The Value of Employment Verifications

Any applicant can craft an impressive resume. However, resumes frequently contain misleading information. While employers might hire based on personal connections, subjective character judgments prove unreliable — even individuals associated with notorious criminals have been vouched for as trustworthy by those around them.

Why Employment Verification Matters

Employers face a choice: invest in verification services or accept resumes at face value. Though upfront verification costs may seem significant, the expenses of a poor hiring decision far exceed that investment. Failing to verify can lead to:

• Advertising and recruitment expenses
• Relocation costs
• Diminished team performance
• Incomplete projects and missed deadlines
• Failed compliance audits
• Lost clients and business opportunities
• Direct replacement expenses
• Damaged employer reputation
• Litigation and legal fees

Real-World Consequences

Charter Communications paid billions to a victim's family after an employee murdered a customer. Despite passing criminal background checks, this employee had fabricated previous employers. According to research, approximately 78% of job applicants embellish or falsify resume information. A criminal background check alone is not sufficient — employment history verification is a critical second layer of protection.

Which Roles Carry the Most Risk

Resume embellishment isn't limited to any one type of applicant. But the consequences hit hardest in roles where the claimed experience is the reason for hire — positions carrying trust, access, or responsibility the employer never would have extended had they known the truth.

• Healthcare and caregiving — fabricated credentials or gaps tied to license suspensions can put patients directly at risk
• Finance and accounting — undisclosed terminations for misconduct are a recurring pattern in fraud cases
• Education — moving between institutions without disclosure is exactly why CT, NJ, and PA enacted verification laws
• Direct-care and childcare staff — where a termination for cause at a prior employer is often the most important thing to know

A bad hire in any of these roles doesn't just cost money — it creates liability. The cost of verification is almost always smaller than the cost of the hire going wrong.

Connecticut's Legislative Response

On July 1, 2016, Connecticut enacted legislation requiring inter-district charter, magnet, and state charter schools to verify employment history for staff members working directly with children. This law directly addresses how some individuals move between institutions without proper oversight — a phenomenon sometimes referred to as "passing the trash."

Our Employment Verification Services

Research Services provides employment verification services, including Connecticut's 16-67 education employer verifications. Our staff manages verification requests with documented follow-ups, tracking all attempts by date and time so you always have a complete record of the process.

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