Thanks to the efforts of a team leader in one of my newsagency businesses this week we uncovered an employee theft situation early, before it cost us too much. The employee had only been with us for a few weeks. We were lucky to have security camera footage and accompanying newsagency software data to prove the theft.
Any newsagents in Victoria who are approached by someone with newsagency experience looking for work is welcome to call me on 0418 321 338 for a reference check.
I wish we could operate a do not hire register … It would save our channel thousands of dollars a month.
Catching the theft in this instance was assisted by secret tracking tools we use.
Newsagents who do not take care in balancing cash daily, who are lazy with their use of their newsagency software, who do not have a theft policy or who do not act on suspicious invite theft and the consequences which it wreaks on their business.
When we caught an employee earlier this year and sacked him, he went to work for Tesco. We never received a reference request so your suggestion of a register would work for us too.
Steve
A pre-employment background check provides the same outcome as a register.
Employers must be vigilant in gathering evidence and insisting that the police peruse criminal charges.
Jarryd only if the applicant is truthful about previous employment.
Correct, Mark.
All too convenient to leave out “priors”. :/
A very low act, indeed.
Jarryd, one of my former employees went to work for you when I sold my business a few years back and you never called me for a reference check! Lucky for you she is a gun and I would have recommended her without hesitation.
Mark,
I mean a criminal background check prior to employment.
Jarryd that only works if any past crime was reported to the police. Often this is not done.
A Police Clearance will only pick up crimes they’ve been convicted of, not ones where a good lawyer got them off or the poor shop keeper didn’t have sufficient proof for a prosecution. Worth doing, but know its limitations.
‘Im aware that it will only show past crimes one was convicted of. Surely we’re not calling for a register that operates outside of crimes for which one is convicted … ?
Such a register would circumvent due process, allowing rogue employers to act as judge, jury and executioner.
Employers have a responsibility to report internal crime.
Jarryd, there are many instances where someone who is not convicted of a crime could receive an unattractive reference. In the case I have documented I would say that we had to let the employee go because of a theft situation which they admitted but repaid.
I was taught years ago the the best negative reference with out putting yourself in danger of defamation etc is just to say ” yes they worked here and that is all I can say about him/her”
Sometimeswhat you won’t say is more powerful than what you do say and refernces are one such instance if the person enquiring is switched on.
A wise business person would understand exactly what you are trying to convey Brendan.
The one and most important question that I ask a former employer of a potential staff member is “would you employ this person again ?”
if someone was stealing they would have to be extra dumb to actually put you down as a reference in the first place .
Mark,
If it were me I would never actually state that the person was let go for theft, unless they had been officially charged. There is a risk, however small, that the person may take action for giving false reference.
Unattractive references are not circumvention of legal due process. A register that essentially lists people as criminals without the proper checks and balances of the legal system does circumvent due process.
Al,
I agree. I would even go so far, as a reference, to state that I would not employ someone again without even being asked.
Jarryd, I wished for a do not hire register. It needn’t say anything about theft or reasons.