69% of businesses surveyed this year by HireRight said applicants had been caught lying on their resumes–a problem that seems to be on the rise due to the recession.
Thorough reference checks are more important now than ever when hiring. As an employer, you want to get references on potential employees that are informative and helpful to you. You also want to be able to give informative, helpful references to employers who contact you for information about your own former employees.
Washington laws protect employers who provide appropriate information in a reference. The law protects your ability to comment on your employee’s:
- Capacity for performing their job
- Diligence & skill
- Reliability in carrying out their duties
- Illegal or wrongful acts that were committed in relation to their duties
As jobs become harder to get, applicants may become more desperate to find a job, and be tempted to fudge the facts. Be sure you’re carefully verifying their background by checking all of their work history.