There are several lines of work in which felons are not allowed to be hired. Take for instance nursing. A person with a felony may not enter into this career unless his or her conviction has been expunged, and most times, the nursing board in the state the person wants to work in will have to give the okay for the prior felon to be employed as a nurse.

As far as identifying people who have felony convictions, it’s imperative to conduct a comprehensive criminal background search. If the person is coming from a different country, it’s wise to perform an international criminal background check in that country to identify any convictions the person had.

Violent Offenders

For other lines of work that do require a background check to be carried out, such as becoming a counselor, it’s important that violent offenders be identified. Violent offenses include those relating to:

• Aggravated assault
• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter
• Robbery
• Forcible rape

But what about lines of work that do allow the employment of felons? Is there a difference from one felon to another? Are some ‘worse’ than others? Many people would say yes, and the best way to categorize felons is by separating the violent offenders from the non-violent offenders.

Careers that Felons can Have

There are many industries that felons can find employment in, such as:

• Food and beverage
• Trucking
• Counseling
• Construction

Felons can make a good amount of money in certain careers. Take for instance a felon who becomes a freelance writer. This line of work is technically considered as self-employment, meaning a person’s criminal background won’t generally be looked into. Freelance writers often earn upward of $50,000 a year.

A detailed criminal background check, can help employers identify which job applicants are felons as well as which ones are violent offenders and have committed violent crimes. Many employers will find this information useful in their hiring decisions. The nature of the work will determine the relevance of specific information found in the criminal background check.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

A 2014 study by the University of Cincinnati reported 64% of the 314 small businesses surveyed had experienced employee theft. While the study only took a small sampling of businesses into account, the percentages line up with nationwide numbers on employee theft. The financial impact to employers when employees commit larceny or embezzlement is massive. In fact, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety states that employee theft in the workplace accounts for approximately 80 percent of business losses related to crime.

Employee Theft in Colorado Leaves Customers Concerned

Employee theft also creates a sense of insecurity for customers. In October 2014, an employee of HuHot Mongolian Grill in Sheridan, Colo. was arrested for allegedly stealing the credit card information of multiple customers. Another employee of the restaurant saw Michael Alexander Stephens, 31 years old, in possession of a credit card reading device. Stephens had a prior history of employee theft and had even served time in prison for burglary. A thorough background check would have revealed the previous history of crime to the employer. Colorado criminal background checks are offered statewide or by county.

Background Checks Save Employers Time, Money and Frustration

Statistics from the National Institute of Justice showed that more than 82 percent of property crime offenders committed a repeat offense. Property crimes include a number of offenses such as burglary, larceny and theft–all of which significantly cost an employer when an offense takes place in an employer’s establishment. The National Federation of Independent Business recommends that employers screen applicants by obtaining background checks, checking references and contacting previous employers. Employers that utilize background checks would be able to see the criminal history of an applicant and make an informed decision regarding the potential hire.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

Although negligent hiring and retention laws aren’t new, lawsuits surrounding negligent hiring have steadily been on the rise since the 1980s. According to Liability Consultant’s Inc., employers are often prime candidates for compensating the victim. Negligent Hiring and Retention laws hold employers liable for willful misconduct committed by their employees. This not only includes actions in the scope of employment, but may include employee actions outside the place of work. Liability Consultant’s Inc. reports that the average settlements in negligent hiring cases are now over 1.5 million dollars.

Companies have been judged negligent in court in many cases.

• Deerings West Nursing Center vs Scott – The nursing home was found liable for nearly $250,000 for negligent hiring of an unlicensed nurse with prior criminal convictions. The nurse assaulted an 80-year old visitor at the nursing center.
• Butler vs Hertz Corp. – The employer settled for a $2.5 million lawsuit when held liable for negligent hiring. Its security guard had an on-duty traffic accident killing another motorist while driving a company car.
• Porter vs Proffitt’s Inc. – The store’s security guard injured a customer while held as a suspected shoplifter. The plaintiff was awarded $10 million dollars in damages in a suit against the store for negligent hiring.
• Liebman vs. Hall Fin Group, Inc. – A $5 million settlement was given the family of a murdered female tenant against the apartment complex owner. The female was killed by the complex’s assistant manager’s brother.

Since negligent hiring is based on the principle that employers have an obligation to protect their clients and employees from foreseeable acts of a fellow worker, employers should perform due diligence when hiring employees. This includes a comprehensive criminal background checks. The employee should not begin working until the background information is checked and verified. If it’s not done, the company is taking a chance that they could face a negligent hiring lawsuit.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.