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The
Small Business Administration tells us this:
"For every dollar an employer invests in personnel screening, the
savings range from five to sixteen dollars in reduced absenteeism,
improved productivity, lower turnover, safer working environments,
reduced insurance premiums and decreased employer liability."
1.
Two (2) out of every ten (10) applicants has a
criminal record.
2.
A recent Time/CNN poll revealed 37% of those surveyed
cited workplace violence as a growing problem in the nation.
3.
Homicide was the leading cause of workplace death for women and the
second leading cause for men in 1993, says National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health.
4.
US Department of Justice reports
that 54% of the violent workplace crimes committed involved
acquaintances or individuals well known to the victims. Only 1% of
the violent workplace crimes were committed by relatives.
5. An
April 1994 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management
found:
33% of all
managers experienced at least one violent incident in the workplace
31% of these incidents were shootings, stabbings or sexual assaults.
67% were
employee against employee or employee against a supervisor.
64% involved
serious harm or required medical intervention.
6.
An American Management Association study reports annual U.S.
business losses due to:
Employee
Pilferage - over $10 Billion.
Commercial bribery - over $10 Billion.
Computer
fraud - over $500 Thousand per occurrence.
Embezzlement
- over $4 Billion.
Vandalism -
over $2.5 Billion.
Burglary -
over $2.5 Billion.
Insurance/Workers’
Compensation fraud - over $2 Billion.
Shoplifting -
over $2 Billion.
Arson - over
$1.3 Billion.
Increasingly, courts
are finding that if information regarding an employee’s instability
or unsuitability for a position is available prior to hiring, or
becomes available during employment, it is the employer’s duty and
responsibility to seek out and act upon this information. Background
checks and employment screening are an integral part of that
responsibility. While no system can claim to be 100% fail-safe, courts
have recently ruled that a reasonable attempt by the employer can be
significant in the reduction of their liability in negligent hiring
and/or negligent retention actions.
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