Background Checks for Pre-Employment Screening

Custom Reference Interviews - Matching a Position With the Right Candidate

2012-01-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

Beyond standard criminal record and credit checks, as well as verifying the factual accuracy of an applicant’s employment history claims, one of the biggest challenges facing HR managers is matching a job opening with the right combination of skills, experience, and personality. While resumes, testing, and a thorough job interview can be used to gauge many of a candidate’s traits and skill sets, other factors, such as adaptability to the work environment, diligence, communication skills, team work, problem solving, and resiliency in the face of a challenge can remain unmeasured. For many positions, the applicant’s character is as important as skill set and work experience.

Reference interviews with a candidate’s past supervisors and co-workers go beyond first impressions to gauge the opinions of key figures from their employment history. A potential employee’s adaptability to your company’s corporate culture can be better understood through thorough interviews with a broad range of past professional relationships.

BackCheck offers three standard reference interviews: Basic, Standard and Investigative, each with varying degrees of inquiry. Furthermore, through flexible online ordering options with eConsent, each referee can choose to reply online or by phone, leading to greater completion rates and quicker turnaround times. Technological and procedural safeguards cross-reference a referee's information with other screening results and trigger an employment verification if discrepancies are detected. An employment verification can gauge the accuracy of factual information such as dates of employment and reason for leaving and subsequently provide insight into the validity of a referee's statements.

BackCheck is also able to accommodate requests for customized question sets if deemed necessary by the client and has developed dozens of position-specific interview templates, including specialized Nursing and Patient Care templates and detailed executive level interviews.

Year in Review: Pre-Employment Screening Stories of 2011

2012-01-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

In March 2011, a new US Government report claimed that over 90% of all American nursing homes hire criminals. The study surveyed 260 nursing homes across America at the start of 2009, and found that 92% had at least one employee with a criminal conviction.

The investigating commission also found that “nearly half of the nursing homes surveyed had more than 5 employees with criminal convictions.” The employees with criminal records had been convicted of such crimes as burglary, shoplifting, and writing bad checks.

March 2011 also offered positive news, as BackCheck partnered with Canada Post to help candidates across the country submit their background checks in a faster and more convenient fashion. Using an innovative process, BackCheck’s partnership with Canada Post has bolstered the accessibility of background checks, allowing anyone anywhere in Canada to submit their information for a background check at their local post office.

Traditionally, job candidates were required to present themselves to a hiring manager for identity verification, causing needless scheduling problems and delays in the hiring process. However, with BackCheck’s new partnership with Canada Post, candidates now have the option of printing out an application at home and having their identification verified by Canada Post, which is convenient for industries relying on remote hires.

In May 2011, BackCheck discovered a company that provided fake reference interviews, acting as a fake previous employer for job candidates. BackCheck staff caught the company in the act of providing a false interview in the following video.

In June 2011, a Williamson County woman was accused of stealing $46,000 from a local charity. She had been prosecuted for two theft convictions before being hired, but the non-profit didn't look at her criminal record until she was already employed and suspected of misappropriating funds.

In September 2011, a prospective high school volleyball coach attempted to forge a criminal record check. First, he sent an email to the school in question, his prospective employer, pretending to be an FBI agent and providing a clean criminal record check. Soon after, he typed up a letter, also claiming to be from the FBI, which claimed that he did not have a criminal record. While the school confirms the amateur nature of this man’s attempts at forgery and impersonation, the story highlights some of the risks related to paper-based criminal record checks and pre-employment screening. While the prospective high school volleyball coach simply printed off a fake letter and sent a fraudulent email, technology affords much more complex and convincing methods for falsifying documentation. BackCheck’s online delivery of criminal record check results minimizes the risk of forgery.

In October 2011, a civil servant in British Columbia was discovered to have a criminal record under a previous identity. Richard Wainwright was hired by the BC government in 2007 after having changed his last name to his wife’s maiden name. After having documentation, including university degrees, a health card and a Social Insurance Number reissued for his new name, Wainwright completed a criminal record check directly through the RCMP, using his new name and identification. The check did not reveal Wainwright’s previous convictions for counterfeiting and fraud and he was subsequently hired by the BC government. His previous identity could have been discovered using BackCheck’s Identity Cross-Check service.

In December 2011, Joel Barlow, a public servant in Australia was charged with defrauding a national health authority out of $AUS 11 million. Barlow, originally from New Zealand, had previous charges of fraud against him in his home country, which could have been revealed using an International Criminal Record Check.

myBackCheck.com Makes Volunteering Easier

2011-10-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Volunteering within your community can be more rewarding than once thought. In addition to making a positive contribution to the local neighbourhood, other possible advantages of volunteering can include establishing new business contacts, exploring opportunities within new industries, learning new skills, resume building, and sharing your personal and work experience with younger members of the community. Volunteering also helps foster an inclusive and engaging community environment.

There are approximately 175, 000 registered Canadian charities and non-profit organizations, many of which rely on volunteers for logistical support, fundraising, consulting, administrative tasks, and special projects. CharityVillage provides listings of organizations and volunteer opportunities from all across Canada, offering a wide array of volunteering options.

Currently, industry best practices have been adopted by many volunteer organizations and dictate that volunteers complete a criminal record check before being offered a position. As an alternative to driving to the local police station to complete a criminal record check, volunteer applicants have the option of using myBackCheck.com, which streamlines the criminal record check process and provides a secure method for both volunteers and volunteer organizations to complete criminal record checks. Potential volunteers can create an account on myBackCheck.com from the comfort of their own home. After submitting the appropriate documentation and consent, the results will be provided to the applicant online with the option to share results with a prospective volunteer organization. Sharing the results online through myBackCheck.com’s secure web portal protects against forgery attempts as results are transmitted directly from myBackCheck.com to the volunteer organization.

Faking a Criminal Record Check

2011-10-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

According to this article from The Providence Journal, a prospective high school volleyball coach attempted to fake a criminal record check. First, he sent an email to the school in question, his prospective employer, pretending to be an FBI agent and providing a clean criminal record check. Soon after, he typed up a letter, also claiming to be from the FBI, which claimed that he did not have a criminal record. While the school confirms the amateur nature of this man’s attempts at forgery and impersonation, the story highlights some of the risks related to paper-based criminal record checks and pre-employment screening. While the prospective high school volleyball coach simply printed off a fake letter and sent a fraudulent email, technology affords much more complex and convincing methods for falsifying documentation.

BackCheck effectively eliminates the risk of applicant forgery by delivering criminal record check results to clients directly through a secure, online portal. BackCheck receives its criminal record check results from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database through relationships with police departments nationwide. Results are returned directly to clients, eliminating the risk of manipulation or foul play by the applicant. Criminal Record Checks can still be ordered using a standard paper-based method, but results will always be returned directly to clients through secure, digital venues.

myBackCheck™ is another solution to help avoid forgery attempts for criminal record checks. Using myBackCheck.com™, a prospective job or volunteer candidate can create an account to initiate and complete their own criminal record check online. They then have the option to share the results of their criminal record check with an organization’s authorized personnel, who are sent an email, providing access to a secure portal for viewing results. While the applicant initiates the criminal record check themselves, BackCheck ensures due diligence measures as well as secure transmission of information. Results are transmitted from police sources directly to the client organization.

Screening Remote Hires

2011-09-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Companies in industries such as forestry and mining often rely on hiring applicants in remote areas, often miles away from the head office. While technology such as webcams and online testing tools allow for greater due diligence measures for pre-employment screening, remote applicants still pose a number of challenges to human resources professionals. BackCheck has a number of services designed to assist and greatly enhance due diligence measures in cases of remote applicant screening.

The Canada Post ID Verification service is aimed at reducing the difficulties in screening remote hires who are unable to acquire the appropriate forms and witness signatures required for a background check. Candidates register at myBackCheck.com and are presented with instructions to print forms and bring them to their nearest Canada Post locations. The applicant can use BackCheck's Canada Post Locator. After arriving at the nearest location, the Canada Post clerk will ensure the applicant's forms are properly completed, provide a witness signature, and scan the forms and appropriate identification to submit to BackCheck through a secure website.

Another powerful tool for screening remote applicants is BackCheck’s eConsent, which allows clients to complete background checks online and facilitates the implementation of a paperless background check process. . When a hiring manager decides to initiate a background check, they create their order through their account on BackCheck’s secure website. The candidate is emailed a secure link to the eConsent website, completes the appropriate consent forms online and provides their signature using BackCheck’s innovative online signature application. BackCheck receives the consent forms, conducts the ordered background checks and securely delivers reports to the client online. eConsent and Canada Post ID Verification are only two of the ways BackCheck can help your company establish a secure and adaptable pre-employment screening program.

Temporary and Seasonal Employees - Protecting Against Liability

2011-08-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

Many companies rely on short-term, seasonal employees to address peak service demands and temporary projects. In particular, the hospitality and entertainment industries rely on short-term staff to help address the busy tourist season. While a person employed in the recreational and leisure sector may have a limited role in a company’s infrastructure, they often become a public face for the company and employers must be aware of the legal liabilities they may encounter when hiring temporary workers. Background checks, based upon the job’s requirements and responsibilities, should be pursued as a due diligence measure to limit the possibility of employee misconduct and wrongdoing.

Seasonal employees are often exposed to society’s most vulnerable members, including children and the elderly, which calls for companies to address security and the wellbeing of their future customers. Some seasonal employees may excel at their jobs and become permanent, full-time staff, thus a program of pre-employment background screening can assure companies that their seasonal employees may be entrusted with greater responsibility in the long-term. BackCheck offers a suite of pre-employment screening solutions to address the needs of hiring temporary and seasonal employees.

The Risk of Employee Sabotage

2011-07-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

A rogue employee has the ability to inflict damage on the physical and digital infrastructure of a company, as well as compromise a company’s reputation, the health and safety of fellow employees, productivity, and customer relations. A former network administrator at Gucci was recently charged with causing upwards of $200,000 worth of damage by sabotaging the company’s network, including deleting files, blocking access to email, and deleting sensitive data, leading to twenty-four (24) hours of network downtime and thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

Pre-employment screening is a useful tool in gauging an applicant’s aptitude, ability and employment history, as well as potentially inappropriate workplace behaviour within past work environments. BackCheck’s qualified reference interviewers ask past employers questions related to an applicant’s reason for leaving, their trustworthiness and honesty, temperament, composure, interpersonal skills, and response to constructive criticism, among other relevant areas of interest. A flag in any one of these areas may indicate personal and professional liability in the work history of a potential applicant.

Organizations that have been victimized by internal sabotage do not often discuss the matter publicly, fearing negative media attention and possible further sabotage. The unspoken impact of such actions may include an inability to conduct business due to network down time, loss of customer information, an inability to produce products, web site defacement, and exposure of confidential customer and employee data. A thorough pre-employment screening program, including credit checks to reveal a potential employee’s financial standing, criminal record checks, and reference interviews can help companies reduce the risk of internal sabotage by only hiring trustworthy candidates with clear financial and criminal histories. BackCheck offers a comprehensive pre-employment screening package to facilitate diligent and secure hiring practices.

BUSTED! by BackCheck

2011-07-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

BackCheck recently discovered that there is a company available to your candidates who will, for a fee, provide a fake reference interview. CareerExcuse.com will act as a previous employer for your candidate, providing fake information about past employment and performance.

BackCheck believes that lying on a resume or providing a fake reference interview is in fact a form of fraud and make it our job to ensure that you do not fall victim to such scams.

BackCheck wanted to catch this company in the act, so we created a fake resume and employment profile for a fictional candidate. We paid the $200 fee and then filmed one of our professional reference interviewers taking the reference from Career Excuse.

The following video is about 7 minutes long and walks you through BackCheck’s experience.

Canada Post Facilitates Background Checking Process

2011-03-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

BackCheck has partnered with Canada Post to help candidates across the country submit their background checks faster than ever. Using an innovative process, the Crown corporation has bolstered the accessibility of background checks, allowing anyone anywhere in Canada to submit their information at their local post office.

Traditionally, job candidates were required to present themselves to a hiring manager for identity verification, causing needless scheduling problems and delays in the hiring process. However, with Canada Post’s new partnership with BackCheck, candidates now have the option of printing out an application at home and having their identification verified by Canada Post.

Canada Post employees fulfill the role verifying identity and making copies of the documents. The copies are scanned and sent securely to BackCheck for verification, and results are ready within 24 hours. With so many locations for candidates to choose from, the hassle of keeping appointments and taking time out of busy schedules has been done away with.

BackCheck’s Canada Post option provides greater flexibility to candidates and faster results. Ultimately, when hiring managers receive the results quicker, chosen candidates can start their new positions sooner. Moreover, the new partnership relaxes the burden on hiring managers, who were previously tasked with the collection of candidate data for checking.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening, and is pleased to have a partnership with Canada Post to facilitate easier background checks. For more information, visit BackCheck.net.

Over 90 Percent of US Nursing Homes Hire Criminals

2011-03-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

A new US Government report claims that over 90% of all American nursing homes hire criminals. The study surveyed 260 nursing homes across America at the start of 2009, and found that 92% had at least one employee with a criminal conviction.

The investigating commission also found that nearly half of the nursing homes surveyed had more than 5 employees with criminal convictions. The employees with criminal records had been convicted of such crimes as burglary, shoplifting, and writing bad checks.

Persons living in nursing homes are apt to trust the staff working there, and are vulnerable to theft and other types of abuse. As such, it is wise to implement a vigorous pre-employment screening program to ensure that staff will not have criminal backgrounds, and will pose no threat to the wellbeing of residents.

Vulnerable persons need to receive necessary protections which will secure a healthy and stress free living environment. As easy targets of theft, knowing that certain staff have criminal records can cause residents unwarranted distress and concern.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background checks. Having provided over 2 million checks in our company’s history, our expertise and experience speak for themselves.

The Cost of Poor Retention and Employee Turnover

2011-02-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

Hiring new employees can be a long and laborious exercise. With so many candidates in today’s job market, hiring pools today are of a size that far exceeds what human resource professionals saw in the earlier part of the decade.

While it is important to hire the right candidate for the job, and to trust that their skills and personality are a good fit, it is equally important to trust that they are invested in staying with your company for long after they have been hired. The costs associated with hiring new candidates can quickly amount, and hiring the wrong candidate can land a company back at square one.

Employee turnover can cost upwards of 150% of the lost employee’s annual compensation, depending on the time taken to hire and train a new recruit, and then get them up to speed. A new employee’s productivity will typically take half a year of experience to grow to capacity. An empty seat is lost revenue for any company, and the investment in finding the right person to fill a position can be substantial.

The time needed to train a new recruit until they are ready to work independently results in money lost through lack of peak productivity. Likewise, while a new employee is in training, more experienced staff must pick up the workload, cutting into their productivity and company profitability. Managerial staff also face the burden of dispensing tasks to a limited workforce to assure everything is done on time.

These issues are all compounded with each new staff member who leaves the company and contributes to increased staff turnover. Employee turnover cuts into the bottom line and is to be limited by any means possible.

A successful approach to increasing the return-on-investment (ROI) on new staff is a comprehensive pre-employment screening program. Verifying the ability, demeanour, and flexibility of new staff prior to their hire ensures that the successful candidate will do well in a given organization.

Furthermore, pre-screening candidates acts as a deterrent to those who have little interest in a fulfilling relationship with their employer. Such a policy also provides peace-of-mind to staff in their work environment, bringing an easy trust and improving the ability to work as a team.

A large hiring pool makes comprehensive in-house screening a timely chore. Numerous companies have seen great benefit in outsourcing their pre-employment needs. Partnering with a third party provider is a cost effective means of quickly and securely procuring the information your company needs to hire an apt and committed candidate.

BackCheck provides a number of resources for our clients to utilize in hiring the right candidate. As a third party provider, ours is not to make any decisions, rather to provide the information necessary to shrink a hiring pool quickly and simplify your choices. With over ten years in the industry and more than 2 million candidates screened, BackCheck has the capacity and competence to meet your organization’s needs. Mitigating regretful hiring decisions with a forward looking risk management approach is a prudent choice for your successful future.

Do you know who you're hiring?

Landlords Benefit From Tenant Criminal Checks

2011-02-01T05:03:00.000-08:00

Landlords are not in the habit of conducting criminal checks on new tenants. The more popular choice by far is to conduct credit checks to verify that a new tenant will be able to fulfill the obligations of their lease. Yet in the interest of safety, it is a prudent measure to pursue a policy in criminal checks as well as a credit history, to give neighbouring tenants peace of mind.

In Nova Scotia, a tenant with of history of violent crime murdered his neighbour prior to killing himself. The man had been admitted as a tenant to the Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society without any criminal record check. No one had known about his criminal past.

Conducting criminal background checks on tenants is the best way to know which individuals are seeking to reside in a community. While a check is not exclusionary, it has the potential of reducing the number of thieves and violent ex-criminals who wish to neighbour other tenants.

Landlords have the responsibility of choosing who is accepted into their vacant units. The story from Nova Scotia demonstrates that choosing without prior knowledge of a tenant’s past can turn into a tragic tale.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background checking. With experience and expertise on our side, we can help you to screen new tenants quickly to help you decide whether they are the right fit for you.

For more information, visit BackCheck.net.

The Value of Credit Checks

2011-01-20T12:40:00.000-08:00

Credit checks are an underutilized background checking tool, with extensive benefits which are not often well understood. As an inexpensive way of enhancing a background check, a credit check makes a great companion to other services such as criminal background checks and reference interviews.

Predominantly used in banking and finance, credit checks provide a clear picture of an applicant’s financial standing prior to entering a new work environment. Candidates with poor credit are more likely to subvert a company’s finances, especially as companies seldom bring charges against employees due to bad press and hurt reputations. Credit checks allow another level of security to guard against employees who are in dire need of funds and have little to lose.

Credit checks are also a useful means of verifying a candidate’s identity. With the advent of the internet and digitalized information, candidates perpetrating fraud have become more common. Whether a candidate changes their name entirely or purposefully misspells it, tampering with one’s own identity is a poor way to start a relationship with a new employer. A credit check is a simple way of verifying a person’s identity, and safeguarding a company’s staff and resources.

Another benefit of implementing credit checks is in verifying a candidate’s employment history. Candidates wishing to hide past employers or brushes with the law will often obscure gaps in their employment history. While it is very simple to mask employment gaps on a resume, it can be time consuming to verify employment by speaking with all past employers. A credit check will accurately reflect a person’s employment history, allowing employers to cross reference resume information and question their candidate on any discrepancies found.

Credit checks are a useful tool in the implementation of a successful pre-employment screening policy. While often over-looked, this robust and versatile check has numerous benefits while at the same time being quick and cost effective.

To find out more, visit BackCheck.net.

Roofer Fires Employee After Record Revealed

2011-01-13T07:25:00.000-08:00

A man in Peterborough was fired after it was learned that he had a criminal record for murdering a 10 year old girl in 1990. The man had been working with a roofing company until his criminal record became known.

The man had been paroled after serving 15 years of his life sentence, and allowed to work in the Peterborough area. The roofing company does not regularly conduct criminal background checks unless their clients request it of them. In this case, they were contracted to reroof a public school building.

While the man had been a good employee with the company, his employers let him go when his criminal past came to light. His past made him unfit to continue on with their contractual obligations.

Pre-employment screening checks are a useful tool in assessing not only a person’s capacity to work, but their ability to do so as well. Companies who opt not to conduct screening on new employees may well find themselves liable in situations where they have brought unfit employees to a client’s work site.

BackCheck offers numerous services for vendors and contractors to verify their employees, and avoid the costs of training a new employee who is ultimately unsuited for contracts.

Contact BackCheck for more information.

Coaches Sex Allegations Raise Questions About Background Check

2010-12-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Two Florida men are under arrest after being nabbed in a child pornography sting. The men were both youth football sports coaches, and while criminal checks were run on the two, they did not reveal any criminal pasts. Both men had free access to numerous schools.

One of the men arrested not only coached a football team, but also had access to the school through his multimedia company. The other man was employed through his company as a vendor, and had a criminal past which ranged from aggravated assault, to battery, and carrying a concealed weapon.

The school however did not screen for these offenses when he was hired, opting rather to search only for sexual offenses. This narrow search was ineffective at stopping an ex-criminal from committing more crimes, this time with youths.

Youths need to be protected, and a full criminal record checkis a necessity in accomplishing this goal. Obtaining only limited information on those who have access to schools is short-sighted and can be a detriment not only to the well being of youths, but also to the schools and programs they attend.

As Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening, BackCheck advocates obtaining the most complete picture of a new candidate prior to hire. Our clients continue to be pleased by the quality and detail of the reports we produce, and the aid this lends in making good and informed hiring decisions.

“Certified” MBA Turns Out To Be False

2010-12-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

A client had asked BackCheck to verify a job candidate who claimed to have an MBA. In order to proceed with the verifications, BackCheck contacted the candidate to obtain his student number.

The candidate did not have his student number on hand, as he had recently moved. He stated however that it was not necessary to verify his education as his current employer had already done so. The candidate was instead able to locate his Bachelor’s degree and MBA, which had both been “certified” by a lawyer.

Soon after forwarding the documents to the university, BackCheck received a call from the registrar’s office informing us that the candidate had never completed either his Bachelor’s Degree or his MBA. The candidate had only taken one course at the university. Moreover, the university intended to bring a lawsuit against the candidate for falsification of documents.

While this candidate had been able to fool large banks before with his false credentials, our client was relieved not to fall into the same trap.

Do you know who you’re hiring?

Fabricated Email Reference

2010-12-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

A reference contacted BackCheck by email to admit that he had been asked by a candidate to lie. The reference had known the candidate for half a year, but did not have any experience working with the candidate. The reference had been unable to corroborate a false employment history, and forwarded all the emails which the candidate had sent to him describing their work relationship.

Upon receiving this information, BackCheck quickly contacted the client to inform them of the fabricated work history, and disclose the contents of the emails. The client was happy to receive the information, as it saved them from making a poor hiring decision.

Candidates often pad their resumes to make themselves more appealing to potential employers, however such brazen lies are not the norm. BackCheck’s thorough communication with references is a source of valuable information for clients, and often reveals details that candidates would prefer remain hidden. However, not implementing pre-employment background checks gives the green light to unsavoury candidates. Do you know who you’re hiring?

A Deceitful Police Officer

2010-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

A client listed a contact at a police detachment to provide a reference for a candidate. The reference had been the candidate’s supervisor, and stated that the candidate had resigned from his position.

But when pressed for clarification, the reference revealed that the candidate had left due to issues of integrity, and might yet face charges of deceit under the provincial police act. Were he to be charged, the candidate would no longer be able to stand in court as a police officer. He had quit prior to charges being laid.

The reference did not recommend this candidate due to his past deceits. However, had the reference not been pressed for a clarification, nothing untoward would have come to light.

BackCheck’s experienced interviewers are expert at ask the right follow up questions, and persist in acquiring pertinent details about your candidates.Trust BackCheck to verify your candidate before you hire.

BackCheck is Canada’s largest pre-employment screening provider, with the range and capacity to complete candidate check quickly and diligently. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Faked Diploma

2010-11-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

Verifying a candidate’s educational credentials is a quick and easy way of assessing his or her eligibility for a position. It is not unheard of for candidates to forge educational credentials, and employers can easily fall prey to misinformation. Without verifying the information with the issuing institution, there is no way to gauge the validity of the claim. Here is a story of one such attempt.

A BackCheck client requested that we verify a candidate’s education using the copy of the diploma he provided. However, when we sent this to the school, we were informed that the candidate had never attended the school. The diploma had been faked, and the registrar who had signed the forged document had been dead for two years prior to the graduation date.

The client was disappointed with their candidate, but pleased to have been able to avoid making a poor hiring decision, which would have cost them further down the line. It always pays to check educational claims.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening. BackCheck has built a network of contacts at educational insitutions across the country in order to facilitate our verifications. Our education verification service is a quick and affordable means to vet your candidates. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Ungrateful Employee

2010-11-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

In a recent case, BackCheck received a call back from a reference who explained that he was too busy to provide a reference. BackCheck asked the reference if he would recommend the candidate, to which he responded, “We gave him a chance. He had no skills, so we trained him. Then he left for a place that offered more money. He was very ungrateful. His new employers found out he didn’t have the experience they wanted, and he’s now bouncing around companies.” Despite his tight schedule, the reference provided enough information for our client to get a gauge of this candidate.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening. Our staff are available around the clock to take reference calls and provide you with the information you need as it becomes available. Trust BackCheck to inform you of your candidate’s pasts, so you can make the right hiring decision.

5 Best Background Checking Tools

2010-11-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

In today’s job market, there is a strong need for pre-employment screening. Beyond candidates who stretch the truth on their resumes, there are other potential hires whose past behaviour could be a liability to your company.

Background checks provide a clear image of a candidate for hire allowing your company to reduce the hiring pool, and chose the best candidate for the position faster. As many candidates present themselves for any given position, companies save time and resources when conducting pre-employment background checks.

A vacant position is resource intensive, drawing time and energy from current employees to keep up with the work load. The longer the position is vacant the more these resource costs mount; adding greater burden to your company.

There are five important areas to verify prior to making a hiring decision: work history, financial stability, education, criminal history, and civil matters. The reasons for these are varied, and change depending on the candidate and the position applied for.

Possibly the most important of these five is a candidate’s work history. Information regarding a candidate’s past work aptitude is vital when choosing who to add to your team. The resume should be checked for any gaps in employment, and past employers should be contacted to verify all employment dates and job titles.

Candidates with poor work histories often omit information from their resumes, and stretch dates of employment to make up for the lost time. Verifying prior to hiring can save your company from the costs of making a poor hiring decision.

Leading the Canadian background checking industry, BackCheck has the knowhow and the technology to implement your background searches, and keep you hiring quickly and safely. Trust, but Verify. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Workplace Harassment An Employer's Responsibility

2010-11-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

The definition of violence in the workplace has been broadened beyond the scope of physical abuse alone. Violence in the workplace can present itself in many ways, including both physical actions and psychologically damaging behaviour.

Bullying in the workplace has a negative impact on staff morale, and can affect productivity and profits. Organizations should be aware of this problem, and take steps to confront bullying and put an end to it.

The solution comes in part even before making a new hire. Organizations should endeavour to conduct comprehensive background screening prior to hiring new candidates. Reference interviews provide insight on a candidate’s ability to work as a team player, and any discrepancies in behaviour will be revealed prior to making a hire.

Much like criminal behaviour, a bullying mentality is difficult to change. People who have been known to bully in the past are likely to do so again in the future. Organizations seeking to hire new candidates need to be aware of this problem, and recognize that a clear criminal record alone does not make for a viable candidate.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening. Our knowledgeable staff are expert at finding discrepancies in candidate’s pasts, and keeping your organization free of unsavoury employees. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Study Links Background Screening to Improved Recruiting

2010-11-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Aberdeen Group has recently released a study looking at the positive effects of background screening. The report found that organizations using such background checking tools such as employment and educational verifications, and reference checks experienced a 60% better quality of hire.

There are many candidates available for hire, but skills are in short supply. Many candidates looking to find a job are aware of this trend, and are tempted to embellish their resumes to get hired. For a company, hiring the wrong candidate can be a costly mistake involving both wages paid during training, and the eventual dismissal of the under-qualified candidate. Such a mistake often brings the company back to finding a new hire, having wasted time and money in the process.

The report found that the integration of background screening services lowered the cost of hiring an average of 5% per hire. The ability to filter out unqualified candidates from an available position allows a company to find the right candidate more quickly. Companies who choose not to spend capital prior to hiring a candidate will often take more time to hire a candidate, and are at greater risk of hiring an under-qualified candidate.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening. For over ten years, our service and expertise has helped companies to avoid making poor hiring mistakes, saving them money in the process. Our service is fast and friendly, with results accessible online at your convenience. Do you know who You’re Hiring?

Hockey Coach Defrauds Two Teams in Winnipeg

2010-10-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

The North West Minor Hockey Association is desperate for volunteers to coach their players. So when a man presented himself as a coach with experience in the US, the NWMHA gave him coaching positions on two separate teams before they had even run a background check.

The man was given coaching positions for an eight-year old A1 team and a twelve-year old A2 team. He was also to become the east league director, and hockey development director.

Parents started raising concerns after the man asked for money from them, claiming that the ice time was not paid for. It is estimated that the man acquired $2400 in the form of checks and cash from parents who wanted to have their children play.

One parent did some checking on their own, and discovered that even after the money had been paid to the coach, the ice time was still not paid for. Another of the player’s grand-parents was ready to pull her grandson off the team, but the coach was fired before it came to that. He was a fraud.

The man had provided a fake name with the NWMHA, yet not even that fraud had been discovered until he was let go. While most parents have been reimbursed for the money they lost, it will be difficult for them to regain the trust they once had in a hockey association which does not conduct background checks.

Public safety is the first priority when it comes to youth sports. In the face of delays with criminal background checks, sports organizations should have other safe-guards in place to avoid making such poor hiring decisions. Checking the identity of a candidate in this case would have averted a terrible mistake.

As Canada’s leader in background checks, BackCheck is committed to keeping youth sports safe from frauds and other criminals. Volunteer organizations are often targeted by frauds, as most often background checks are not properly conducted on new member of staff.

With the hockey season just under way, it is likely that many more unsavoury volunteers will try to become a part youth sports, and if they get in then players will pay the price.

New Warrant Issued for Graham James

2010-10-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

Winnipeg police have issued a warrant for convicted sex offender Graham James. The warrant comes after new allegations of sexual abuse from a former NHL player, who recently wrote a book about his experience of abuse as a youth. During his book tour, he found that many of his fans would lean over and whisper to him, “me too.”

In the province of Manitoba, the screening process for hockey coaches has become more stringent than ever before. The establishment of the Respect in Sport program has provided greater protection to athletes through the use of criminal background checks. Another initiative, the Speak Out program, aims to target bullying and harassment in youth sports to ensure that players are heard.

Following the media coverage of Graham James’ pardon, the RCMP responded by tightening their procedures to ensure that a simple name change did not allow for sex offenders to obtain a position working with youth or vulnerable people. This change was necessary, as no national record of name changes exists, making it possible for pardoned criminals to alter their names legally and effectively clear their criminal pasts. While this change has caused delays for many volunteers, the focus is on the safety of our young athletes.

BackCheck works with many youth sports organizations to screen employees and volunteers and keep our youth safe. Our quick and efficient service will help you decide whether a coach is fit to work with children, whether through criminal record checks or by scrutinizing gaps in employment histories. Trust BackCheck to procure the most up to date information so you can make the right decision.

Canada Post Enables Personal Background Checks

2010-10-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Getting a criminal background check from the police station can be a time consuming endeavour. And while some organizations may refund you the cost of the criminal check, the time it takes to go through the process will not be.

To get a criminal check, individuals must present themselves at their local police department during business hours with proper identification and pay the fee. Once the paperwork has been filled out, the check can proceed. The results will be mailed out once everything is completed, typically between two weeks and two months, depending on the cue.

For those who work with children, or with vulnerable people, background checks are a banal fact of life. However, for those who volunteer with vulnerable people, going to the police station means taking time out of their day jobs, and losing wages while standing in line.

There is however a more convenient option. BackCheck’s online myBackCheck service is tailored for the use of people with busy schedules. Using myBackCheck, applicants go online to submit to a police check. To verify identity, candidates simply go to a Canada Post location.

Canada Post recently partnered with BackCheck to provide identity verification services. Canada Post will then verify the identification of the candidate, and forward copies of the documents to BackCheck.

BackCheck will complete the check within 24 hours. The results are delivered online, using a secure password. A link to the results is then emailed to the hiring or volunteer organization. The individual being checked may release their background checking information to as many organizations as they chose, all instantly, securely, and online.

myBackCheck’s secure online service was established with volunteers in mind, as a means of delivering a simple and convenient option for criminal record checks. BackCheck is Canada’s leader in criminal background checks, and we are proud to provide you with fast and friendly service.

The TRUTH about Free Criminal Background Checks

2010-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Original Article: http://www.federalcriminal-lawyers.co.cc/the-truth-about-free-criminal-background-checks.html

Enter “Free Criminal Records Search” in Google.

Click on one of the listings. Enter your subject’s name (this could be the only information that you have), and other personal information your subject has provided.

Your search results could be in the hundreds, depending on how common the name is and the breadth of your search area (a county, state, or national search). How do you identify which one is your subject?

Know this: There is a big difference between a “Criminal Records Search” and a “Criminal Background Check”. A “Criminal Records Search” is searching a single database with the identifying information that you have been provided. A “Criminal Background Check”, on the other hand, will discover and verify your subject’s personal information, thereby establishing positive identity, plus searching a variety of databases.

Criminals are experts at supplying you with bogus information. They use aliases and variations of their name, change around or alter their date of birth, change their social security number, and leave out past addresses. How would you know these things, unless you had done – at least – a basic background check and address history search on them?

Even if you have established positive identification, what have you accomplished? You have searched a database, but what is the source of that database? Which states and counties contribute to that database? More important, which ones do not? There is no National Criminal Database and all databases are NOT created equal. Some are up-to-date, others are out-of-date. Some pay data brokers for a “data dump” once or twice a year. What if your subject committed a crime in the recent past? Would this show up on a free search? Most likely not!

Ask yourself why you want to conduct a Criminal Records search in the first place. Is it for peace of mind? Are you seeking a caretaker for children or a loved one? Are you looking to hire someone to work in a trusted position in your company and by doing so relieve yourself of liability? You may be deluding yourself, thinking a cheap search will alleviate your concerns.

Only a complete, thorough background check by a professional can provide you with the security that you need. Professional Search Experts follow time-proven procedures when conducting a complete background check.

BackCheck has conducted over 2 million Criminal Record Checks for Corporations, Not-For-Profit Organizations, and Individuals across North America. We are focused on providing our clients with the information they need to make an informed hiring decision that is fully compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable state legislation. Every BackCheck Criminal Record Check starts with a complimentary Social Security Number (SSN) Trace to ensure the accuracy and completeness of results.

BackCheck specializes in pre-employment background checks, including Criminal Record Checks and Criminal Record Search, Credit Bureau Inquiries, Investigative Reference Checks, Employment Verifications, Education Verifications, and Driver Abstracts. With thousands of clients ranging in size from under 50 to over 150,000 employees, BackCheck is a leading provider of pre-employment screening.

Faking Job References for a Price. At Least Two Companies Say They'll Sell You Reference to Help You Get a Job

2010-10-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

William Schmidt fabricates job references for a price. And he feels good about it.

"At least I know I was able to help someone get a paycheck and provide for himself and his family," the Ohio man told ABCNews.com.

Schmidt, 46, is the founder of... a Web site that says it can fill in gaps on your resume by pledging to "act as your past employer" and provide job references, complete with working phone numbers and people on the other end of each line ready to answer questions posed by prospective employers.

Schmidt, who started the Web site after being laid off from his job as a human resource manager in February, said he got the idea after perusing posts on the micro-blogging site Twitter. He was surprised, he said, by how many Twitter users were asking strangers for job references.

"I saw tons of them when I searched it," he said. "That's where I saw the need for my service."

Schmidt said that while some may have "moral issues" with his company, he feels good about what he does. He said he, along with a part-time partner who helps him answer phones, have helped at least 20 people successfully secure work.

"Many people have told me right now that looking for a job is like fighting a war," he said. "There is a great feeling when I get people who call me back and send me an e-mail, saying hey, they got hired, they got the job."

Bad Economy Creates Job Reference Market

While it's hard to verify whether Schmidt's service -- which charges customers $64 per year after a three-day free trial -- has actually benefited anyone, he's not the only one claiming to help people lie to secure work in a tough economy. The Web site Alibi HQ also advertises fake job reference services.

A man identifying himself as Mark Stevens, an Alibi HQ spokesman, told ABCNews.com that the company, which also offers fake landlord references and fake doctor's notes, has been operating for several years. He said customer interest in employment references skyrocketed over the last year, with calls from people seeking Alibi HQ's services quadrupling -- a trend Stevens attributed to the increase in job seekers left unemployed by the recession.

"We have an abundance of incoming phone calls and every month, it's surpassed the month before," he said.

View full article at ABC news

BackCheck is Canada’s leading pre-employment screening provider. Our quick and convenient services are available to give insight into who your prospective employees truly are, and what risk they pose to your business.

Most companies have policies requiring reference checks on every new hire. BackCheck's highly trained and experienced interviewers will ask the right questions and probe appropriately for clarification to extract detailed information on each candidate’s punctuality and quality of work. With 4 levels of reference checks (suitable for entry-level through executive hires), we can customize a program that works for your organization.

Collect the Facts

Employment Verifications collect factual information about your candidate’s work history directly from Human Resources and Payroll. We compare your candidate’s employment claims with what was documented in their personnel file and alert you of discrepancies.

Thorough, Fast, Unbiased Results

• Unbiased information directly from Payroll or Human Resources
• Identification of gaps in a resumé or job application
• Comparison with information obtained through reference interviews
• Compliance with industry requirements and guidelines
• A consistent, auditable process
• Online, real-time results within 2 to 3 business days

Partner with the Industry Leader

We act as an extension of your HR Department so you can dedicate time to other important issues. Our proprietary database of employment verification policies reduces turnaround time as we know who to contact, how to contact them and when to expect results. Every day, clients rely on BackCheck to obtain fast, accurate results and deliver them as soon as they are available. Employment Verifications are relatively inexpensive and offer a great deal of investigative value as the results can be cross-referenced with reference checks.

NY Co-op Housing Expels Convicted Sex-Offender

2010-09-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

A cooperative housing project in Queens New York was in shock when one of the tenants realized that a new sublessor was listed on the New York State registry of sex offenders. Though there was no requirement for a criminal background check to live in the housing unit, when the management considered the complaints of the other tenants, the offender was asked to leave.

Canada’s privacy laws prevent such open knowledge of criminal pasts, and unlike American states, there is no publicly available registry to search the names and whereabouts of sexual predators. Checking the criminal histories of would-be tenants is the best option for landlords to avoid putting their tenants at risk.

Conducting tenant checks has other advantages as well. Speaking to former landlords or checking a new tenant’s credit history are good ways of ensuring that the rent agreement will be honoured. If tenants have a criminal history in narcotics, their actions in the rental unit can cause expensive property damage, and ruin a good reputation.

BackCheck is Canada’s leading background checking provider. Our quick and convenient services are available to give insight into who your tenants truly are, and what risk they pose to your rental units. Our online myBackCheck option is simple and efficient, and provides an easy way of checking tenant backgrounds right from your office.

BackCheck Proudly Sponsors RCC Conference

2010-09-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

This year, BackCheck was proud to be a sponsor at the Retail Council of Canada’s Loss-Prevention Conference on September 14. The RCC is a non-profit organization which works with government and other stakeholders to promote employment growth and career opportunities in retail.

BackCheck sponsored the Refreshment Break at the conference, and along with the other sponsors, was happy to help make this conference possible. The sponsors represented Canada’s leaders in loss-prevention, including security systems, pre-employment screening, loss recovery, and many more.

This year’s conference was honoured to have many eminent speakers in attendance, including respected members of the educational community, government, and the private sector. Moreover, the speakers each contributed to the ongoing discussion of the benefits of pre-employment screening to loss-prevention.

-Don Brezowski, Divisional Vice-President of Loss-Prevention at Sears Canada, discussed the importance of pre-screening new job candidates. He advocated a holistic approach to loss-prevention, in which the use of pre-employment screening is foundational in developing a successful strategy. He further welcomed stronger interdepartmental relationships between human resources and loss-prevention, in an effort to move a company forward.

-Rita Estwick, Postal Inspector in Charge with Canada Post Security & Investigation Services, talked about Canada Post’s involvement with verifying identification documents on behalf of third party screening providers. BackCheck recently partnered with Canada Post to provide a quick option for ID Verification without requesting that candidates go to their recruiter’s office to confirm their identity.

-Dr. Richard Hollinger, Professor of Sociology and Criminology & Law at the University of Florida, spoke about the benefits of proper pre-employment screening practices. As one of the world’s foremost researchers in the field of theft in the workplace, dishonesty in the workplace, and computer crime, he encouraged pre-employment screening as a measure of reducing loss due to dishonest employees. As a direct result of years of study, the import of his recommendation cannot be overstated.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution for loss-prevention provides a clear benefit to numerous organizations. Our services integrate seamlessly with existing human resource departments, providing a natural partnership and a reduction of loss through employee theft or carelessness. Further, BackCheck has introduced our new “I’ve been BackChecked – Verify Me” program, which has the capacity to provide identity badges for service providers within retail locations, as well as third party services sent out remotely on behalf of the service provider.

The conference was a clear success, and a great opportunity for different community members to come together and share their knowledge. We are very pleased with the reaction and response of the delegates in attendance, and are encouraged by this inaugural participation to examine the opportunities to attend further RCC shows in the near future.

Former BC Baseball Coach Charged With Sexual Assault

2010-09-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

A former baseball coach in Tsawwassen has been charged with sex-related offenses against three youths he once oversaw. The abused youths ranged from elementary school students to high school students.

While no information about when the abuses happened has been released, the offenses likely took place over the decade he was working with children, from 1985 to 1995. These incidents further highlight the importance of the ongoing background checking in youth sports across the nation.

Youth sports volunteers have been undergoing background checks for many years in an effort to protect young athletes from sexual predators. Recent changes to the rules of background checking have increased the number of fingerprints checked by RCMP, in order to increase the accuracy of the checks.

The continued criminal background checks on volunteers offer a safeguard to our young Canadian athletes to prevent these kinds of recurrences. Background checks are an important part of youth sports, and while some may consider them to be inconvenient, they are the best protection against further predation in youth sports.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in criminal background checks, providing check sports organizations in every province. Our quick turn-around time helps sports organizations process their volunteer checks in a timely fashion to keep the sports running.

Winnipeg Eyes Criminal Checks for Tenants

2010-09-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Winnipeg’s mayoral candidate is promoting a new system of Crime Free Housing, based on the successes of other cities like Edmonton in cleaning up their cities. The initiative would certify landlords in performing criminal background checks, and provide auxiliary knowledge about locks and lights for their rental units.

The system of crime-free housing has helped landlords in many other cities to decrease tenant turnover, decrease the damage to apartments, and improve reputations around the neighbourhood.

Finding the right tenant can be a challenge, and a high turnover rate can cost landlords in unpaid rent as they try to find a new tenant who will take the property. Knowing who to rent to is a large part of being a profitable landlord, and simply taking the first tenant who comes along could cost more in the long run.

BackCheck provides numerous services which can be of use to landlords, including criminal record checks, ID verifications, credit checks and references. This information can be used to find the best potential renter, and increase the likelihood of a good landlord-tenant relationship.

BackCheck is Canada’s background checking leader. Our services will help you to make the right decision, and avoid the costly mistakes associated with being misinformed. Let us help you establish your crime-free and worry-free housing.

Double Checking Before You Hire Pays Off

2010-08-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

In a recent case, a client requested that BackCheck perform a criminal record check on a potential candidate. The candidate provided sufficient identification to perform the check, but stated that their wallet had just been stolen.

Despite this, the client asked for a SIN number, so that they could complete a cross check between the criminal record check and an identification check. Thankfully, the candidate had written the number down, and was able to provide it.

The criminal check came back clear, yet the identity verification revealed that the candidate did not have a valid SIN number, and was not entitled to work. Had the client not discovered this, they would have been liable for making an illegal hire. When confronted about the SIN number, the candidate was unwilling to reveal the truth, and simply left instead.

The cost of hiring new candidates can mount quickly due to employee turnover, time taken away from experienced staffers, and the time it takes to train a new hire. Making the wrong hiring decision can be a liability to an organization, and can increase these costs in a number of ways.

Performing multiple checks on a job candidate is a cost effective way of making sure your new hire is the right one for the job. While a criminal background check is a good start, a clear result alone does not necessarily mean that the candidate has nothing to hide about their eligibility to do the job.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening, and has over a decade of experience providing quick and secure candidate information. Our services will help you to make the right hiring decision, which means your staff will stay longer and be more productive. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Model of A Canadian Fraudster

2010-08-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Employers need to be knowledgeable about who they bring on-staff, to safeguard their resources, reputation and the future of the company. Pre-employment screening is an effective way of getting to know who your company is hiring, and how they have behaved in their past work environments. Screening is a cost-effective and forward-looking means of safeguarding an organization against theft or fraud.

The study released in 2009 by KPMG Forensic: Profile of a Canadian Fraudster has built a model of the typical Canadian fraudster. The study was based on a survey of executives at some of Canada’s largest companies.

Based on the survey, the typical fraudster is a male, aged 30-49, in a non-managerial position who has worked with the company for 3-5 years. The fraudster likely has no post-secondary education, and works in operations. The most common fraud is theft under $100,000 in the form of diversion of assets or diversion of cash. The fraudster commits the fraud on his own, for his own personal need.

While individuals of this description are the highest risk candidates for fraud, this description is not exclusive. The following is a list of the findings in this report:
-Men commit the majority of fraud. (74%)
-The common age for fraud is between 30 and 49. (69%)
-Employees under the management level are most likely to commit fraud. (62%)
-Employees in the company for 3-5 years are most likely to commit fraud. (31%)
-Employees with no post-secondary education are most likely to commit fraud. (40%)
-The majority of fraud is committed internally. (69%)
-The majority of fraud is committed without accomplices. (73%)
-Frauds largely target theft, diversion of cash, or diversion of assets. (63%)
-The most at-risk occupation for fraud is in operations. (45%)
-Bad habits such as gambling, drug abuse, or drinking can lead to fraud. (11%)
-The majority of fraud in Canada is under $100,000. (71%)

Fraudsters are often surprised when they are found out, as they do not expect to be caught. The tendency is for fraudsters to rationalize their actions by saying, “Everybody does it”, “I am underpaid”, “I deserve to be acknowledged”, or “I owe it to my family to enhance our lifestyle.”

One of the best strategies to defend against fraudsters operating in your company is the implementation of a consistent and thorough background screening process. Being able to screen for poor employment history, financial difficulty, and educational status will enable an organization to protect itself against hiring employees at risk of committing fraud.

When compared to the damage which can be done by a fraudster, whether in monetary value, reputation, or time, the cost of a background check is minimal. A background check is part of a forward-looking strategy focused on building staff resources, mitigating staff turnover and decreasing liability.

BackCheck has been conducting pre-employment background checks for over a decade, and has the experience and capacity to get detailed reports quickly and accurately. We are Canada’s pre-employment screening leader. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Foster Boy's Death May Lead To Wider Criminal Background Checks

2010-08-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

In 2005, a 13-month-old boy in Alberta died while in foster care after being shaken by his foster father. In November of that year, when the boy was taken to hospital, the foster father claimed that the boy had had a seizure. Yet a CT scan revealed that he suffered from shaken infant syndrome. He died two days later.

Social workers had known of the foster father's criminal past, which included possession of stolen goods, breaking and entering, and assault causing bodily harm. However, they did not know that the charge of assault had originally been a charge of attempted murder.

Privacy legislation had kept the full extent of the foster father's criminal charges a mystery to the social workers handling the child's placement. Yet changes are already coming to the system which will reveal the full extent of criminal pasts to social workers.

This incident has demonstrated the need to conduct more in-depth checks on applicants to foster parenting. One example of a useful check is a reference interview.

Reference interviews are often used when employing new job candidates or undertaking new volunteers. They are an excellent source of details on a person's character, and often reveal inequities where a criminal record or other check may not provide any information.

BackCheck is Canada's leader in background checking, providing thousands of background checks to Canadian organizations every year. Our experience and expedience leads the way in the background checking industry, with proven results.

A Case For Reference Interviews

2010-08-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

In a recent case, BackCheck performed a reference interview to learn about a certain candidate's recent work aptitude.

What was found was not positive, with the candidate missing work without notification, lying for other employees, and making things up. The reference was concerned about this behaviour, since they needed to know whether the employee was at their post when they were meant to be.

This was because the candidate's position involved working in the vaults of a nuclear reactor. The candidate held responsibilities surveying equipment to ensure that radiation rates were within permissible boundaries, and keeping a logbook of radiation exposures.

The position for which the candidate was being screened was as a nuclear operator in training. Yet the lack of the candidate's integrity in completing job duties did not warrant a recommendation.

This case brings to light the importance of reference interviews in the screening process. Gathering relevant information on job candidates from their prior supervisors often reveals inequities which an employer may not be aware of.

While the candidate in this situation may have had a clean criminal record, their poor performance on the job raised a red flag which did not go unnoticed. To increase the likelihood that red flags will be found, BackCheck recommends combining two or more pre-employment screening services.

BackCheck is Canada's leader in pre-employment background screening. With over a decade of experience, our expert staff can help your organization to uncover the details which job candidates don't want you to know. Do you know who you're hiring?

Over 1 Million Charges Laid in Canada’s Adult Criminal Courts Last Year

2010-08-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Stats Canada has published a study on adult criminal cases from the year 2008-2009. During this timeframe, more than 390,000 cases were completed, involving nearly 1.2 million charges.

This volume was similar to that of charges from the previous year, yet was 3% greater than the charges laid in 2006/2007. Criminal caseloads had been decreasing before 2006/2007, and have recently seen a resurgence in volume.

Accounting for nearly 50% of the charges laid were: impaired driving(11%), theft(10%), common assault(9%), failure to comply with a court order(9%), and breach of probation(8%). To put these percentages in perspective, over 100,000 charges of theft alone were processed across Canada in 2008/2009.

Employers should be aware of the current state of Canadian criminal conduct. Industries with high turnover rates such as the service industry and retail are more vulnerable to hiring employees with criminal records, and risk liability if they fail to implement a background checking strategy.

Risk management is dependent on a policy to perform pre-employment background checks, and has been shown to be profitable to an organization in a number of ways. Among the benefits of a forward looking hiring strategy are included: increased staff productivity, greater employee retention, improved safety of work environment, and greater client trust.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening services, providing our clients with timely and informative results. Our services provide a thorough image of the hiring candidate, allowing clients to make well-informed decisions. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Church Volunteers Deterred by Criminal Checks

2010-07-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Communities in Newfoundland are finding themselves with short on volunteers after some have become upset with the background checking process and its constant delays.

While some volunteers gladly submit to the checks, others have become frustrated, and see it as another hurdle to doing good. A children’s camp in western Newfoundland was unable to open this summer due to volunteer check delays.

Long standing volunteers are understandably frustrated, as they must submit to the checks even after decades of service to the community. However, they may not be aware of how many volunteers across Canada have taken advantage of their power over youths and vulnerable people.

Abuse of power and breach of trust can happen anywhere, whether it is at the church, a retirement home, a summer camp, or a youth sports team. The frustration which comes with submitting to a criminal record check pales in comparison to the hurt caused by allowing sex offenders and other criminals to volunteer freely with vulnerable people.

While criminal record checks can take weeks or even months when submitted by paper, BackCheck’s electronic solution has cut that time down to days. Specializing in background checks, and partnered with numerous police departments across Canada, BackCheck has become expert in providing quick turn-around-times and results.

BackCheck’s bank-level security electronic solution can put an end to timely delays which frustrate volunteers and keep camps from opening. Trust BackCheck to quickly and efficiently complete your criminal background checks, with superb customer service and quality.

Richmond Daycare Facing Assault Charges

2010-07-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

Three staff members at a Richmond daycare centre are facing assault charges for their misconduct with children under five years old. One parent had been told that her 18 month old baby had fallen while at the daycare, yet it later came out that a daycare worker had picked up and dropped the baby.

The Richmond daycare centre was also cited for failing to keep criminal record information on its staff. Inspectors at the daycare discovered that a staff member unrelated to the charges did not have a criminal record check on file. The citation did not help the daycare’s failing reputation, and was a mistake which could have been easily avoided.

Delays in criminal check processing, problems with filing paperwork, and the need to have past records on-hand all play a part in the difficulties of file management. These hurdles are costly and time consuming, and can lead to citations from authorities which add greater expense onto an already tight budget.

BackCheck’s online background checking platform allows our clients to manage their criminal record checking database without paper. Collaborating with multiple police departments across the country, our criminal record check turn-around-time is greatly reduced compared to a conventional walk-in service. Our bank-level security redundant web-platform is safe to use at any time, and backed up in numerous locations so that the files will always be accessible.

Using BackCheck’s integrated services reduces an organization’s liability of faulty file management, providing faster turn-around-time and freeing up employee resources which otherwise would be spent managing years of paper files.

Ontario Woman Sought on Charges of Nursing Fraud

2010-07-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

A woman with a long history of defrauding schools and hospitals is being sought for her most recent fraud at Alberta Health services. The woman, who has committed multiple frauds in Florida, Colorado, Ontario and Calgary, was convicted in 2006 of illegally working as a nurse at an Ontario hospital.

However that did not stop her from continuing to steal identities, and defraud provincial governments; information she used to secure further employment in Calgary as a nurse, and eventually as a Calgary schoolteacher.

Her string of frauds was put to an end late last year when the principal at her school got wind of her past and terminated her position. She then applied for an employment opportunity at an Ontario school, but had only her terminated workplace as reference.

Hospital coworkers recall how she would often ask about nursing procedures, checking to make sure she had them right. At the time, her coworkers did not raise any suspicion over it. However, she was unqualified to be practicing on patients, and in fact put their lives at risk.

It is likely that her former employers did not run thorough background checks on her, as forged or stolen identification would likely have raised red flags as she went through the screening process.

Credit checks, criminal background checks, ID verifications, employment histories, educational verifications, and credential verifications are all sources of information which would have safeguarded her past employers against her fraud and eliminated the liability of employing an unlicensed worker.

While such fraud cases are not prevalent, there are still job candidates in today’s job market whose integrity is compromised by the prospect of employment. Such candidates strive to hide their misdeeds through falsified information and other means, but fail to do so when a pre-employment screening system is implemented.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment background checking, serving all level of industry and services to aid in the acquisition of qualified and capable staff. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Fictitious PhD Leads to Criminal Charges

2010-07-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

A man in Whitby, Ontario is being charged with fraud, perjury, and obstruction of justice for falsely representing himself as an expert psychologist capable of weighing in on court hearings. For the past 15 years, he has worked on cases in Ontario's Family Court.

The man is a registered psychological associate with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Yet he claims to have a doctorate from a Hawaiian university, a school which was discredited as a diploma mill in 2006 and subsequently forced to close.

Numerous insurance claims have been fraudulently filed with his name listed as a clinical psychologist. In 2008, his testimony countermanded that of a court appointed psychologist, though it should never have been admitted in a court of law.

Such resume fraud is a costly expense to the province's legal proceedings, as his past involvement in court proceedings is reviewed and amended. The time and money needed to rectify this fraud are unnecessary losses to a system which could have been avoided.

Resume fraud is prevalent in the job market, with one in four job candidates providing false information on their CVs. Frauds who give supposed expert testimony in court cases can quickly become a liability to the system of justice they are intended to uphold.

BackCheck is Canada's leader in pre-employment background checks, with a wealth of expertise and experience in verifying educational and resume claims. Our clients rely on the information we provide about their employment candidates to mitigate hiring costs, turnover and liability. Do you know who you're hiring?

Resume Fraud Continues in Struggling Economy

2010-06-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Employment candidates continue to lie about their pasts in an effort to secure their next job. Nearly a third of all job candidates in our unsteady economy continue to present falsehoods on their resumes. Employers unacquainted with these trends are in danger of making a poor hiring decision.

BackCheck’s advice to recruiters is to “trust, but verify”. A CTV news story detailing a particularly devious fraud explains what can happen if a candidate’s past is not verified.

The implementation of a sound pre-employment screening solution can be of great benefit to an organization, leading to greater employee retention, improved staff productivity, and fiscal stability. The costs of employee turnover can be quite high, and a preventative forward-looking strategy to employee recruitment is instrumental in reducing these costs and keeping an organization fiscally sound.

BackCheck is the nation’s leader in pre-employment screening. Our company has been providing screening services for over a decade and our customers include some of the largest companies in Canada. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Ontario's Bill 168 Comes Into Effect

2010-06-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

June 15, 2010 marked the first day of Ontario's Bill 168, a bill which changes regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The bill mandates that all Ontario workplaces with more than 5 employees must implement a work safety review, including a risk assessment of problems within the company. Failure to do so can result in a hefty fine.

Leaving the specifics to individual employers, Bill 168 is an outline of what employers must do to keep their employees safe. Ignoring early warning signs of harassment issues within an organization will no longer be tolerated.

Pre-employment screening is a vital piece of a risk assessment policy, and while not specifically mentioned in the bill, implementing a screening policy for new hires has many benefits.

Learning about your candidates' backgrounds prior to their hire leads a company to greater productivity, higher employee retention, reduced workplace harassment, and relief from the liability of making a poor hiring decision.

With some employers still struggling to comply with Bill 168, time is running out. The deadline for implementation is nearly a week gone, and the risk of not acting is high.

BackCheck is Canada's leading provider of background checks, and has the capacity and expertise to meet all of your hiring needs. Do you know who you're hiring?

Candidate Caught With False Employment Claim

2010-06-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

A recent candidate to an Ontario electricity corporation provided the Work and Safety Board (WSB) as their past employer, but included little other detail about their history at the WSB.

BackCheck contacted the WSB to verify the employment claims, but despite trying all possible name combinations, date of birth, and listed aliases, no information was available. The WSB's human resources were unable to find the candidate's employment information.

Undeterred, BackCheck's employment verifications personnel performed an internet search on the listed employer's contact information, hoping to find a separate office to call. However, this search revealed a classified ad for the sale of a truck, including the candidate's home address and contact information, not a WSB worksite.

The candidate had clearly lied about having worked at the WSB, and simply hoped that providing any information would be sufficient for passing the company's employment history check.

Misinformation is prevalent in the employment market, and untruthful candidates continue to find a means to trick susceptible employers into hiring them under false pretext. BackCheck's experienced and diligent staff are expert at discovering falsehoods and protecting employers from would be frauds. Do you know who you're hiring?

Winnipeg Limits Criminal Record Check Counter to Deal with Backlog

2010-06-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Winnipeg Police Service has decided to close its background checking services on Fridays to deal with a backlog of requests. As of June 4, the service will be available only four days a week. No mention was made of when this hiatus will be at an end.

Summer is the time to get outdoors, and as children head off to summer camps, sports camps, and other summer activities, volunteer criminal record checking is in high gear. It is no big surprise then that the WPS needs to deal with the backlog.

Yet there is a simple alternative which many never consider. myBackCheck offers an electronic screening process, which volunteers and others seeking a police clearance can complete from their homes in their own time.

In association with police departments across Canada, myBackCheck is able to provide a 24 hour turn-around-time on criminal record checks, and has the capacity to avoid backlogs while processing all screening requests.

BackCheck is Canada’s largest pre-employment screening provider, working in conjunction with Canada’s police departments to process criminal record checks for employers, volunteer groups, and non-profit organizations.

NYC Sex Offenders Worked in Public Schools

2010-06-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

During the last decade, New York City's Public Schools unwittingly employed convicted sex offenders as public high school sports referees.

The information came out as an employee recognized a school's referee as being on the national sex offenders registry, available to the public in the US. While the coach was fired after his criminal history was made public, his ability to continue to work with young persons despite his past conviction is disturbing.

The US Public School Athletic League implemented a national policy of background checking in 2008, however New York state was exempted due to a prior agreement on background checking. The Public School Athletic League fingerprint checks have since been implemented in New York state, and fingerprinting of all current referees and officials began in earnest early last year.

The protection of youths in school is as simple as implementing a background checking policy. The cost of such a policy is a worthwhile insurance against hiring staff which can leave an organization liable of negligence. BackCheck is Canada's leader in pre-employment screening, with over a decade of experience and the best customer service in the industry. Do you know who you're hiring?

Embezzlement Discovered at AADAC

2010-05-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

An Edmonton man has been arrested after embezzling an estimated $634,000 from the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. Over a decade ago, the man was hired despite numerous lies. He falsely claimed to have a social work degree, and failed to mention a criminal record.

Recently arrested for counselling children using his faked social work degree, the man had created a fake doctor's note in the event that jail-time would keep him away from the office. He claimed to be suffering from bowel cancer, however that was just another lie.

During his ten years at the AADAC, he was able to climb the ladder, eventually pulling in a six figure salary, despite only ever having completed a high school diploma. While the AADAC had begun a background check on him, the check was never completed.

Sadly these kinds of stories are not unique in Canada. Employee embezzlement is a serious problem which can risk the stability of an organization. As past offenders are more likely to repeat their mistakes, precluding such people from the workplace is a sensible policy.

Without performing checks on employment candidates, the histories of job candidates cannot be known to the hiring body. Fore-knowledge of criminal history, employment history, and educational history will help defend an organization against being defrauded.

BackCheck is Canada's leader in pre-employment background screening. With over a decade of experience in the industry, our clients rely on our speed and professionalism to deliver the results needed to protect their organizations. Do you know who you're hiring?

Volunteer Organizations Do More Than Just Criminal Record Checks

2010-04-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Volunteering is a large part of the Canadian identity. In 2004, 45% of the Canadian population volunteered their time to charities and other non-profit organizations. To protect Canada's youth and vulnerable people, the screening of volunteers has become increasingly commonplace, and is continually being implemented across volunteer organizations of all sorts.

Responding to recent news about pardons granted to past offenders, Volunteer Ottawa has explained that it does not believe that criminal background checks alone are not sufficient in meeting the needs of a safe screening program. As information about past convictions may be hidden due to pardons, it is best to conduct interviews in conjunction with criminal checks to determine the potential volunteer's benefit to the organization.

However interviews with the volunteer could still be misleading. Contacting past volunteer organizations would likely be more productive. Reference interviews are a simple and effective way of learning about a volunteer's aptitude, teamwork, and enthusiasm. They reveal much about the volunteer, including any potential problems which might not come across in an interview.

BackCheck works in conjunction with numerous volunteer and non-profit groups across Canada to help ensure their security and well-being. Our experience and professionalism have helped make us Canada's leader in background checking. Click here to see a list of non-profit-organization sectors we service.

Supply Chain Security - The Importance of Screening Vendors

2010-04-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

Screening new employees is a sound practice, and one that continues to serve numerous industries across Canada in reducing the number of poor hires, and increasing rates of employee retention.

However it is important to note that corporate security extends beyond the scope of new hires. Many organizations contract out their cleaning services, IT, maintenance, and other essential services. Contracted employees are not necessarily screened by the client’s human resources department, and in some cases personnel may not have been screened.

As such, it is possible that even within secure environments, there are unscreened employees who can potentially put the company at risk. An investigative report conducted by HireRight, a US based screening provider, concluded that vendor employees are 92% more likely to have a criminal record than permanent employees.

BackCheck recommends vendors to implement pre-employment screening as a measure of providing security to their clients. With personnel contracted out to numerous organizations, vendors have access to places which are restricted to others.

As part of an effective screening policy, companies contracting vendor services should request that their personnel have been cleared, and the information made available.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening, and provides vendor screening services for numerous companies with staff granted access to company properties and private residences. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Agreement in Principle Reached with RCMP Regarding Criminal Record Checks

2010-04-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

The National Association of Professional Background Screeners, Canada (NAPBS – Canada) is pleased to advise that the RCMP are successfully moving forward recommendations and agreements in principle, that should make it easier for Canadians to obtain and share information relating to their criminal histories. The recommendations and agreements in principle were contemplated and put forth in Ottawa at the January Public Safety working group, which was comprised of Federal, Provincial and Territorial public safety representatives.

Criminal record checks have become commonplace in Canada, for both employment and volunteer positions. This ensures that companies and voluntary organizations can protect themselves from people who might pose an undue risk. It also ensures that Canadians, who may have offended in the past, can obtain jobs in order to rehabilitate themselves.

These agreements in principle will address the current inability to obtain the details of criminal records.

At present, if a criminal record exists, the details are not released other than to say a record may exist, and then fingerprints must be obtained to facilitate the release of any details. This is a problem as it can take as long as 120 days to obtain the results of fingerprints. The new process, called “Confirmation of Declaration” will allow anyone having their criminal record checked to disclose their criminal record, and police services will then be permitted to confirm if the disclosure matches the record on file for that name and date of birth. Any discrepancy will have to be resolved via fingerprint submission. This allows applicants to disclose the results of their records so that employers can hire them quickly, provided that their records are not such that they would pose an undue risk. Dave Dinesen, Chair, Government Relations Committee of NAPBS, and President of BackCheck, a large pre-employment screening organization, says that this change will be an improvement over the current situation and will allow employers and voluntary organizations to make hiring decisions in a timely manner.

The working group’s proposals, which have been agreed to in principle with the RCMP, will also address the current inability to conduct Vulnerable Sector Searches (VSS).
VSS are conducted when the person will be working with children, the elderly, the disabled or other vulnerable persons. For these types of searches an additional check of the pardoned sex offender database is also conducted as well as a search of local police indices and other appropriate CPIC checks, if possible. To facilitate this process, the RCMP has also agreed in principle to a proposal called “Virtual Front Counter” that utilizes a technology interface to gather and disseminate such information between all parties. This technology solution is important as currently VSS searches can only be conducted through local police departments, which creates compliance problems for national organizations. It also creates risks as applicants are currently provided with a copy of their record in a paper format which means that there is an opportunity for forgery prior to the record being provided to the employing organizations. Dave Dinesen says that if these proposals are fully rolled out, it will allow the VSS organizations to obtain the information they need to make an informed decision in a timely manner with less risk of fraud, and permit third parties to participate in these transactions in a manner that is compliant with the Criminal Records Act.

“We are delighted with the progress made with the RCMP” continued Mr. Dinesen. “The RCMP have moved quickly over the past few months to work with stakeholders to develop compliant solutions to help organizations conduct these searches quickly and conveniently. We understand that while there are some finishing touches to be done, the changes that have been agreed upon in principle are targeted to be rolled out by the end of April, 2010, and an official RCMP communiqué will be supplied to police services across Canada. This will allow employers to make hiring decisions and put Canadians to work. It will also allow volunteers to get involved in their local communities, be it in their churches, sport organizations, or their children’s schools. It is important to note that we all have a stake in coming up with the right solutions to these problems. We need to ensure that the vast majority of Canadians can gain employment and volunteer in their communities while keeping those few who would do harm from being put into positions where they can do it.”

For a downloadable version: PDF

Ex-Hockey Coach Pardoned For Sexual Assault

2010-04-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

As Canada’s favourite sport, hockey holds a sacred place in our hearts. Every year millions of youth hit the ice to have their fun, and for every team out there, is a coach. It is not surprising, then, to see so many Canadians upset about the news of a former coach’s pardoned for sexually abusing two of his players ten years ago.

A pardon is meant as a means of allowing those with criminal histories to reintegrate with society, and encourage them to follow the rule of law. Though a sex offender’s criminal record will raise red flags if the offender applies to work with vulnerable persons, a pardon will hide the record from a typical CPIC database search.

This highlights the problem of depending solely on a criminal record check for information on a hiring candidate. Such a check is a useful tool, but it is best served as a precursor to a more detailed history of a candidate.

Reference interviews, credit checks, employment verifications, or detailed inspection of the candidate’s resume can all further contribute to the information gathered. Using these services in conjunction with a criminal check increases the likelihood of an undesirable history being found, and avoiding a hiring mistake.

Of these services, reference interviews have the highest red flag incidence at 35%. In the interview process, red flags are typically found due to poor work performance, reports of absenteeism, and fraudulent resume claims, among other sources.

While the frustration of having a sex offender’s record hidden in the CPIC database is understandable, it is important to bear in mind that no in-depth background check can be completed with a criminal record check alone.

BackCheck leads the field in Canada’s pre-employment background service industry. Our commitment to quality and professionalism is unparalleled, and our service unmatched. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Notable Trends in Background Checks

2010-04-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

More companies than ever before are conducting pre-employment background checks. The reason is obvious – no one wants to hire unsuitable employees. But the benefits of background checks are even more significant than they were just a few years ago.

There are several explanations for the increased benefits:

1) As more companies conduct thorough background checks, the good candidates become scarcer, and the risk of hiring an unqualified or unsavoury character become even greater, which increases the value of a thorough screening process, and increases the risk of haphazard processes or failures to screen.

2) During the recession, BackCheck screened over half a million Canadians – and our “Red Flag” rate was higher by an order of magnitude. Up to 25-50% higher depending on the industry. In a tough job market, it seems more candidates succumbed to the temptation to overstate their qualifications and backgrounds.

3) Over the past decade, BackCheck has contacted well over a hundred thousand different employers and literally every education institution in Canada – multiple times. We’ve built a database and process around these relationships, and because our name and service are now well known, organizations are quick to respond to our requests for information. This lets us get the job done quickly, and with high completion rates. A competitive advantage for our customers indeed.

At BackCheck we use 3 words to further capture our value proposition: People, Process, and Technology. We have combined and invested in all three in order to bring a focused expertise that ensures our customers continue to receive the best background checking service in Canada, and to assure you that we will be here for the long haul.

Who you select to conduct your background checks matters, and in tough times, it is even more important. Any outsourcing partner must be secure – financially, physically, and technologically.

On a personal note, I would like to thank all of our BackCheck customers for their continued support and faith in us. We continue to reinvest in order to ensure that BackCheck remains Canada’s leading and largest background checking company…so you can “Know Who You’re Hiring”.

Making the Case for Pre-Employment Screening

2010-03-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Dave Dinesen, President & CEO of BackCheck, was featured on workplace.ca AskTheExpert. He was asked: "What are the benefits of conducting background checks for job candidates? Is it worth it to hire a third party organization?"

His response is below or read the response here: Workplace.ca - AskTheExpert

In June 2009, Bryan Tickell, a BC public trustee case worker was sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding elderly clients by convincing them to sign over their assets to him. Tickell pled guilty to a number of charges, including defrauding a mentally incompetent client by acquiring her property for $1 and then selling it for $1 million, and defrauding another elderly client by naming himself a beneficiary of his $1.3 million estate. Fortunately, a fellow case worker was assigned to review one of Tickell’s cases and uncovered his criminal behavior. As a result, Tickell did not benefit financially from his fraudulent behavior, but the Public Guardian’s office had to spend over $1 million in accounting and legal fees in an effort to “clean up the mess”.

This situation could have easily been prevented if the BC Public Guardian & Trustee’s Office had conducted a thorough pre-employment background check prior to employing Tickell. According to the Vancouver Sun, Tickell falsely claimed completion of two university degrees on his resume as well as providing fake job references in order to gain employment. A background check that included education verifications and professional reference interviews would have uncovered Tickell’s deceit, and an honest and qualified candidate could have been employed in his place.

While this case demonstrates the importance of conducting background checks for positions that involve handling funds or interacting with the vulnerable sector, it is imperative that employers realize the importance of screening for all positions. Today’s job market is extremely competitive: it is estimated that 100,000 Canadian jobs were lost when the recession began, resulting in candidates from all sectors going to great lengths to increase their employability. It is becoming increasingly common to find candidates who make fraudulent claims on their resumes, forge university degrees, and hide their criminal records. According to a recent study conducted by BackCheck, an organization that conducts pre-employment screening, hiring managers across the country have seen a stark rise in the number of red flags revealed in their applicants’ background checks. A prominent company in the healthcare industry saw a staggering 314% increase in the number of red flags raised in association with reference interviews and employment verifications, while the telecommunications industry saw the rate of applicants possessing a criminal record increase by 42%.

These numbers cannot be ignored, as they exemplify the need for thorough screening of candidates. As demonstrated in the Tickell case, the repercussions of hiring a dishonest candidate stretch far beyond the cost of turnover and internal theft. An uninformed hiring decision can cause severe damage to an organization’s reputation, as well as result in potential legal consequences. During the economic downturn, many Canadian companies are protecting themselves by outsourcing their HR-related services to companies such as BackCheck that specialize in pre-employment screening. Due to economies of scale, these third parties are able to offer a complete background check (including a criminal record check, employment and education verifications, credit bureau inquiry, and reference interviews) for much less than it would cost a company to conduct these checks on their own – and this is just one of the many advantages of outsourcing.

The benefits of third party pre-employment checks are substantial, and include a decrease in the costs associated with turnover and employee theft, a safer work environment, protection from negligent hiring litigation, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your applicants are who they claim to be. As shown in the Tickell case, deceitful candidates are often difficult to spot, however even the most charming candidate can’t beat a background check.

Background Checking Statistics

2010-03-22T12:05:00.001-07:00

DAWSON HOVEY, TOP RANKING RCMP ALUMN, JOINS CANADA’S LARGEST BACKGROUND CHECKING COMPANY, BACKCHECK

2010-03-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

BackCheck announced today the appointment of Dawson Hovey as Account Executive Vice President for the Ottawa Region. In this role he will be creating and furthering existing client relations with Human Resources and Security Professionals in the three levels of government and the private sector.

Mr. Hovey brings a wealth of investigating and management experience to this role including serving for 34 years in the RCMP in senior executive, management, and operational capacities. He has directed complex and sensitive criminal and security investigations and built effective alliances and partnerships among government, policing and private sectors, nationally and internationally. Mr. Hovey has also served as Vice President, Operations for BMCI Investigations & Security Ltd., and Director, Security and Special Projects, SAIC Canada. He has successfully carried out a number of major, strategic assignments for internationally recognized Fortune 500 companies as well as for public sector organizations across the spectrum of government.

In the words of Dave Dinesen, BackCheck Founder and CEO: “BackCheck is pleased to welcome Dawson Hovey to our team. His background and experience of both the highest levels of the RCMP and addressing highly complex security challenges provides BackCheck and our customers a wealth of resource. BackCheck’s commitment to excellence in every respect is only underlined by the addition of Dawson to the BackCheck family.”

“I am very proud to be joining the ranks of BackCheck, a true Canadian success story!” said Mr. Hovey. “I look forward to working with this stellar team in providing the superior background screening services Canadian corporations and clients have come to rely on and trust. BackCheck’s proven track record, outstanding employees and cutting edge technology make it the first class operation it is today.”

Mr. Hovey holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa.

About BackCheck
BackCheck, a division of Checkwell Decision Corporation, was founded in 1997 and specializes in pre-employment background checks, including Criminal Record Checks, Credit Bureau Inquiries, Reference Checks, Employment and Education Verifications, and Driver Abstracts. BackCheck is Canada’s largest and leading provider of pre-employment screening, conducting checks on a global basis, for over 5,000 organizations based in North America, Europe, and the UK.

Delta Municipality Besmirched by Bad Hire

2010-03-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

A man hired to work for BC's Delta municipality engineering department in 2001 is facing charges of child-pornography. The story, broken by The Province, details the man’s history with the municipality, with an original posting in the City of Surrey as a development engineer.

When he was hired, Delta had not yet implemented a background screening policy for new candidates. Information regarding his past may have caused them to choose their candidate differently, as a criminal background check would have revealed the man’s three year incarceration in 1995 for a guilty plea to nine sexual assaults.

In 2004, the municipality of Delta implemented a pre-employment screening program which has served to keep future applicants from concealing a criminal record. Yet while the municipality has taken steps to protect itself from such hiring liabilities, it is responsible for the hiring actions taken prior to 2004.

Delta may have avoided such disrepute had they been more aggressive with their background checks, asking their employees to submit to them. While this is a sensitive issue among current employees, a hiring body has the right to know who is working for it, even if that body does not intend to act on the knowledge.

As a tax funded entity, the municipality has a responsibility to the tax payers to use their money in the most effective manner possible. The turn-over costs for this man’s absence from work and subsequent replacement are far greater than any costs which would have been incurred from a criminal background check.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening. With over a decade in background checking experience, we aid in protecting municipalities across Canada from candidates with unfavourable histories. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Check Your Criminal Record Prior To Applying for a Pardon

2010-03-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

The growing need for criminal background checks in Canada has caused an increasing demand for criminal pardons. There are a number of private agencies which help clients to receive a pardon, so that they needn’t worry about not passing a criminal record check.

There are some, however, who pay the fees for pardon even though they don’t have a criminal record to have pardoned. For anyone looking into getting a pardons from the RCMP would be well served by completing a background check on themselves first to be sure it is necessary.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening services. With our electronic myBackCheck platform, anyone can complete their own background check from the privacy of their home, and on their own time. This is a convenient alternative to having to present yourself at a local police department during business hours to receive the same service.

Reference Check Red Flag Rate Continues to Rise

2010-03-02T13:42:00.000-08:00

When the red flag rate for reference checks nearly doubled in September 2008, there was no big surprise. The global recession had caused a stir, and candidates were desperately seeking ways to gain employment.

The larger surprise has been to see that rate not only keep apace, but continue to rise. With more than a year gone since the start of the recession, background checking statistics should have had a chance to return to lower red flag levels.

This has been the case with BackCheck’s other popular services: criminal record checks, education verifications, and credit verifications. In fact, these three services have not only returned to pre-recession levels, but have each even slipped slightly further.

Reference checks have been the only service to consistently increase, rising rapidly from 22% to 31% (during 2008), and then slowly to 35% (over the course of 2009); an overall increase of 65%. Presently, one in three reference checks returns red flagged.

The reasons behind this increase are unclear, however it may be that though the economy is recovering, applicants are still struggling in their search for employment. Desperation can lead anyone to do things they may otherwise never consider.

Employers need to be aware of the high red-flag trend in employment verifications so they may remain vigilant of employees willing to bend their morals to meet their ends. These are employees who could in the future be a detriment to an organization, bringing with them hidden liabilities.

BackCheck is committed to making the workplace a positive and successful environment across Canada. As Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening, our goal is to ensure the right candidate is hired for the position, that a candidate’s history is well known, and that there are no surprises in store for the cautious employer.

Reference Checks: An Employer’s Safety Net

2010-02-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

As Canada’s leader in background checks, BackCheck completes over 1 million background checks annually, keeping clients safe and happy. While separate industries have a wide variety of candidates, one disturbing trend cannot be avoided: poor employment histories.

Reference interviews and employment verifications are strong indicators of a candidate’s work history. It may be surprising to find that approximately one in three reference verifications come back as ‘Not Clear’. The following is a recent account of a falsehood one of our clients was able to avoid.

A client called in to perform a check on a hiring prospect, someone who they had earmarked as their number-one candidate. BackCheck got to work gathering the necessary information, only to have the client inform us that the candidate had unexpectedly withdrawn their application. The client was perplexed, not knowing the cause of the candidate’s sudden change of mind.

BackCheck’s report soon cleared things up; the candidate had falsified a reference. Having completed an employment verification as well as a reference interview within the same company, the falsehood was evident. Though the reference claimed that the candidate was a current employee, human resources confirmed that the candidate had left the company years before.

The candidate, having realized that their false reference did not live up to expectations, withdrew before giving the client a chance to reveal the fraud. Without the information gathered through BackCheck’s services, it is very likely that our client would have hired this candidate.

While not all cases of ‘Not Clear’ reference verifications involve such devious behaviour, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Lacking definitive information about an employment candidate, it is easy to make a costly hiring mistake.

BackCheck’s suite of services provide a complete picture of your candidate’s employment history. Our professional and comprehensive service provides Canada’s best protection against costly hiring decisions.

Top 5 Best Practices in Pre-Employment Screening

2010-02-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

1) Criminal Record Checks should be conducted on all potential hires through a provider that can deliver forgery-proof results. 12% of the Canadian population has a criminal record, and with today’s technology it is becoming increasingly difficult to spot a forged document.

2) References are best conducted through an unbiased, third party. Based on 2009 industry statistics, 30% of applicants have a red flag in their references; during the recent economic downturn some industries experienced up to 70% more red flags revealed in their applicants’ references.

3) A screening program should utilize multiple screening tools. Employers whose pre-employment screening includes criminal record and reference checks, education and employment verifications, plus a credit bureau inquiry and identity cross-check experience 1/3 less ‘bad hires’.

4) Data should be stored in Canada and be compliant with all relevant privacy legislation -- data that is stored in the US is subject to the US PatriotACT, and is not PIPEDA compliant.

5) Pre-Employment Screening programs should be outsourced to a service provider who specializes in this area. Outsourcing will reduce turnaround times, increase completion rates, and reduce the costs associated with ‘bad hires’.

BackCheck is Canada’s largest and leading provider of pre-employment background checks. Our people, process and technology are world-class, and we have set the benchmark for background checks with our Complete BackCheck package. To learn more, please visit backcheck.net.

Corporate Infrastructure Could Help Ministry Checks

2010-02-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development is working towards improving the "Child in the Home of a Relative” program by expanding the benefits available to children’s custodians and providing greater security measures.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C. Children and Youth Representative, has had concerns in the past over the placement of children in the program. The ministry is hoping to further incorporate criminal background checks into the placement program to ensure greater security for the children placed with family members.

Information obtained through background-checks is an invaluable tool in protecting the province’s children. The key to a strong background checking program is consistency, and to be able to both track and audit the program’s effectiveness.

The corporate community has developed effective systems to manage the relationships between applicants for positions and the screening processes that those positions require. These systems facilitate the management of applicant information and deliver effective results.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening solutions. For more than a decade our company has been developing the infrastructure necessary to address the needs of the nation’s background checking sector. Our productivity and professionalism have gained us the confidence of numerous industry sectors across Canada, benefiting their organizations and creating lasting partnerships.

Nova Scotia P3 School Contractors Fail to Deliver Criminal Record Checks

2010-02-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

A report released by Nova Scotia’s provincial auditor general has highlighted a serious mismanagement of funds and a waste of taxpayer money within the P3 schools. Among the problems revealed was a failure for developers to complete criminal record checks on potential staff.

Out of 40 staff, 19 were able to begin working with children prior to the completion of their criminal background checks. This has left parents in the district at a loss, and their sense of security now gone.

This oversight points to a lack of a set process where steps are methodically carried through and lead to results. Infrastructure which focuses on completing this process is a necessity within larger organizations, where priorities can be shifted and important tasks delayed.

The safety of school children is not something to be taken for granted. Criminal background checks go a long way to providing a secure environment where students can gain an education.

Consistency needs to be a central focus in the implementation of a criminal background screening program, and should be a focus of attention as the school district works towards a viable pre-employment screening program.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution provides a sound example of the kind of consistency which is needed in the P3 schools. Our service provides a twenty-four hour turn-around-time on criminal record checks, and upholds this standard for thousands of clients across Canada.

False Employment Verification Found Out

2010-02-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hiring managers often request employment verifications as a cost effective means of learning about a candidate’s employment history. This information is quicker to acquire than reference interviews, though does not provide the same amount of detail.

Recently, a client requested that BackCheck verify the past employment of one of their candidates. Having previously contacted this company, BackCheck had an established contact, yet after more than a week of calls, no reply was received.

We informed the client that the information was unavailable, but should we receive a response, we would inform them right away. The client suggested that the candidate might have a different contact number for us to verify with. The employment verification was then completed with the new contact for the company, and the client was pleased with the progress.

Later that week, a different client requested an employment verification of the same company. As we had established a new contact, our agents called him again, only to find that he was rather surprised that we were calling. The man on the phone said that his computer system was down, and was unable to verify any information. Odd as it seemed, the agent decided to try again later in the day.

However before the opportunity arose, our original contact at the company returned our calls about the previous candidate, apologetic about the time delay owing to a heavy workload. He provided the information on the second candidate, yet when we asked him to verify our new contact at his company, he informed us that there was no one else. He was the only person who worked on employment verifications.

BackCheck decided to verify the records of the original candidate, but there were no such records. That candidate had never been with the company, and the contact provided by the candidate was a fraud. BackCheck immediately contacted the client to bring them up to date, who then requested proof of employment from the candidate. He eventually walked away from the job offer.

The importance of having established contacts within an organization cannot be overlooked. Some candidates will stop at nothing to make themselves seem more appealing in order to find employment. Fabricated employment histories and complicit accomplices are not uncommon in today’s hiring pool. BackCheck’s fastidious employment verifications provide valuable information which protects your company’s future. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Man Arrested On Forged Background Check

2010-01-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

A man in Oakland, Nova Scotia was placed under arrest last week for forging his criminal background check in order to obtain gainful employment. The 38-year-old man used a copy of his mother’s completed background check to create a blank slate to use for his own employment prospects.

This was not the first time that the man had forged a criminal record check to get himself hired, and he admitted that he did not expect to face criminal charges if he was ever found out. The man used the forged document to hide 19 previous convictions, including a stay in a federal jail.

Employers need to be aware of the ease of forging paper documents. Today’s technology has opened the door to easy forgeries, and there is no way of verifying the information on a printed document short of asking the candidate to provide a new background check.

Technology also offers the solution to the problem of criminal record check forgery. Leading third-party pre-employment screening providers use secure online forgery-proof delivery, thereby removing the ability for candidates to manipulate a paper document.

BackCheck’s industry leading information web-access platform provides bank-level-security, and allows clients to track the progress of their candidate’s files; tracing the information to the source, and eliminating the possibility of forged documents. This is a potent tool in a technological age, taking information out of the reach of devious candidates who would otherwise be able to manipulate it, and apply for employment under a false pretence.

As police department certificates do not share a uniform format across Canada, it is up to the employer to decide whether a paper document is the genuine article. BackCheck’s online solution amalgamates this information, allowing electronic access to clear and concise information which will not leave the client guessing at its authenticity. Our experience with foiling forged documents extends beyond criminal record checks, as BackCheck has encountered hundreds of educational forgeries such as makeshift documents and diploma mills.

This pre-employment screening solution is simple, quick, effective, and auditable, eliminating both the need for paper record management and the fear of forged documents. Clients can access candidate files at any time, and our personnel are available around the clock to answer any questions or provide expertise about the criminal background checks. Sound risk management begins with sound hiring choices, and that can only be based on sound information.

Pre-Employment Background Checks: Saving More Than Your Company’s Money

2010-01-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

It is estimated that 80% of HR professionals in the US conduct criminal background checks before hiring new employees. Unfortunately many companies in Canada are not in the practice of verifying job candidate history, and one of the deterrents is cost.

While large and public corporations have realized the benefits of a sound risk management policy, many other organizations are yet reticent to invest into their employees’ futures. Though we may not want to believe it, all companies are at risk of making poor hiring decisions, and paying for the mistake with more than just their money. Image, brand, and the confidence of clients are all liable to be forfeit should your company chance to hire a candidate of disrepute.

The Canadian Security Magazine recently published an article regarding the costs of hiring the wrong personnel. A contractor discovered too late that his bookkeeper had been stealing from his company for two years to fuel a gambling habit. The habit was known to her former employer, but the contractor did not have the resources to contact them at the time of her hire. After her dismissal, he was left in the awkward position of having to call his clients to ask them if they had paid his invoices. The books were in disarray, and his reputation was irreparably damaged.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution provides affordable and reliable background checks to organizations of any size, helping to ensure the safe hiring of new employees. A sound risk management policy ensures the security of your hiring pool, while increasing employee retention rates at the same time.

Business Level Employee Screening Best-Practices Need to be Applied to Government Jobs

2010-01-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

The last time he completed a criminal background check was in 2005. Three years later, in 2008, he used the same criminal background check to procure a position as a night relief-worker at a Richmond care home for mentally challenged minors run by the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The man was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy at the home in December 2009.

That a criminal background check can remain valid with the Ministry of Children and Family Development for five years is a travesty. Most of our clients renew their background checks annually, and some more frequently than that. For workers employed to help vulnerable people, an especially stringent screening process is pivotal to avoiding the hurt and shame which comes with hiring abusive staff.

Yet the ministry’s policies are not intended to give them power over auditing the process or maintaining the records of those who work in their facilities. Rather, contractors are responsible for making sure that staff have their criminal records checked once every five years, only two times for every decade. Should any red flags appear in these criminal checks, contractors are asked to report them verbally to the ministry.

This policy has led to a fragmented system with little to no accountability, and fears that there are large gaps in the security provided to the vulnerable people being helped by the ministry. The largest impediment to a more secure environment is the lack of a central, effective, auditable, and expedient pre-employment screening program which would allow for hiring managers to gain information first hand about the potential problems with their contracted candidates. Leaving the responsibility in the hands of the contractors themselves will continue to put the ministry at risk of being under-informed.

This is not to say that the ministry needs to assume the costs of those background checks. Yet they would be well served to establish a risk mitigation policy by which contractors must submit to a third party provider for their background checks. Such a provider would give the power of information directly to the ministry, while the cost was still borne by the contractors seeking the work.

Such a model has been very effective in other fields where contractors and vendors previously managed their own criminal background records. On the part of the central body, the ease of access to information marked an immeasurable improvement; whereas on the part of the contractors, both the accountability for and time spent on managing the records were eliminated.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development should give serious thought to altering their policies and bringing on a third-party provider capable of meeting the task at hand.

BackCheck is Canada’s largest pre-employment screening provider, with over ten years of experience in the field. Our bank-level security web-based client platform provides valuable up-to-date information to our customers all cross Canada. Do you know who you’re hiring?

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BC Counsellor Under Arrest For Fraud

2010-01-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

A 31-year-old resident of Victoria BC is under arrest after the discovery that the man has been volunteering for the Saanich Police Department under false pretence. Claiming two doctorate degrees in forensic and behavioural sciences and medical epidemiology, the man has been with the force for the past two and a half years, working as a reserve constable.

In August 2009, he was asked to work on a child abuse case which resulted in a sworn affidavit delivered to the court and a recommendation that the child be removed from the father’s custody. The father, having never had his day in court, is now trying to have the decision overturned as the affidavit was produced by a man with a false doctorate.

Arrested December 31st 2009 for uttering forged documents, the man will be tried later in January, and all cases he has been in are under review. The costs associated with his fraud will continue to mount as the extent of his actions come to light.

The one-time cost of checking his credentials would have paled in comparison to the damage inflicted by this man’s forged degrees. However neither the police force nor the hospital where he was employed found cause to verify his degrees. The man was fond of boasting about his degrees, had two doctorates framed in his office, and the extensive resume he used to obtain his position as reserve constable listed six universities. Among them were the Yale School of Medicine and Smith College, an American all women’s school which accepts about 100 male and female graduate students every year.

Government agencies are publicly funded. They need to take precautions with who they appoint to positions of authority. Forged documents are nothing new. According to our 2009 statistics, approximately 10% of all candidates in Canada lie about their credentials. An inexpensive and speedy credential check would have avoided the cost and embarrassment of having to revisit the decisions rendered during the time he has volunteered with the Saanich Police Department.

A third party pre-employment screening service is a cost effective means of reducing risk to any organization. Government organizations have the responsibility of using tax payer money effectively to society’s benefit. Those tax payer dollars would be better protected if credentials were checked through a thorough and auditable background check, and diploma fraud was put to an end.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in background checking, routinely performing thousands of credential checks and protecting Canada’s organizations from the effects of fraud. This case is a solid reminder that fraud can enter into any organization heedless of risk management practices, and government sectors should do everything in their power to avoid such a recurrence in the future.

Manitoba Court: Criminal Record Check Not Discrimination

2009-12-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

Manitoba’s first look at the human rights considerations of conducting criminal record checks has been heard. An employee at a senior’s housing complex who was let go because of his criminal record had claimed the right to retain employment.

A new requirement for caretakers to complete criminal background checks led to the dismissal of one staff member. Claiming discrimination, the man sought legal justice for his false dismissal. This was the first time in the province of Manitoba that a criminal record check has been challenged as a human rights abuse.

However, the adjudicator did not rule in his favour, as the termination was not discriminatory. The housing complex had the right to ensure that there was no risk to their tenant’s safety. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the former employee’s performance was sub-standard, and his termination was warranted.

This was an important step in the right direction. Employers need to maintain the right to protect their clients from risk. Had a decision been rendered in support of the former employee, the courts of Manitoba could well have been inundated with similar cases claiming precedence, potentially denying employers of their right to know who they hire.

As Canada’s leader in providing background checks, BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution provides a sound risk mitigation strategy to companies throughout Canada’s provinces. Organizations have a right to know who they are bringing on board, so their clients can continue to trust in the quality of services provided.

BC Government Employee Commits Identity Fraud

2009-12-18T15:52:00.000-08:00

A man was recently fired from his post at the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development after being found out for a fraud. The man was discovered to hold multiple identities, one of which he used to obtain employment with the BC Government in 2007.

The fraud was discovered when the man went to get his drivers license renewed. His image was checked against other license holders in the database, and his pseudonym was revealed.

Convicted of theft, unauthorized use of a credit card, possession and use of counterfeit money, and two counts of possession of stolen property in 2005, the man was given an 18 month conditional release. He applied to a position with the BC Government in 2007, and was hired despite his fraudulent past.

In April 2009, the RCMP raided his house as part of a fraud investigation and found the personal records of 1400 income-assistance clients from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development. These records included names, dates of birth, social insurance numbers and other sensitive information.

The RCMP has been unable to prove inappropriate use of the files at the man’s house, and consequently have not charged him with any offense. Yet when considering his criminal past, this man should never have had access to these files.

The BC Government has declined to comment on their pre-employment screening policy, yet this privacy breach has highlighted the flaws in the system. A background check would have revealed this employee’s fake identity, and made him ineligible to work for the government.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution is implemented with numerous government agencies, expediting the hiring of judicious employees. Our extensive range of background checking services are essential to hiring sound employees. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Hockey Coach Alleged of Sexual Misconduct

2009-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

A Hockey Calgary coach has stepped down after allegations of sexual misconduct have come to light. A 15-year-old female player has come forward saying that she was abused. The coach had previously volunteered for a few years before leaving the game, only to return this year.

On the week of November 9th, an incident of a sexually charged nature allegedly occurred between him and the player, away from the rink. The girl’s parents lodged a complaint with the police. The man will not reveal where the events occurred.

It is because of these tragic events that background checks are carried out in the volunteer sector, if not to catch potential abusers, then to deter them with the threat of vigilance. Many hockey associations and other youth organizations across Canada currently perform background checks on their volunteers for just this purpose, to safeguard the children.

Hockey Calgary does not have a policy for performing background checks on their volunteers. It is up to the individual city hockey organizations to decide whether or not to screen their volunteers. Mandatory volunteer checks are being considered as an option, but it is unclear if such a measure will be implemented.

For the time being, Hockey Calgary is assuring parents that they needn’t worry about the welfare of their children. Trust is put in Respect In Sport, a mandatory three hour online course implemented by Sport Manitoba which helps coaches to identify and deal with abuse, bullying and harassment. No mention is made of abusive coaches.

While Hockey Canada is looking into a mandatory screening program for coaches throughout the nation, it will likely take a legal impetus to force their hand. Sports associations need to take action on player abuse, in order to maintain confidence in the safety of their programs.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening, helping such organizations as BC Hockey and Sport 4 Ontario. Our background checking solution is a positive force in an organizations’ vigilance against abusive volunteers. This is the kind of action needed for Hockey Calgary.

Beware of Educational Forgeries

2009-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

Irresponsible candidates are increasingly misrepresenting themselves in Canada’s hiring pool, with educational falsehoods increasing by 26% from 2008 to 2009. The following is one example caught by the BackCheck team.

A recent candidate screened by BackCheck submitted to an educational verification. The applicant claimed to have completed a one-year college certificate in 2003. However, when the school was contacted, the claim was not verified. The candidate’s name and year of attendance were in the records, however they showed that the person in question had only ever started the certificate, and had not brought it to completion.

This discrepancy was reported to the client, who spoke with the candidate in question. Yet the candidate asserted that they had completed the certificate, and provided a copy of their transcript taken as a screenshot of the webpage.

With this new information, BackCheck contacted the school again to inquire further, and verify no mistake was made. The date of birth, student number and date of attendance were all verified, and the school double checked both electronic and archived paper records to be sure. The candidate had not graduated, and the school verified that while the candidate had registered in the proper courses, not all were completed. Upon mention of the transcript, the school informed BackCheck that access to online records was restricted to one year after leaving the school. It was not possible that the candidate had access to them anymore.

With all of this information, it became evident that the candidate forged the screenshot by altering vital information. The client was very thankful that this had been found out, as they were able to avoid hiring a dishonest employee.
Companies need to be wary of this behaviour in the hiring market, as it is more common than one might think. According to our 2009 statistics, approximately 10% of candidates checked lie about their education, and the number is increasing. Hiring a candidate of poor moral fibre can be detrimental to a company, as it means a more suitable candidate was overlooked.

BackCheck screens one million candidates across Canada every year, and our large client base is a testament to our fast and efficient results. Cases such as this one highlight the utility of a third party background checking partner, as verifying the facts can become a time consuming endeavour. As Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening services, we are ready to serve your needs. Do you know who you’re hiring?

Should B.C. Nightclubs Run Criminal Checks on Their Staff?

2009-11-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

In 2006 a young man went out clubbing in Nanaimo. He instigated a fight, was subdued, and after he was thrown out, he died. It was a tragic accident, one brought about by the excessive use of force. The others involved in the incident have since been cleared from charges, but the question remains, how can someone be killed at a nightclub brawl?

A recent story in Canada.com reports on this incident’s outcome, revealing that the province of B.C. has no regulations for the hiring of nightclub staff. Security staff are not required to obtain BST certification, or even produce a criminal record check. As such, offenders with a history of violence may be the very people safeguarding you out at nightclubs.

The opportunity for this oversight to put club goers at risk is present, however unnecessary. Many of these patrons are unaware that they may be entering an unsafe environment when they go out to a club. However, violence is a common issue in these places.

Yet another concern is to the club owners themselves. Tragic as this incident was, it could have been avoided. That responsibility goes to the nightclub owners. Nightclub violence not only affects the club’s reputation, but patrons may also sue the establishment if they feel the staff were overly aggressive. The cost of screening staff pales in comparison to that of handling lawsuits.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution quickly and efficiently aids organizations across Canada with their hiring decisions. Our commitment to excellence has led us to become Canada’s leader in pre-employment background checks.

York University Implements Online Educational Verifications

2009-11-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

A December 2008 story by the Toronto Star which unveiled a local diploma mill has caused York University to tighten their regulations and implement an online educational verification service.

A graduate of the university has been forging the university’s documents for years. He claims that most of his customers use the degrees for employment in China. However there are still a great many Canadians who have used these forgeries to enter Canadian companies and even schools, such as Osgoode Hall Law School.

The new verifications program titled YU Verify, allows instantaneous verification based on information provided to the system. Such an easy to use system encourages the verification of diplomas, which will help allay fears caused by the activities of the diploma mill. The layout of the diplomas themselves has also been altered, and the new format is being guarded to avoid further forgery.

Schools who have admitted students with forged degrees are now taking harsh actions, as the admittance of an unqualified student subsequently meant the rejection of another qualified candidate. Those schools would have saved themselves the worry of lost reputations had they done their due diligence and asked to verify the educational background of their scholastic candidates.

This story has refocused emphasis on the importance of educational verifications. Schools and companies alike stand to lose their reputations by taking on candidates of poor moral character.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening, and routinely uncovers fraudulent educational claims on behalf of clients across the nation. With over a decade of experience, we verify educational claims in Canada and internationally, and always tailor our services to meet our clients's needs. Let BackCheck help preserve your association’s integrity, and uphold the worth of an honest degree.

Tighter Taxi Regulations Needed in Alberta

2009-11-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

Taxis are assumed to be a safe place. Throughout Canada, the RCMP licenses taxi agencies and charges them with keeping records of the drivers to ensure that nothing untoward occurs at the cost of the passenger’s safety or wellbeing.

An article in the Sherwood Park news recently challenged the effectiveness of the regulations on screening taxi drivers. One veteran driver is distressed to see that nearly anyone can start their own taxi cab company, regardless of past criminal convictions.

Strathcona County does not have a taxi commission, and only requires a taxi business to have the proper driving licenses. Taxi drivers do not need a criminal check. For those more reputable taxi companies in the county, this is causing problems. Job candidates who refuse to submit to a criminal check can just get a permit from the city and start their own company.

While many of Canada’s taxi companies are strictly regulated, there are some areas in Alberta that do not require background checks for taxi drivers, and drivers with criminal records are flocking to those areas. It would be in the best interest of these communities to implement a background checking policy, which would increase consumer confidence and keep taxis safe.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening services, specializing in helping companies hire safe and increase employee retention.

Stopping Inappropriate Behaviour At The Workplace

2009-11-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

A Montreal electronics company in Pointe-Claire was recently presented with a warrant from police to search the premises. Among the officers at the scene was the head of the Montreal Police Child Sexual Exploitation Unit. Although no details have been released, there is speculation that the company is being investigated for activity related to the exploitation of children.

This kind of event can be very damaging to a company who holds the trust of its clients. And while the managing echelons may not have any involvement, it is still their responsibility to ensure that such inappropriate behaviour does not find its way into the workplace.

The need for knowing your staff is a large part of protecting a company's image. A staff member's full working potential is not typically attained until after they have completed the company training and have been working autonomously for several months. As such, the act of hiring is a weighty decision with serious consequences if it is not carried out properly.

While companies regularly carry out background checks in their pre-employment screening, there are often many obstacles which inhibit the completion of the checks. Time constraints, resources, and availability of information may hinder the accumulation of crucial pre-employment screening data, and can lead a company to hire a candidate based on little more than a first impression.

Hiring a third party to complete the background checks has proven to be a more cost effective and time resourceful method of executing pre-employment background checks. Having never met the candidate, a third party can provide an unbiased view of the candidate's background. As well, being specialized in the service, the turn-around-time for the process is greatly reduced. The result is a better defined candidate pool at less cost and in less time. The hiring decisions stemming from third party information also cause a company's retention rates also rise.

BackCheck's pre-employment screening solution has been Canada's leading choice for background screening for over a decade. Our professional staff are available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. BackCheck can help your company fulfill its pre-employment screening needs, and save you money in the process.

Combating Workplace Violence

2009-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

While many of us may be thankful that workplace violence is not a part of our lives, it is still a problem in Canada’s workplaces. A sobering reminder of this reality came last week as an Edmonton man created a hostage situation at the Workers' Compensation Board.

We often take our safety for granted, and nowhere more so than at the office. The problem of workplace violence still exists in Canada, and in many forms. It is the responsibility of the employer to protect their employees. The service industry is among the most vulnerable to workplace violence within work environments, yet the danger is still present in offices and other work environments nation wide.

A thorough and well executed pre-employment screening policy is essential to bringing safe and productive employees into the workplace. The benefits of such a policy are far reaching, and lead to improved safety in the workplace, and in turn greater employee retention.

BackCheck is Canada’s industry leader in background checking services, and can make the difference in hiring the right candidate for any position. Catering to numerous industries in Canada and abroad, BackCheck is experienced with pre-employment screening for banking, logistics, retail, telecommunications, energy and government. Let BackCheck help keep your workplace free of violence.

BackCheck a Real Complement to Alberta's V.O.A.N Program

2009-10-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

A recent article by Charity Village has outlined an interesting program established by Volunteer Alberta and supported by the Alberta Government. In April, a three year pilot project to cover the costs of police information checks was established. The V.O.A.N – Volunteer Organization Authorization Number program is an online registry of volunteer organizations which implement volunteer criminal record checks. Under this program, V.O.A.N holders will be able to complete criminal record checks on volunteers at no charge.
To read the article see: www.charityvillage.com.

This new incentive has caught the attention of numerous volunteer and non-profit organizations across Alberta, all of whom are interested in reimbursable criminal record checks. The checks or PICs (Police Information Checks) are reimbursed only if an organization has a V.O.A.N. The number allows for easy online tracking of PIC use, which ensures that the service is not misused.

The only drawback to this as-yet unproven system is the wait time. PICs must be processed through a police service to be reimbursed, therefore during busy volunteer seasons there is inevitably a wait for the results. For many organizations this is still a perfect solution, however for those groups with volunteers numbering in the thousands, using a private provider is worth the cost. Busy seasons necessitate quick turn-around-time, and a third party provider is specialized for such a need.

As Canada’s only provider of online criminal record checks, BackCheckis well placed to work in partnership with V.O.A.N. It seems that the two online programs, myBackCheck.com and V.O.A.N, would be a complement to all. BackCheck is seeking further dialogue with Volunteer Alberta, to see if myBackCheck.com can be of use. With our 24 hour turn-around-time guarantee, wait times will be a thing of the past. What’s more, if the V.O.A.N reimbursement could be applied to PICs with myBackCheck.com, this would give volunteer organizations more choice on how to complete PICs, which in turn may lessen volumes and wait times for the police departments.

Another obstacle is the management of the PICs once they have been completed. The time needed to manage volunteer information is an unseen cost. To avoid forgery, PICs should not be handled by volunteers, but someone must manage the information. This could become tedious for those who volunteer at more than one organization. For example, a volunteer could complete a PIC for one organization and then have to repeat the process a month later for another.

myBackCheck.com’s integrated file management system allows volunteers to view their own checks without being able to manipulate results. They can send their results to as many organizations as they like at no charge. Volunteer organizations can view online results negating the need for managing paper files. In the long run, this is a cost saver. The results of the PIC are generated from the RCMP’s national database, and the information is housed in BackCheck’s secure servers.

This solution provides speed, security and a simple system of file management, all of which benefit the volunteer and the volunteer organizations. BackCheck is hopeful that further discussion will bring the two programs closer together, bringing unprecedented convenience to Alberta’s volunteer sector PICs.

Telethon Fraudster Steals Donated Funds

2009-10-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

An Ottawa telethon for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario has been defrauded by one of its volunteers. A man who had access to credit card information used his privilege to charge donators’ cards for personal expenses. The fraud was found out after several donators contacted the telethon to complain about being grossly overcharged.

The volunteer was a referral from a friend who had also previously worked at the telethon. The friend is now embarrassed for having made the suggestion and being involved in the scandal. Claiming to be someone he wasn’t, a background check would have revealed the truth about the fraudster had it been performed. The telethon has run for many years without incident, always asking volunteers to bring more friends to support the cause.

Volunteers are often an overlooked resource when it comes to the security of organizations. The assumption is that volunteers demonstrate benevolence, therefore are incapable of causing harm. However altruistic this assumption may be, it carries inherent risk.

Scouts volunteers, sports volunteers, church volunteers, camp volunteers, health volunteers and volunteers with not-for-profit organizations are checked for criminal convictions prior to putting in their time, with good reason. People put in positions of power, whether it be over information or vulnerable people, need to be trustworthy and respectful. We all know too well the detriment of bringing the wrong people into an organization.

BackCheck provides volunteer checks for numerous organizations across Canada, and with myBackCheck it couldn’t be any easier. Using a secure web server, volunteers can order a background check at their leisure and have the results sent directly to their volunteer organization the next day. Compared to waiting in line at the police station and receiving the results a week later, myBackCheck is an unprecedented convenience.

A Cause For Checking Canada’s Diocese

2009-10-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

A former member of Nova Scotia’s Antigonish Diocese was charged late last week of possessing child pornography at the Ottawa airport. The former bishop is a respected member of his community, and was honoured this past year for his contribution in settling a $15 million case out of court for people who have been abused by clergy in the past. The shock of the accusation has swept through the bishop’s former diocese, leaving many speechless as they learn the reason why the bishop suddenly retired.

There is a basic need to run background checks on those who work at our churches’ diocese. Considering the church’s troubled history with clergy, the mandatory completion of background checks is a step in the right direction towards retribution. Yet this newest allegation raises doubts anew for the nation’s church goers.

Numerous Canadian Diocese currently check their staff and volunteers with BackCheck. We are proud to be part of their pre-employment screening solution. However some diocese are not yet in the habit of doing regular background checks, and may be putting their parishioners at risk.

BackCheck is Canada’s leader in pre-employment screening and background checks. We specialize in completing criminal checks and finding discrepancies in candidate histories. Our services are specially tailored to church diocese, and have been greatly beneficial to our many customers, who are thankful for having greater trust in those they worship with.

Don't Believe A Craigslist Background Check

2009-09-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Craigslist is an astounding resource, connecting millions of people to share their goods and services. However, Craigslist has its fair share of scams. Here is one story of how well meaning people were taken advantage of by an identity thief.

A Michigan man previously arrested for identity theft in 2006 was once again up to his old tricks. Advertising a babysitting job on Craigslist, the man asked all candidates to provide their personal information and a fee of $25 allegedly for a background check. Once he had their money, he would cease contact with the candidates and move on to the next person. The thief pocketed the money and for the most part was able to get away with it. By chance, two of his victims were acquaintances who found it odd that neither had been contacted. They took the matter to the police, and he was eventually arrested.

The stark irony of this story is hard to miss, but the fact remains that it is easy to fall victim to this sort of crime. The simplest means to run a background check is through an internet website. The problem is that a candidate needs to trust their future employer well enough to go through the process. In the case of home contracting or babysitting jobs, it is not always easy to know who's on the level.

BackCheck's background screening process provides a solution. Using myBackCheck.com, candidates complete their own background checks and then share their information with as many people as they like through a web based server. This gives the candidate ownership of their background check, which eliminates the possibility of theft by a false employer.

Using a trustworthy medium for the exchange of personal information is the best way to ensure satisfaction and security from all people involved. BackCheck is Canada's leading background checking provider, and with our years of experience and extensive services we are able to meet your needs.

Misspelling Your Name: A Common Occurrence and Not a Fluke

2009-09-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

As the largest background checking company in Canada, BackCheck is privileged to work with many industries; banking and finance, energy and mining, telecommunications, logistics, retail, government, and the list goes on. Yet there are always applicants trying to get hired without being honest about their past, irrespective of the industry. Here's one story of an attempt at elusion.

The file of a job candidate with a very common name was submitted to BackCheck for processing. The candidate had properly completed the forms in clear hand writing and the forms were properly signed and dated. However, the hiring manager had written the candidate's name slightly differently on the order form. The piece of identification provided by the candidate also yielded the alternate spelling, the one which the hiring manager had written. Moreover, the date of birth from the ID was different than the one clearly stated on the candidate's forms.

When the results returned from cross-checking all the information, it was obvious why the name had been misspelt. The candidate had a criminal record with numerous convictions, one of which pertained to the forgery of documents. It's not a wonder that they were caught.

Time and time again candidates continue to try the same trick, however ineffective. And every time, BackCheck’s experienced background checking professionals catch this tactic, proving that it must still work somewhere. So if your company is searching for a pre-employment screening solution or you are just curious about a job candidate, get in touch with BackCheck. We are Canada's background checking leader.

Are Your School Bus Drivers Vetted?

2009-09-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

It is surprising to find that background checks are not run on school bus drivers in certain parts of the country. The CBC uncovered how a school board in Northern Alberta allowed lax rules to persist for too long, leading to the dismissal of one of their bus companies.

The dismissed driver previously encountered the police while drink driving. He was able to elude the charge when a crafty lawyer proved he was illegally detained by the RCMP. However an older charge which the company was aware of had never been brought to the school board’s attention.

Driver’s abstracts have to be collected by school bus companies, but they don’t need to be shown to the school board. This is because according to the rules, unless the school board is operating the buses themselves, only the contracted companies need to see the driver’s abstracts. This raises questions about who exactly is operating the school buses, as no governing entity is checking against a set policy.

More to the point, while driver’s abstracts must be collected, criminal background checks are not mandatory. Thus it is possible, however unlikely, that a bus driver with a perfect driving record has an undisclosed criminal past.

BackCheck verifies both driver’s abstracts and criminal records to ensure the most comprehensive background is attained for our clients. Working with school boards, our pre-employment screening solution would mediate for the numerous contracted bus companies, making it easy for school boards to verify who is driving their students daily.

Beware of the “Free” Background Check

2009-09-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Canada is a volunteer active society. According to a Statistics Canada survey in 2007, 46% of people volunteer their time to help others. Yet the majority of those volunteers are employed themselves and have many responsibilities in their daily lives.

Volunteer organizations today require their helpers to obtain a criminal record check to help guarantee the safety of those being helped. These organizations span non-profit organizations, church groups, and groups working with children and the elderly. No one can refute the reasons behind these background checks, as registered sex offenders would otherwise be eligible to volunteer with vulnerable people.

In today's tough times, people are understandably seeking the most cost effective means of going about their business. Volunteers can have their criminal record checks completed for them free of charge in many provinces in Canada. But is "free" the only cost to take into account?

The premise of a "free" background check is obviously alluring, however it does have its flaws. As a volunteer, to be able to receive a free check one must present themselves to a police station during business hours to fill out the application and then again to pick up the results. Moreover, to avoid the fee, the applicant must prove that they are volunteering. To a working person, an hour long trip for each exchange will negate any cost savings, and may cost the volunteer more than doing the check at home.

BackCheck provides a simple alternative to spending your time waiting in line to get your background check. Using myBackCheck.com, users are able to complete their own checks at home using a secure web based interface. The checks take less than ten minutes to complete, using an individual's private information to confirm identity, and can be shared numerous times through the click of a button. Compared to other options for busy volunteers, completing a check at home is more economical than taking a half day off from work to do it for "free".

My Friend the Fiend: The Story of a Not-So-Professional Reference

2009-08-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

False reference are common place in today’s hiring market, but are tough to spot if you are not willing to take the time to follow up. As many employers conduct their own pre-employment screening, they may be susceptible to a common ploy: asking a friend to provide a professional reference. The following is an example of how a lack of available resources in background checking can lead to hiring a devious employee:

A candidate provided BackCheck with an employment reference to contact. However, upon making the call, it was discovered that the number provided was out of service. The client was asked to have the candidate persuade their reference to contact BackCheck directly, as the number had not worked. Meanwhile, the HR interviewer contacted the human resources department in order to attain an employment verification. Unfortunately the details provided in the verification were not in the candidate's favour. The dates of employment were incorrect, the candidate had had problems with another employee, and after disappearing for some time called in to say they no longer wanted to work there.

After this information was relayed to BackCheck's client, a telephone call was received from the reference in question, who proceeded to provide a thoroughly positive reference, drawing attention to good performance, a great personality, punctuality and diligence. The reference claimed that the candidate left due to another job offer.

This contradiction in information was admittedly quite confusing to the client. To clarify the matter, BackCheck contacted the human resources department again to confirm the candidate's identity. After speaking to a representative, it was discovered that not only was the identity correct, but the 'employment reference' had never worked with the company.

Friend references are common among employment candidates with something to hide, and require an interviewer to be diligent, exhaustive and steadfast. BackCheck`s pre-employment screening solution provides dedicated human resources interviewers whose experience in the field pays off. As the industry leader in pre-employment screening, we have the resources and the dedication necessary to get you the information you need. Let BackCheck help your company hire responsible candidates who are worth your time and attention.

Fake Degrees Catch Up With Candidates

2009-08-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Diploma mills pose a constant problem for hiring managers throughout the world trying to hire accredited staff. To make matters worse, some of the forged diploma holders never realize their diplomas are without value. A study conducted by the Toronto Star discovered 220 Canadians on an American diploma mill customer list, which was shut down three years ago by the US authorities.

BAs, MBAs, PhDs, and medical licenses were all sold online to people looking to fast-track their careers. Among those holding phony degrees were some who had submitted course work, and others who had received credentials based on their life experience. Though the school existed only in name, its ‘graduates’ were able to use their degrees to get a job. This was due to a lack of proper pre-employment screening practices carried out by the numerous firms where counterfeit degree holders applied.

The now defunct diploma mill used a name similar to that of an accredited American university, and even reproduced diplomas from well known European universities. Now that the fraud has been exposed, the extent of the damage continues to grow and fake diploma holders are denying their affiliations. Tough economic times are fuelling the forged diploma industry, and candidates find themselves gambling crucial funds away to obtain credentials which will not check out.

Companies who neglect to verify the legitimacy of resumes will be affected by the hiring of fraudulent applicants who do not have the skills they claim. Ultimately, this will lead to losses attributed to lack of productivity and employee turnover. BackCheck employs an experienced and knowledgeable workforce dedicated to verifying the education claims of candidates. We routinely uncover fraudulent degrees to help maintain the integrity of our clients’ hiring pools. After all, it pays to know who you’re hiring.

Protecting Privacy: Who Is Running Your Background Checks?

2009-08-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, a would-be Saskatoon bus driver for First Student Canada refused to provide consent to have her background check
run by an American company. The woman was worried that her right to privacy would be lost should she consent.

In November 2008, the FBI initiated an information sharing program
which has raised serious doubts about privacy in the US. For Canadians subject to American based background checks, this represents a serious breach of privacy.

Canada has among the most stringent privacy laws in the world. Credit and criminal record checks cannot be completed without explicit consent, and in many cases employment and educational data require a signed release.

Yet many Canadian companies are signed up with American screening firms, putting their candidate’s privacy at risk. And while the larger US firms once had offices in Canada, the economic downturn has caused them to consolidate resources and bring the work south of the border.

For those candidates who are asked to submit to pre-employment screening through an American company, they should be aware that their rights are being infringed upon. BackCheck is the largest background checking company in Canada, and has your privacy as our top priority.

Should Helicopter Student Pilots Undergo Criminal Record Checks?

2009-08-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

Canadian helicopter flight schools are considering running background checks on their prospective students after an incident where one student was caught smuggling drugs over the border.

A helicopter flight school student from the Kelowna Valley has been found guilty of smuggling drugs into Washington state. The student in question trained for 80 hours and then disappeared. He was caught by the police shortly after landing in the US with his payload.

This isn’t the first case of a student flyer smuggling drugs to make money either. An abandoned helicopter found in 2006 is suspected of being linked to a different student pilot smuggling internationally.

Flight school owners are increasingly surprised at this, knowing their students to be good people with secure jobs lined up. However with bills to pay and a loose understanding of the risks involved, smuggling may seem like a suitable money maker. The fact is there is no leniency once individuals are caught, regardless of their personal views on the substance; they face several years in prison.

The teacher’s responsibility lies with the flight school owners, not only for the safety of their new pilots in the sky, but also in teaching about the realities of getting involved in trafficking illicit substances. Using BackCheck to run a criminal background check on prospective flying students may make them think twice before accepting an offer to make an illegal profit. In turn, the criminal record check will maintain the integrity of the flying school itself.

Caution or Carelessness: Where Does Your Company Stand?

2009-08-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

There are many stages in properly checking an employment candidate. The best way to be sure of who you're hiring is to secure an experienced third party pre-employment screening provider. BackCheck's professional and experienced staff expertly uncover inaccuracies in candidate's employment and credential claims, counterfeit identities, and incomplete work histories. The following steps outline a fail-safe way to make an educated hiring decision.

Step One: Complete a combined criminal record check with an identity verification. While a criminal record check is a useful tool, any alterations in the spelling of a candidate's name will render it useless. As many people with a criminal record are aware of this fact, employers do not have the luxury of taking a candidate's name for granted. Cross referencing a person's identity using their credit history ensures that the money spent on a criminal record check does not go to waste.

Step Two: Use the credit history to search for any employers not listed by the candidate. Candidates who have been let go under unfavourable circumstances tend to focus on their positive experiences, and may hide the adverse aspects of their employment history. An employment verification from an omitted company can be of vital importance in making a good hiring decision. Be sure there are no gaps in the candidate’s employment history.

Step Three: Do a detailed education and credential verification. Oftentimes, candidates will list diplomas or credentials that are much better than their actual accreditations. They may have attended a program yet may still have courses pending, or may have completed a certificate when they claim to have completed a degree. A candidate who is dishonest about their accreditation derides the achievements of all legitimate claimants, and is someone your company can do without.

Step Four: Call the candidate's references. Be sure that they are willing to provide a reference; a good candidate will have informed their references ahead of time to expect a call. Taking a detailed reference can be very helpful when trying to decide between candidates. Take your time while taking the reference; it's the only chance you have to speak with a former supervisor. Vague references are common, and details may sometimes be difficult to establish. An interviewer must also be aware of fake supervisors who have been asked by the candidate to act as a past employer. BackCheck’s experienced reference interviewers spot them with relative ease.

Considering that the direct and indirect costs of hiring an employee can amount to nearly 400% of the yearly salary of a highly skilled worker, checking a candidate’s background quickly and efficiently is a high priority. Contracting a service provider saves time and money, and contributes to your organization’s prosperity. As the largest screening provider in Canada, our expedience and experience ensure your organization receives detailed information on a candidate’s past in order to facilitate your hiring decision.

The End of the Hiring Freeze? What Desperate Candidates Are Willing To Do

2009-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

The Canadian dollar is on the rise, the US housing market is growing again, and profits from the world’s economic moguls such as Rogers and Apple have bested economic analyses. Signs of economic recovery are forecasting the end of company-wide hiring freezes, giving businesses a chance to catch up on their suspended quotas. However, with numerous candidates having been restricted from the job market for so long, the stakes are high and candidates are in a desperate situation.

Aspiring hiring managers should be more wary than ever of candidates who are willing to embellish their education and employment histories or neglect to include pertinent information about their criminal past in order to get a foot in the door. Forgeries of all kinds are available through the internet today, from criminal record checks to diplomas. As a hiring hopeful, it is prudent to take heed of any candidate who comes with a criminal check in hand. It may be forged, and there is no way to confirm its authenticity. Candidates reticent to redo checks may hold sway over a manager’s sensitivities. Diploma mills, fake supervisors, fraudulent institutions, and forged criminal checks are among the fabrications facing hiring managers today.

BackCheck’s pre-employment screening solution allows for clients to execute background checks to verify candidates’ claims. In a recent example, a client requested that BackCheck verify a diploma issued by a college, which the candidate claimed had since closed. The client provided BackCheck with contact information for the institution’s former director, and asked that he be contacted. Strangely enough, the former director was able to verify all information instantly, seemingly without even checking his files. This raised a red flag, and upon deeper investigation it was discovered that the former director was running a diploma mill and was under investigation by the RCMP.

BackCheck specializes in pre-employment screening and is the best way to avoid falsehoods and deflect liability. Let the professionals inform you of your candidates’ histories, so you can make an informed hiring decision.

Violence in the workplace, negligence, and liability

2009-07-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

According to a Statistics Canada report, nearly one fifth of all violent victimization in Canada happens in the workplace. Employers are responsible for the well-being of their staff, and can be held financially liable for negligence in their hiring attitudes and workplace safety procedures. This further enforces the need for employers to establish thorough hiring procedures to ensure adequate due diligence is taken by all hiring managers. Poor hiring decisions can be costly in more ways than one.

The report also states that a high proportion of incidents occur to those working in accommodation or food services, retail or wholesale trade, and educational services sectors. One third of all workplace violent incidents involved a victim who was working in social assistance or health care services such as hospitals, nursing or residential care facilities. As these sectors are more vulnerable to workplace violence, hiring managers likewise have a greater duty to protect their staff.

A violence prevention program is an invaluable tool in avoiding liability for acts of violence in the workplace. A sound workplace violence prevention program will take into account a staff risk assessment which requires pre-employment screening as one of its main proponents. Negligent hiring is often a main issue prompting legal action following an incident in the workplace. Should such an incident be determined to be caused by negligent hiring, the employer is held wholly responsible for all violent or careless actions of the negligent employee.

Using BackCheck to verify the working history of a candidate will prove to be beneficial for your organization. Our experienced staff regularly discover and draw attention to irregularities which competitors' less detailed reports would gloss over. With economic times being so tough, not only are there more embellishments to catch, but the costs of missing them are dire indeed.

An Interview with Stephen Dinesen, "Declining Economy, Increasing Red Flags"

2009-05-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last year brought a lot of change to the employment landscape in Canada. According to Statistics Canada , our unemployment rate rose to 6.6%. The Canadian economy lost 70,600 jobs in November 2008. December experienced the second highest number of job losses at 34,000.

In response to these changes, companies are being more financially conservative; limiting spending, money and protecting resources, eliminating unnecessary positions, working with fewer staff members, and keeping only the best employees. This also means that most companies are working with fewer HR resources to conduct pre-employment checks, and are instead outsourcing HR-related services to companies that specialize in the field. Companies like BackCheck. We have remained strong and able to support our clients during these times, not falling victim to the same problems affecting our clients, some of which have been hit hard during the recession.

One of our team members took some time with Stephen Dinesen, our Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, to explore some of the issues surrounding the recession and how it is influencing pre-employment background screening.

Interviewer: So what inspired your team to look more closely at the results BackCheck is finding?
Stephen Dinesen: “We were going on a hunch that desperate people are doing desperate things and that during the recession they are more likely to exaggerate and lie to get them at the top of recruiters’ lists. It is our working hypothesis that the recession is leading to an increase in red flags in the services we provide for our clients. With this in mind, we started thinking about the data we collect, looking at statistics to see if desperate people really are doing desperate things. It turns out, they are.”

IN: What have you found so far?
SD: “Most astonishing is the data regarding Reference Interviews and Employment Verifications. Across all industries the red flags we saw with this service were up 25 to 30% in 2008 when comparing the data to the year before. We have also seen an increase in Criminal Records by 25% overall. Furthermore, red flags associated with Reference Interviews for all BackCheck clients are up by approximately 15%.”

IN: What examples can you provide?
SD: “For instance, our own teams would be interested in the case studies we’ve compiled. There has been an overall increase of red flags across Reference Interviews for some clients by approximately 24%. In the Telecommunications sector we have witnessed a 52% increase in red flags.”

IN: Do you have any theories as to why we are seeing this trend?
SD: “I think has something to do with the places where people with criminal histories and those who make fraudulent claims are coming from. Traditionally these areas are heavy industry, labour-intensive sectors, and these jobs have dried up during the recession. The mass layoffs that we saw in late 2008 were occurring in these industries. The unemployed and laid off are moving into recession-proof sectors, such as healthcare, education, and public service. The job market is therefore more competitive with fewer opportunities, and people are feeling an increased pressure to embellish on their résumés and lie about criminal pasts.”

IN: How does this trend help us as a company?
SD: “This gives our clients all the more reason to use BackCheck. We offer a high value service for our clients to endure and continue to provide our clients with the tools required hire quality candidates during the recession.”

IN: Any closing thoughts?
SD: “The bottom line is that employers should be on guard when hiring, especially during the recession. As the competition for jobs becomes fiercer and the probability of encountering fraudulent claims or candidates with criminal pasts increases, companies must exercise caution in order to maintain a competitive edge in their industry. There might not be as many people getting jobs at this time, but if they are, it can be assured they are quality candidates. The good news is that BackCheck has been entrenched in our clients’ minds. They cannot live without us.”

The Importance of a Thorough Reference Checking Policy

2009-05-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

To most people, a reference check is a simple process. At least those job seekers who have something to hide hope it is. Otherwise, the diligent employer might prevent them from landing that dream job. An increasing trend for most employers demonstrates that checking a reference is a thorough and important part of pre-employment screening.

Nuances of speech, reluctance to answer questions, hesitancy, and tone of voice are all indicators during a reference interview that send up red-flags calling for further investigation. The diligent reference taker will not take the answers at face value, but will instead analyze and will intuitively probe further where required. That’s the advantage of using a third party to conduct reference interviews on behalf of your HR department. They are experienced and trained specialists who have conducted hundreds if not thousands of interviews, and have come across countless situations where the need for in-depth questioning and digging can uncover important revelations about potential employees and their work habits. The need to identify high quality candidates is vital in any industry, and employers should only want the best candidates possible.

To illustrate this point, a friend of mine who works for an HR firm recently gave a reference for a departed employee. Although they had agreed to be listed on the employee’s résumé as a reference, this was prior to the employee leaving the company on bad terms and with no notice. The manager was caught off-guard that the former employee would even consider using her as a reference. The manager felt as though they were stuck between a rock and a hard place, as the manager did not want to be responsible for costing the individual a job opportunity. The employee was not always a bad employee, after all. So, when the time came to give a reference, the manager prefaced the conversation by saying that they would be unable to answer some questions, and gave as little information as possible. For situations like this, diligent and skilled reference taking is an invaluable tool.

How many past employers, supervisors, managers, have experienced something similar? I am willing to wager that this is a more common occurrence than most believe. For the busy HR department conducting reference checks on applicants, as well as conducting many other vital tasks, hiring a candidate such as the one described above could be a costly mistake.

A cautionary note for job hunters to consider before undergoing reference checks for a potential employment opportunity. Check with past supervisors listed on your résumé if they may still be contacted. Most importantly, be a high quality, upstanding employee and maintain a good image in the eyes of your employers and references. For the companies hiring candidates and screening their references in-house, consider outsourcing this task to a third-party organization. Diligent employers won’t just be checking your references and taking their comments about your work history at face value.

Former College Director Diverted Funds

2009-04-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

In April, 2009, a former director of a community college in Alberta was accused of redirecting $189,000 of college funds into businesses he operated or controlled. He finally did get caught, but in the meantime he did significant financial damage to the college. One has to wonder if any screening process was in place during the hiring process, since any successful applicants would have control over large sums of public money. Employees for this type of position, or ones like it, should have an unblemished past free from any unscrupulous behaviour. Even the slightest criminal record, or poor credit history, should send off alarm bells for potential employers hiring for positions with access to company money.

Employees had suspicions surrounding the manager’s activities. However, they were unsure how to report the allegations, and were also concerned with job security. The fact remains that managers or supervisors remain largely untouchable due to the vulnerability of the subordinate employees who may call attention to the actions of their superiors. Even if reporting a senior employee in reality would not cost someone their job, the fear of retaliation alone can be enough to deter any corporate ‘whistle-blowing.' The stress of losing one's job is especially on the mind of many Canadians in this suffering economy, with imminent layoffs in many industries calling job security into question.

A third-party confidential tip-line to anonymously report all workplace concerns, along with a thorough pre-employment screening process for candidates, could have prevented the damages the college experienced. A tip-line service helps to promote effective communication, honesty and accountability at all levels of employees, and encourages the reporting of suspicious behaviour. Experts have identified that fraud schemes are most likely to be uncovered by the result of tips, secondly by accident. In my opinion, organizations should not wait for these activities to be stumbled upon, randomly, or perhaps never discovered at all.

What are Companies Finding?

2009-04-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

The competitive trend we are seeing in the job market is feeding the temptation for candidates to make their employment applications more competitive through fraudulent means. Well-forged diplomas for accredited post-secondary institutions are becoming increasingly common in all industries. Shining references have been taken from friends and subsequently exposed as untruthful. Countless other false employment claims are exposed day-in and day-out. Candidates frequently attempt to hide lengthy criminal records, including seriously dangerous offenses that could jeopardize the integrity and safety of their future employers. Experts have estimated that more than half of all résumés and employment applications contain falsified information. Our statistics for 2008 demonstrated that approximately 40 percent of reference interviews for potential hires returned ‘red flags’ in the telecommunication sector alone.

Screening and the Not-For-Profit Sector

2009-04-02T12:33:00.001-07:00

Third-party background screening is gaining momentum in the volunteer sector as well. Non-profit organizations recognize the need for precautionary measures for candidates potentially working in positions that involve vulnerable members of society. Services that were previously only considered for pre-employment screening are now more than ever performed on individuals volunteering with children, the elderly, or infirm. Recent stories in the news have highlighted the necessity for background screening in these situations. One such incident involved a convicted sex offender who was found volunteering at a drop-in care centre for children. The centre had not conducted background screening on the man. Another story involved a public guardian who defrauded several elderly individuals out of money and property by forging wills and lying about his credentials and previous work experience. The man's employer did conduct reference checks on the individual, which were revealed in the end as fraudulent. Unfortunately the deceptive nature of his ways were uncovered too late. If such candidates can slip through the cracks in very sensitive industries, it can happen anywhere.javascript:void(0)

Background Screening and the Retail Sector

2009-04-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

Why is the retail sector so motivated to adopt background screening? A major Canadian retailer recently identified their annual product loss at several hundred million dollars. The losses, attributed largely to issues surrounding poor recruitment processes and poor hiring decisions, led to the implementation of company-wide background screening on all new hires. In 2008, the retailer in question identified that approximately 7.5 percent of their prospective candidates had undisclosed criminal records. Under the new screening program, such candidates were not offered employment. Many companies in this sector are now claiming massive savings by reducing employee fraud and theft, attributed to the establishment of successful candidate screening programs.

What Sectors are Screening their Candidates?

2009-04-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

It is not just candidates applying for senior positions that are having their qualifications, education and criminal records investigated; it is now across the board. The financial, banking, healthcare and telecommunications sectors have been especially quick to embrace detailed background screening. The typically high turnover retail sector is proving to be another enthusiastic participant, with statistics indicating that approximately two-thirds of the major retailers in Canada are conducting in-depth background checks on every new hire. Increasingly clients in the not-for-profit sector are requiring pre-volunteerism Criminal Record Checks as well. In contrast, the food services and manufacturing sectors have shown less inclination towards adopting screening regimens. We predict that these sectors will recognize the benefits of third-party pre-employment screening to help protect their employees, customers, and profits.

Hiring in Economic Down Times

2009-04-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

The demand for third-party pre-employment screening within Canada continues to increase as more and more organizations recognize the need to better screen their employment candidates. The search for jobs is additionally becoming more competitive given Canada’s declining economy. Under these conditions, it is tempting for people to exaggerate their qualifications or experience on their résumés. With shared hiring pools within each industry, those companies that do not conduct background screening on their candidates are more than likely selecting the rejected candidates of their more diligent competitors. By implementing a careful pre-employment screening program, companies can demonstrate industry best-practice by weeding out the ‘bad apples.’

Lost Wallet Ploy

2009-03-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that you can’t board an airplane without a passport and every young person knows they have to present their driver’s license to buy liquor or enter a club. However, each week a disproportionately large number of our client’s applicants claim to have lost their wallets or some other similar misadventure when asked to produce government issued photo ID. This is a required part of the Criminal Record Check portion of their background check.

Unfortunately, many individuals with unscrupulous pasts know that by changing some of their identification particulars, they have a better chance of successfully passing a background check. Of course, this deception is easier if there is no ID to verify.

BackCheck recommends that a thorough process of ID verification be a part of your background checking policy. Compromises should not be made for any new hire. There are ways for employers to verify identification, even if someone has legitimately lost their wallet. While these steps might not be convenient, making exceptions and handing someone the keys to your business without proper ID verification or a thorough background check is very risky, no matter how convincing the story might be.

Tamper-Proof your Pre-Employment Checks

2009-03-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of our clients shared this story with us. They had been inconsistent with their requests for background checks and had hired a woman without checking her background before she was hired.

The first indication of a problem was a call from the Crown Prosecutor. The woman was charged with multiple counts of theft and fraud committed against her previous employers adding to the list of previous convictions. She was out on bail and had decided to try her trick one more time.

Her modus operandi was to slip past any background checking process by showing up for her interview with a ‘completed’ background check from a local police department. She suggested, “Why spend the money and time checking when I have it all here for you?” The part she failed to mention was that the Criminal Record Check report had been scanned and altered to eliminate a history of past convictions. Tamper-proof delivery of criminal records is essential. Needless to say, this client is now more diligent and consistently sends in requests for background checks on all their hires, regardless of their story.