Issue 5 - 1st Quarter 1998

Helpful Hint

In order to verify an applicant's qualifications, it is important to obtain all previous names used by the applicant and the relevant time frames during which he/she has used those names. Many, if not most, employment and educational records are maintained by the individual's name. Court records, in particular, are always maintained by name. Inadequate information can create discrepancies, gaps in information, or cause unnecessary delays in verifying an applicant's qualifications prior to hiring.

We recently pre-screened an applicant with a lengthy criminal past who apparently had some insight in court-record retention. In this article, we will share with you the many exploits of "Vern."

As the profile of Vern began to unfold, it became apparent that Vern knew a thing or two about how court records are maintained (probably because he had been such a regular visitor). At the very least, he recognized that records need to be identified by more than just a name; a SSN or DOB is required for a positive identification.

In an effort to ensure that his court cases went undetected, Vern provided an incorrect SSN to the hiring employer, our client. Using the incorrect SSN as the identifier, the initial court search came back clear. However, that false SSN led to other issues in his pre-employment profile. For instance, his educational records and his motor vehicle report could not be located. The red flags were now raised.

When our client questioned Vern, he indicated that he had mistakenly used his son's SSN, and proceeded to provide his "correct" SSN. That, too, proved incorrect. To further conceal his criminal history, Vern contacted the educational institution he had attended with instructions not to release his SSN.

Once his actual SSN was obtained, another search of the courts revealed that which Vern had been trying to conceal all along--a long history of criminal activity, including convictions for kidnapping and rape. Vern's many attempts to disguise his criminal history won him a place in our own Hall of Shame.

The lesson from Vern is that it is extremely important to verify all aspects of an individual's application to ensure consistency and congruencey. Discrepancies should always be probed. Additionally, all pre-employment data should be re-checked once additional information is obtained to assure that the applicant's full history is acquired.

Verifying Self-Employment

Case scenario: Human resources is reviewing a candidate's application when it is noticed that he has indicated self-employment as an independent contractor or as a consultant since 1990. How does the hiring employer proceed in validating self-employment or contract work?

With today's spirit of entrepreneurship, human resources and hiring managers are encountering self-employment and contract employment more often in recruiting potential employees. Can they simply take the candidate's word that he/she has been self-employed? Is there a way to verify it?

Obtaining information regarding self-employment, company ownership, contractual employment, etc. certainly can be accomplished. If a candidate falls into one of these categories, he/she will have clients and/or customers from whom references can be obtained. These clients can relay the scope and nature of the work that the applicant has conducted for them, the length of time for which he/she has worked, and provide general detail about the applicant's business. Long-term clients/customers, in particular, often prove to be the best source of reference information.

Verifying any type of employment is feasible; it is a matter of knowing what to look for, what to ask for, and how to obtain the results. The effort is certainly rewarded when a confident hiring decision is made.

Did You Know...

...that Congress recently enacted changes in the Fair Credit Reporting Act? These changes, which became effective October 1, 1997, do affect most hiring employers. The new FCRA is posted on the internet (www.social-security-number.com), or you can request a copy from your local Federal Trade Commission (FTC) office.

Just the Facts

Phony or exaggerated reports of injury on the job represent 20 to 25 percent of all workers' compensation claims filed, according to estimates by state agencies and private carriers.