The importance of employment screening firms and the services they provide, such as criminal background checks, has become a necessity in today’s workplace. Stories of employees involved in embezzlement, felonies and fraud are all over the daily news. These crimes are surprisingly common in the Unites States but the question remains, “why are employees thieving from the hands that feed them?” Although people have a hard time understanding the reasons why, greed is usually the primary these employees commit crimes.
Many employees struggling financially opt to steal from their place of employment instead of finding extra work while those who want an extravagant lifestyle are willing to do the same. Revenge or justice is another reason why some employees steal from their employer. Whatever the reason, the next potential employer of these employees should be warned before the hiring process even begins. A complete criminal background check by a reputable pre-employment screening firm is essential!
Your company is put in a position of higher risk if you do not follow through with pre-employment screening during the hiring process. In May 2011, office manager and bookkeeper for Rinos & Martin, LLP, Donna Joy Henderson, was found guilty of embezzling over $502,000. This employee was completely unsuspecting as she had worked for the company for more than 9 years and was in a position of trust. It took a new accountant to discover a check marked void but paid to Henderson. Which led to a further investigation uncovering $502,000 worth of voided checks written out to Henderson. This embezzling employee confessed and admitted to using the company’s money to pay personal expenses. A sentence for this type of crime could range from 24-30 months in prison. Once this employee serves her punishment she will once again be job searching. A smart company will use employment screening and criminal background checks to filter through potential employees who pose such risks. Screening firms have access to more thorough databases and are quick and accurate with their findings. Don’t consider hiring without using a trusted provider of background information or your workplace could have some shifty employees!
Companies have to understand that the payroll is the largest expense area for many organizations, and one which should be monitored carefully. Payroll fraud accounts for 17% of all fraudulent disbursements suffered by organizations. Uncovering the fraudulent transaction and, subsequently, proving the payroll fraud can be difficult because of the dollar magnitude and volume of transactions involved. An outside payroll service provider does not protect your organization from payroll fraud.
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