Calling prior employers makes sense for a number of reasons. Often we hear the question “Why call prior employers? All we get is name and employment dates. Let’s review some good reasons to verify In general, we believe people will behave for their current employer, maybe your firm, as they have behaved in the past for prior employers. It makes good sense to perform due diligence in assuring that the individual you are about to consider bringing into your workforce has exhibited the capabilities, titles and responsibility alleged on your application. This verification would an attempt to confirm salary history, unless you are governed by laws in the state of California. Consider for a moment the process your firm conducts when it is going to purchase an expensive piece of machinery. I am sure that a thorough due diligence process assures that the machinery can do tasks alleged by its producers. And, I am confident that independent reviews and evaluations are conducted. Now, consider what hiring managers demand of HR when hiring new employees. If there is a big difference, I bet turnover is high in your firm and mistakes cost your firm customer loyalty and profits.
People may try to cover up employment gaps in their background. Perhaps the individual was in jail for a period of time and don’t want you, the prospective employer, to discover this fact. Or, perhaps the individual wants to hide a period of unemployment.
People may try to list fake references and fake prior employers. Did you know there is a web site that allows individuals to accomplish this? https://www.careerexcuse.com/about-us
People may list a fake resume. Did you know there is a web site that allows individuals to accomplish this? http://www.fakeresume.com/
And, this activity can help identify jurisdictions in which to perform criminal conviction searches. Let’s assume someone lives in south, central Pennsylvania and works for an employer located in Baltimore, Maryland. Many firms just research residential addresses. But if this person, who lives in Pennsylvania, commits a crime against their employer in Maryland, the conviction will not be located in a criminal conviction search of Pennsylvania.
We believe that if an individual is going to falsify your company hiring documents that same individual wouldn’t hesitate to falsify your company documents once in your employ.
Conducting prior-employment verification with a past employer enables the tort of negligent referral against that prior employer if in fact the prior employer withheld truthful and factual information related to the individual’s behavior while in their employ. https://www.preemploymentscreen.com/prior-employment-verification-defamation-vs-negligent-referral/