建筑工人的背景调查？当然。
医生和护士？当然！
金融专家？确定？
但是按摩师？房地产经纪人？理发师？真的吗？
我们当然习惯于对在商业企业、医疗机构、公共和私人交通、学校和其他传统组织工作的员工进行背景调查，但考虑筛选参与其他工作的个人也可能是谨慎的做法。
事实上，南卡罗来纳州已经开始努力扩大对某些行业工人进行背景调查的需求。在被定罪的连环杀手 Todd Kohlhepp是一名获得国家许可的房地产经纪人的消息曝光后，所有寻求房地产许可证的人现在都必须通过犯罪背景调查。
另一位南卡罗来纳州议员提议延长该法案的期限，以便理发师、药剂师、心理学家、语言病理学家、按摩治疗师和体检医师也必须通过背景调查，然后才能获得在该州开展服务的许可证。任何从南卡罗来纳州劳工、许可和监管部监管的 17 个专业委员会获得初始许可的人都需要接受犯罪背景调查。九个董事会已经需要进行背景调查才能获得许可。
该法案以 102-3 的比分通过了众议院，但在州议会于 5 月休会之前没有获得参议院的通过。可能会在立法机构于 1 月恢复时重新考虑。
目标是尽可能保证公众的安全。Kohlhepp 因性动机绑架被判入狱 14 年，是一名登记在案的性犯罪者。但是，由于当时在南卡罗来纳州获得房地产经纪人执照不需要进行背景调查，包括搜索性犯罪者登记册，因此这些事实并未曝光。5 月，Kohlhepp 承认在 13 年内杀死了 7 人（他们都不是他的房地产客户）。在警方救出一名被他绑架并用铁链锁在他农场的货运单元中的妇女后，他被捕。
从 2020 年开始，所有在南卡罗来纳州申请新的或更新的房地产许可证的申请人都必须提供指纹并通过背景调查，然后才能获得他或她的许可证。有执照的房地产经纪人必须每六年重新提交一次指纹，也就是每三次需要更新一次。
在观火背调的 2017 年就业筛选基准报告中，57% 接受调查的人力资源专业人士表示背景调查提供了更好的招聘质量，而 46% 表示背景调查的主要好处是更加一致的安全和保障。85% 的人透露他们在简历和/或工作申请中发现了谎言或虚假陈述。77% 的受访者表示，背景调查发现了候选人本不会被发现的问题。
南卡罗来纳州的一些立法者似乎了解背景调查在帮助促进工作场所安全以及员工与客户互动中的重要性。看看这项立法和其他类似立法是否会在 2018 年立法季继续受到关注将会很有趣。
Doctors and nurses? Of course!
Financial specialists? Definitely?
But masseurs? Real estate agents? Hairdressers? Really?
We’re certainly accustomed to background checks being conducted on employees who work for commercial businesses, medical facilities, public and private transportation, schools, and other conventional organizations, but it may also be prudent to consider screening individuals involved in other pursuits.
In fact, the state of South Carolina has already begun working on expanding the need for workers in certain professions to undergo a background check. Following the revelation that convicted serial killer Todd Kohlhepp was a state-licensed realtor, all individuals seeking real estate licenses must now pass a criminal background check.
Another South Carolina lawmaker has proposed extending the bill so hairdressers, pharmacists, psychologists, speech language pathologists, massage therapists, and medical examiners would also have to pass a background check before being granted a license to perform services in the state. Anyone receiving their initial license from 17 of the professional boards regulated by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation would need to submit to a criminal background check. Nine boards already require a background check to get licensed.
The bill cleared the House 102 – 3 but was not passed by the Senate before the State Legislature adjourned in May. It may be reconsidered when the Legislature resumes in January.
The goal is to keep the public as safe as possible. Kohlhepp, who served 14 years in prison for a sexually-motivated kidnapping, is a registered sex offender. But since a background check including a search of the sex offender registry was not at the time required to get a realtor’s license in South Carolina, these facts were not brought to light. In May, Kohlhepp confessed to having killed seven people over 13 years (none of them were his real estate clients). He was arrested after police rescued a woman he had kidnapped and kept chained in a cargo unit at his farm.
Starting in 2020, all applicants for a new or renewed real estate license in South Carolina must provide a fingerprint and pass a background check before receiving his or her license. Licensed realtors must resubmit a fingerprint every six years, which is every third time a renewal is required.
In HireRight’s 2017 Employment Screening Benchmark Report, 57% of Human Resource Professionals polled stated background checks provide better quality of hire, while 46% said a principal benefit of a background check is more consistent safety and security. 85% revealed they had found a lie or a misrepresentation on a resume and/or job application. And 77% said background checks uncovered an issue with a candidate that wouldn’t otherwise have been caught.
Some lawmakers in South Carolina seem to understand the importance of background checks in helping to promote safety in the workplace and in the interactions workers have with customers. It will be interesting to see if this and other similar legislation continues to gain traction in the 2018 legislative season.
