APMA News - July 2011 - (Page 50)

Small Business 101 By John Guiliana, DPM Employer, Beware! QUESTION: I recently was told that I should be doing background checks on candidates I am considering hiring. Is this process really that important, and what should I check? ANSWER: Employees are an important asset to a practice, or any small business. They are the driving force behind production. They are the representatives of the practice and an extension of the health-care provider. Employee background checks are key to ensuring the practice has performed its due diligence during the hiring process. Unfortunately, an employment application may contain false or misleading information. On paper, the applicant might appear to meet your practice’s standards, but you have no way of knowing if the information the candidate provided is truthful without conducting a thorough background check. In fact, most states subscribe to a negligent hiring doctrine. Employers can be held responsible for criminal acts committed by an employee who harms others. could leave the practice financially vulnerable to employee wrongdoing. Background checks should include: Driving Records—Conduct a driver record search if the applicant will be driving a personal or company vehicle. The state’s department of motor vehicles keeps records for three to 11 years. A records check will reveal any traffic violations, DUIs, suspensions, or revocations. A DUI offense should raise a question regarding problems with alcohol. Worker’s Compensation—As a potential employer, it is important to determine whether the applicant’s history of employment contains any record of accidents and/or injury. A follow-up with the employer listed in the report will provide information regarding the integrity of the claim and whether the potential employee has a history of abusing the system. A Worker’s Compensation claim history is especially important if the potential employee will be performing any physical tasks on the new job where the risk of injury exists. Credit Report—The credit header portion of a credit report contains name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number as reported by the individual in question. Headers are indexed by Social Security number. The header provides verification that the individual is who he or she claims to be. The actual credit report shows an account and payment history, credit activity, and debt load. Uniform Commercial Code Filings (UCC)—The state’s secretary of state maintains UCC records regarding civil litigation by individuals and business entities. These records show names and addresses of plaintiffs and defendants, “doing business as” names, court of record, county, and filing date. Federal Bankruptcy Court—Records from the bankruptcy court may divulge information regarding financial difficulties of an applicant. Such information can sometimes be a deciding factor in hiring. Court Records—Court records are available as public records at the county, state, and federal levels. County-level records often yield the most complete information regarding both civil and criminal activities. National Criminal Search—If the application shows that the subject has moved from state to state, a nationwide criminal search should be conducted. Such a search will reveal any charges, adjudications, and aliases that might have been used. Employee background checks are an important part of the hiring process and the fiduciary responsibility of an employer. Many online companies will conduct the entire process for you, and the money invested could help preclude some very expensive bad decisions. n • • • The Employment Application The initial step in screening a prospective employee starts with a signed employment application, which should include a “Release of Information Statement,” and grants the employer the right to access educational, credit, Worker’s Compensation, police, criminal, and court records. Examples of application forms can be found online. The employment application should ask for: 1. applicant’s full name and Social Security number 2. applicant’s place of birth 3. applicant’s current address (rent or own?) and telephone number 4. applicant’s addresses for the past 10 years 5. applicant’s educational background and highest degree earned 6. name, address, and telephone number of current employer 7. names and addresses of employers for the past 10 years 8. name and address of current bank 9. three credit references 10. driver’s license number, state of issue, and expiration date 11. names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three personal references After conducting the initial interviews and verifications noted above, it’s time to conduct a background check. The background check is especially vital if any doubts regarding the character of the applicant have been raised during the interview, or if the applicant is being hired for a position that 50 APMA News July/August 2011 • • • • Contact Dr. Guiliana at Jguiliana@aappm.org.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - July 2011

APMA News - July 2011
President’s Message
Contents
PICA Reflects on its Past, Looks to the Future
APMA Media Event Wrap-Up: Toning Shoes Are All The Rage, Along with Podiatrists' Expert Advice
APMA Member Testifi es Before Congressional Committee on Health IT
Stepping Up to Prevent Falls: Part II
Resident Experts: CPME's Residency Evaluators Share Their Stories
Strategic Planning Retreat Underscores APMA Direction
Reimbursement
Can They Really Do That?
Members Who Know Media
Technofile
Young Voices
Federal Advocacy Forum
Small Business 101
CPME Update
APMAPAC Chair Report
APMA All Stars
In Short
Worthy of Note
Affiliates Corner
Insurance Advisor
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
Committee Nominations
Bylaws Propositions Due
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
Ten Questions

APMA News - July 2011