Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/425993
w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m D e c e m b e r 2 0 14 • I NSIGH T | 35 never tell you they lived in Illinois because if you look you may find a conviction," Schwartz says. at's why Goodwill NCW switched from a Department of Justice system to Wons about five years ago, says Jay Stephany, seeker of talent at Goodwill NCW, which employs about 1,400 workers. e background check company also provides a kind of customer service you won't find on the Internet or with a national agency with call centers. "It's been a great asset within our group," Stephany says. "e response rate has been great, the customer service is phenomenal. When we look at vendors that we work with, we keep them to pretty high standards. We want to make sure that they're aligned culturally with who we are and what we do." About 10 years ago, an employee of Goodwill NCW embezzled more than $500,000 from the nonprofit organization. While Goodwill was conducting background checks at the time through the DOJ system, it wouldn't have helped since the employee had been there a long time and had no criminal background. But using Wons services now helps the organization make decisions about whether candidates would be a good fit for the organization and helps determine which department they are best suited for. Schwartz says employers need to understand that even convicted felons are a protected hiring class. While the concept of "business necessity" allows employers to avoid hiring a felon whose criminal conviction is directly related to the position for which they are applying, it doesn't preclude them from eliminating them as a candidate otherwise. Schwartz stresses that Wons Background Investigations can't give legal advice, but it does try to update employers on current regulations to help them avoid legal pitfalls. "We supply the information, and what our clients do with that information is really up to them," Schwartz says. "But we pride ourselves on our expertise, and we want to give people the information they need to stay compliant with all the laws that are out there." While there are some industries that are particularly appropriate for background checks, such as health care organizations that are sending workers into people's homes or for companies that hire people to work with cash, it works for anyone. "It's more the idea of trying to do your best to make the best hiring decision," Schwartz says. O N T H E W E B Wons Background Investigations www.wonsbackgroundchecks.com Seasons Greetings! Wishing You Health and Happiness this Holiday Season and Prosperit y in the New Year! We appreciate you and your business and hope to see you in 2015! NWTC Corporate Training and Economic Development Lisa Francour: 920-498-6911 • https://corporatetraining.nwtc.edu