There has been a significant rise in Employee Criminal Background Checks over the past five years, and with events like 9/11 still fresh in our memories, employers are scrutinizing the backgrounds of potential hires more diligently than ever before. It is now routine for employers to check references, highest degree, employment history, drug testing, credit reports, driving records and criminal records. This is critical for many businesses, as they are held responsible for the actions of their employees in the case of a negligent hiring lawsuit. A negligent hiring suit can easily run into the millions of dollars, which means that it's infinitely less expensive to check an employee's background. In addition to penalties associated with negligent hiring suits, there are many other costs that are more difficult to measure. Theft, false credentials and violence can severely damage a company's reputation and have a negative impact on recruiting as well as industry perception. Employee morale can also be damaged, impacting productivity and enthusiasm.

However, performing employee criminal background checks is not something that can be easily done in-house. Records are kept at the local court level, and the average human resources employee has neither the time nor the

expertise to get authoritative information. When researching a background screening firm, it's important to find out where the firm gets their information. It's also important to find out how quickly you can get accurate reports. Just about every reputable screening company knows where to find information. Criminal records, for instance, are available to the public through the over 3,500 county courts in the United States.