Data reported by background screening companies have consistently shown that 30 to 50percent of job applicants misrepresent themselves and/or outright lie on their resume. While there is universal agreement that applicants falsifying their resume is problematic the fact is that it is not illegal. However, hiring a person based on what is presented in their resume can lead an employer down the path to some very hot legal waters.
Consider the following:
Professional Licensing Issues
Your organization business could end up in getting sued if you hire an unlicensed professional or someone’s license that has expired to perform the professional duties in fields that require a license to practice and someone is harmed. Classic examples would be someone serving a medical doctor that is not licensed or providing legal counsel with a law degree.
Liability Issues
Hiring someone who is unqualified to do a job is risky business, your customers or patients could sue you for negligence if they are harmed. Although you may be able to sue the person who lied, you will have to demonstrate that the lie caused your business harm and that you could not have known the person was lying (if you did not perform a background check ‘good luck’ with proving that)
Termination Issues
Did you know that once you have discovered an employee lied on her resume, you might not be able to immediately fire her.If the employee has an employment contract or your state requires termination for cause, you may have to prove the lie or show that the employee is otherwise unqualified. Before you move to terminate the employee be sure to keep detailed and specific documentation of the employee’s performance short comings, mishaps and incidents. Also talk to the employee about the purported lie on their resume to provide them an opportunity to offer an explanation. If you falsely accuse someone of lying on her resume, you could be vulnerable to a wrongful termination suit and furthermore, if you end up in front of a jury it will look good that you gave them a chance to explain and who knows it might be your luck day and she actually admits it was a lie.
W. Barry Nixon is the COO, PreemploymentDirectory.com the leading background screening information portal and online worldwide directory of professional background screening firms and Suppliers to the background screening industry. He co-authored the landmark book, Background Screening & Investigations: Managing Hiring Risk from the HR and Security Perspective. He also is the publisher of award winning newsletters, The Background Buzz and The Global Background Screener, and the author of the Background Checks column in PI Magazine.
In addition, Barry is a past recipient of the elite ‘Top 25 Influential People in Security’ by Security Magazine and past Co-Chair, International Committee for the National Association for Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). He currently serves as a Global Ambassador for NAPBS.
You can contact Barry at 1-949-770-5264 or online at wbnixon@preemploymentdirectory.com