Should You Be Rescreening Your Seasonal Employee?

Rehiring seasonal workers generally makes solid business sense. You already know them – and they know you. They’ve performed well for you in the past, or you wouldn’t even be thinking of bringing them back. So, why bother with the time and expense of rescreening them before they start? 

A Corner You Can’t Afford to Cut

You may think you can’t afford new background checks on temporary employees who have worked for you before. But in reality, you can’t afford not to rescreen them. The reason is simple, but critically important: things may have changed since they left your employ. 

• Is a person’s record different than it was a year ago? Have any wrongdoings occurred that might affect their current eligibility for a role or cause a threat of liability? 

In addition, databases and background check processes are continually being improved and updated, so periodic checks of all workers can be invaluable. 

Consider the cost of even a single bad hire. If you bring someone on board who has a habit of pinching cash from a register, note that employee theft is a leading cause of inventory shrinkage. Or, if you hire someone who has developed a drug habit, they may wind up regularly missing work, which hurts productivity and, ultimately, profitability. 

Additional Considerations

The way you screen your seasonal employees shouldn’t be any different from the way you conduct background screenings year round. A few additional considerations include: 

• Social media threats: Especially since becoming largely homebound due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are spending more and more time online, where questionable behavior inevitably can flourish. Remember: your employees, including seasonal ones, represent your company. Always make sure you have the best possible face on your brand. 
• Drug abuse: Current drug screens are essential, particularly for businesses that employ younger people and machinery operators. While no age group is exempt, members of younger generations typically have more activity around drug use. 
• The importance of compliance: Laws can change during the off-season. You may miss key regulatory updates – and non-compliance can be very costly. You need to stay on top of this. Or, your organization may have changing customer contracts that require everyone working for you to have updated background checks. 

Chane Solutions is Here to Assist You!

Sure, most of your 2019 seasonal employees will probably sail through your rescreen program. But if even a single bad egg passes through, it could ruin your business during an already precarious time. To reinstate, tweak, or further improve your employment background screening and drug testing processes, contact the Chane Solutions team today. We’re a one-stop-shop and a trusted source as you maintain a safe, compliant workforce environment.