[Phone rings]
Ann: “Cutting Edge, this is Ann.”
Customer: “I have this real short-term project, and I’m gonna pick up some contractors, just for this one deal.”
Ann (takes a large swallow of kale juice): “How many of your daughter’s college roommates are you going to hire?”
Customer: “HEY—how did you know. . .”
Ann (realizes kale juice will NEVER replace coffee): “You believe because they are:
-
- Young
- Female
- Contractors, not employees
That they don’t need background checks?”
Customer (fears he has opened an entire can of worms—and it’s a big one): “See, it’s a real short-term project.”
Ann (heavy sigh): “Hmmmm. May the odds be ever in your favor.’”
With short-term projects, you may think that you don’t need to run background checks.
While playing the odds in this case may be a safe bet, I wouldn’t recommend it.
I’m not much of a gambler. My husband and I walked through Harrah’s casino in New Orleans this past summer, placed two bets, won $700 and never went back.
You see, at its core, when my client looks at these fairly innocuous workers, and decides he can save a couple bucks by not screening them, he just opened this can of worms:
-
- Young=discrimination
- Female=discrimination
- Contractors=discrimination
Even those of us that didn’t go to law school can see the lawsuit is big enough to drive a truck through. The women may not have a problem about not getting screened. However, if their older, male counterparts in the company find out—or worse—older, male counterparts who didn’t get the job find out, there could be hell to pay.
And believe it, the world is becoming a very small place. One young woman posts on social media: Got the job at XYZ Company! Didn’t even need a background check! Going to Mexico this summer!” Or if someone who didn’t get the job sues because he didn’t get hired and through the process of discovery learns that background checks are hit-or-miss depending on who you are, there’s hell to pay.
You get my drift.
Don’t play the odds and risk a high-dollar lawsuit for a few bucks.
