As businesses placing the highest priority on keeping clients safe, non-profit human service organizations must be thorough in screening candidates to prevent any chance that an employee might abuse or neglect the very clients they are supposed to be helping.
While the vast majority of human services workers are caring and attentive, cases of abuse still occur. And when they do, they cause emotional angst within an organization, long-term damage to its reputation, and can make it more difficult to secure funding and volunteers.
In addition, a lawsuit could ultimately prevent a human services organization from continuing its positive work over the long-term.
Consider the case of an entity that failed to run a background check on a tutor who was later accused of raping an eight-year old girl.
According to the manager, a request for a background check was submitted. Because of an error in the administration office, however, it was never forwarded to the appropriate state record office, but never completed. Unfortunately the organization is now managing all of the troubling consequences, and has been named in a lawsuit filed by the victim's family.
Although there is no foolproof way to identify potential abusers, there are some proven ways for human services organizations to minimize the risks in their hiring process.
They can start by identifying a local independent agent who has considerable experience working with human service agencies and who works with carriers that offer solid human services programs designed especially for the unique risks and exposures of the industry.
Agents and carriers can help by offering expertise and services that go far beyond basic coverages. These include advice on risk management and organizational best practices, as well as discounts on services such as background checks.
The following are important screening and hiring steps that will help an organization's risk management.
SCREEN EVERYONE
Even if the hiring agent personally knows the job candidate, it is imperative that every potential employee be thoroughly screened. When it comes to the screening process, organizations should not take shortcuts or make exceptions.
DEVELOP THE RIGHT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Establish and communicate policies and procedures on staff-client interactions, whether these interactions take place during work hours, or outside of the office or work setting. Policies and procedures should clearly address the serious issues of client abuse and employee conduct. These should be communicated to everyone in the organization as a shared responsibility of all employees.
BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR MISSION
Send the message early about the importance of protecting clients and staff from abuse. This means communicating this priority during the job application, review and interview process.
For example, before any job candidate is invited to complete an application, they should be required to read the agency's policies on abuse and neglect and employee conduct; then to sign a statement to the effect that they fully understand the policies and, if hired, agree to adhere to them at all times.
Of course, every job candidate should be asked to sign a release that will permit the hiring agent to conduct a criminal background check.
Job candidates should be given a statement that explains precisely what type of information, if discovered, would immediately disqualify an individual from consideration for employment. The candidate also should be given the organization's policies on confidentiality and information security.
CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS EARLY
The form for a criminal background check should require the job candidate to list all current and past residential addresses. Most states will conduct background checks for free for human service organizations. In addition, a 50-state background check must be a part of the routine screening process, to ensure that individuals convicted of abuse in other states are identified before an offer of employment is made.
National background checks may be costly, and budgets for non-profit organizations are always tight. However, there can be no question or compromise when it comes to the screening process: a 50-state background check will be pay for itself many times over if just one potential abuser is identified, or discouraged from moving forward with the hiring process. Some carriers offer research tools to help customers minimize the cost of national background checks as much as possible.
RESTATE YOUR MISSION FOR AN ABUSE-FREE ORGANIZATION
After a job candidate has cleared local and national background checks, he or she can be asked to complete a full job application form, one that documents all former employers. Any gaps in employment should be addressed in the personal interview stage.
In addition, job candidates should be required to list the names of their direct supervisors, along with contact information. When checking references, the hiring manager should follow up to ensure that the reference is the correct person and not a co-worker, friend, or acquaintance.
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
In anticipation of conducting personal interviews with qualified job candidates, everyone involved in the interview process should be formally trained on interview techniques; in particular, on methods to screen for potential abuse issues.
The process should include posing open-ended questions, and describing potential scenarios involving abuse or neglect. A standard set of core interview questions can also help to create more consistency.
Candidates also should be interviewed by several people in an organization. When the process is complete, staff members who participated should compare their impressions and findings. Any deviations or inconsistencies from one interview to the next should be seen as a red flag that prompts follow-up action or inquiry.
CHECK REFERENCES
The best predictor of the future is the past. Reference checks with past employers can provide critical information about job candidates. It is a good practice to ask job candidates to provide two more references beyond any written references.
Talking with multiple references can produce valuable information. The hiring manager should always do their best to verify that they are talking with a real past employer, as job candidates have been known to have friends or relatives "pose" as former employers to cover up poor employment history.
One phone call to a past employer's human resources department should clarify and confirm the role that the reference plays at the agency, and whether they can officially provide an employer reference. Many organizations will only verify dates of employment for former employees. If this is the case, then try, at a minimum, to get the reference to commit to the question of whether they would consider hiring the job candidate back in the future.
MAKE THE EFFORT
Hiring an employee is a long, painstaking process, and even following the steps described is no guarantee that it will keep someone with a past history of abusive behavior, or a potential abuser, from joining an organization.
If even one such individual is successfully screened out of the hiring process; it will be worth every bit of the added time and expense. Your clients, customers, and employees all benefit by your taking these steps. While risk control serves as the foremost source to mitigating risks, having the right insurance coverage when something does go wrong is the best way to control your exposures.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.