Over the weekend, the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was thrust into the national spotlight after a man, Jason Dalton, now known as an Uber driver, allegedly went on a deadly shooting spree. Six people were killed, and two others were injured. While the investigation continues and the justice system will handle any/all penalties, I think it’s important we also look at another angle to this devastating situation — employee background checks and employee screening processes. How well do you know the people working for you?
Uber released a statement saying Dalton had passed a background check, the Detroit Free Press reported. However, according to a USA Today article, taxi unions have criticized Uber’s background checks as less thorough than their own driver screening process.
In the C-Store/Petroleum industry, there are many different types of employees — truck drivers being just one of them. How can you ensure you’ve hired the right person who can be trusted? It’s tough; I get it. There’s no 100 percent full-proof test you can give anyone. However, you can put as many checks and balances in place as possible.
A few key items you’ll want to ensure you review are:
- Employment Verification
- Social Security Number Verification
- National, State, and County Criminal Search
- Sex Offender and Homeland Security Watch List
- Motor vehicle record (MVR)
- DOT Compliant Drug and Alcohol Testing
- Worker’s Compensation Claims History (only allowed in participating states)
- Credit Check
- References
While this is not an all-inclusive list, it can serve as a starting point for you as you put proper hiring plans in place. All companies should be looking at their employee screening processes, not just those who have drivers. Many of these same checks can be applied across the board to all employees.
Remember, a solid, comprehensive, employee screening program helps demonstrate due diligence and may insulate you from a host of potential problems.
At Holmes Murphy, we’ve selected some strategic partners to assist our customers with a personalized onboarding process that allows you to select which screenings per employee type work best for your organization. There are no setup or monthly fees, and it’s accessible 24/7 from any PC or smartphone device, with storage and reporting features to allow you to maintain focus on your daily operations. We’d be happy to talk with you about this at any time.
As for your company, do you think you have a solid plan in place already? Are there items you do that I didn’t specifically mention? I’d like to hear. The more we share with each other, the better off we all are.
