applicant, so does the effectiveness of the measurement process. This extra data will allow for better comparisons and the selection of the best of those who apply for a given position. Increased objectivity can also lower the possibility of any intentional or unintentional discriminatory hiring practice.

Screening Objectives

To verify the accuracy and completeness of the information that applicants provide on their Employment Application Form and during their interview sessions.

To identify evidence of past problems of a select nature. Patterns of past behavior may be a reasonable predictor of possible future behavior.

Identify applicants who are not employable, or, those who may be employable, but under a condition of closer supervision.

To also identify evidence of positive traits to assure that the best candidate for the job is identified and hired.

Screen to What Extent ?

Any pre-employment screening effort takes time, and costs money. The more complex the effort, the slower and more expensive the process. When multiplied by a large number of new applicants, the cost and impact can be significant. However, the cost of not adequately pre-screening new employees can far out weight this investment.

The goal of the process should be to assure a sufficient level of screening based upon the specific needs of the organization, and the particulars of the given employment positions that are being filled.

From a security perspective, risk analysis should be a key consideration of this formula. The degree of pre-employment screening invested should be in direct proportion to the level of risk and potential consequences that are associated with any given employment position. This is to say that the degree of screening can be more or less, depending upon the nature of the employment position.

As examples,

The applicant for an armed security guard position should logically be more closely examined than that of a secretary.

A convicted child molester should not be hired to work in a children's day care center.

A person with a history of serious driving incidents should not be hired into a position that requires the routine driving of a company car, such as in a pizza delivery role.

A convicted drug dealer should not be hired to work in a hospital.

A convicted rapist should not be hired to drive a taxi cab, nor to deliver room service meals to hotel guests.

Screening Methods

The most important screening method is the interview. Persons who conduct employment interviews should be trained and skilled in interviewing techniques. They should know how to ask questions that require more than simple answers. They should be aware of both verbal and non-verbal body language communications. Interview sessions should not be interrogations. However, they should be structured to seek out relevant information, important particulars, and often, the truth.

Applicants will seldom discuss items of information that are not asked for, and this especially if the points are negative. The interviewer should be on the alert for inconsistencies, attitudes, behavioral patterns, and other traits that are undesirable for the available employment position. The interviewer's ability to seek out information, and to draw accurate conclusions are the most important evaluation tool.

In direct conjunction with the interview process is the Employment Application Form. This form is critical to the effectiveness of the interviewer and interview process. The form must seek-out the right information, in the right order, and to the appropriate degree to be useful. It should also be a product of a joint effort on behalf of your Human Resources, Legal, and Security personnel. Required information can include that regarding current and previous home addresses, citizenship, military service, personal references, academic background, and employment history.

Assure that academic credentials came from the listed university, and not from a neighborhood printing operation. Verify that the person did in fact work for the indicated previous employers, between the dates shown, at the salary listed, and in the discussed employment role. Verify that all of the information listed on the application form is truthful. Also, assure that the form carries a statement that disqualifies applicants from further consideration, or can be used as a future basis for termination, should a less than truthful situation be encountered during the evaluation process. The form should also be dated, signed, and witnessed.

Fingerprinting is a valuable screening tool, the use of which is limited to a very few organizations, to include financial institutions. Through the resources of the United States Department of Justice, submitting organizations are advised of any of the following:

1) If the applicant, per their record system, has no record of relevance.

2) If the applicant has provided their real name and other identifiers, or, an alias.

3) If the applicant has a criminal history record per their system which qualifies as being reportable to the submitting institution.

In the area of criminal history records, it is relevant to note that applicants cannot be asked about prior criminal arrests. Only information regarding convictions can be sought. Your legal counsel should be involved to answer questions about other circumstances that might arise, such as pending court appearances, that an applicant might mention.

Your application form should also require the applicant to disclose if he or she has ever been convicted, found guilty, or pled guilty to a crime other than a minor traffic violation. Many persons believe that a plea of guilty to a crime is different that being found guilty. However, both carry the same consequence. For certain crimes such as dishonest acts, it is also irrelevant whether or not the incident was at the felony or misdemeanor level.

In addition to fingerprint checks, criminal history information should also be sought at the local criminal justice level. Department of Justice records usually only indicate felony events and not those at the misdemeanor level. However, many misdemeanor crimes such as larceny, assault, driving while intoxicated, prostitution, drug related offenses, etcetera, could be relevant to your hiring evaluation process.

Availability of local criminal history information varies greatly from state to state. Information may be obtained from your local police department or prosecuting attorney's office. If there are limitations on obtaining such information at the local level in your area, you could have your legal staff evaluate the possibility of having the applicant proceed to your local law enforcement agency and request documentation of their own record, or the lack of one. This requirement can be designated as a stipulation of further employment consideration. The applicant should be reimbursed for any costs.

As with any pre-employment screening consideration, this requirement would then have to be applied equally for any and all applicants for any one given employment role. However, different positions can have different screening requirements based upon a consistent standard, such as a risk analysis. The important thing to note is, that all applicants for any one given employment slot must be treated equally, and on a consistent basis.

Other Screening Methods

There are a variety of additional evaluation tools which once again often depend upon time, cost, and legal considerations. These are examinations of civil litigation, tax, bankruptcy, and workers compensation records, voice stress analyzers, chemical testing for substance abuse, handwriting analysis, pencil and paper written tests, and assessment centers. Each has pro's and con's and must be evaluated against the needs the organization.

Program Standards

Your screening program should be documented and closely conformed with. Conduct your screening accurately, fairly, and efficiently. Maintain complete records. The involvement of your legal counsel is imperative to the success of the effort. Always strive to meet the letter of the law.

Keep in the forefront, the underlying theme that the individual's rights are to be protected and kept as the highest priority of the process. You must be consistent and uniform in your approach. If you vary from this path you may discriminate and open yourself to a wide variety of problems.

And lastly, keep the results of your process confidential, internal, and distributed only on a strict need-to-know basis.

Thank you for your interest. Please contact
Mr. Kennish, by E-Mail, with your written request for
the remainder of this educational article.

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