Background Checks & Pre-Employment Testing

Unit 8 Assignment: Background Checks & Pre-employment Testing

Cristin Gueho

Kaplan University

1205C; HR400-01

Dr. Brett W. Richard

February 4, 2013

Unit 8 Assignment: Background Checks & Pre-employment Testing

Reference and background checks are becoming more popular in the hiring process in order to avoid charges of negligent hiring. Conducting a variety of valid, state and federally approved pre-employment tests can also ensure the best fit for the position and provide more protection against charges of negligent hiring. In this essay, I will explain my reasons for hiring the applicant. Cite specific legal guidelines for criminal background checks, and discuss the additional pre-employment test I, as a hiring manager, would request prior to the employment start date.

Background Checks

The candidates background check shows that they do have a criminal record for possession of illicit drugs on one occasion, for which the applicant served jail time. In this candidates particular case their job knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience outweigh their transgressions. This could have been a onetime offense that may never happen again. So I, as the hiring manager, will proceed with caution and reserve the benefit of the doubt. Until more information about the candidates criminal past can be clarified.

Legal Guidelines

"State laws differ as to what a potential employer can consider with regard to criminal records." (Arthur, 2012, p.246). Here in the state of Texas, questions pertaining to a criminal background have to be worded carefully in order to obtain the information an employer is looking for in relation to a job opening. If an individual has served their jail time pertaining to the offense, then their criminal record may not show that they were ever convicted. "under the law of deferred adjudication, if the person given such a sentence satisfies the terms of probation, no final conviction is entered on their record, and the...