No matter where you are, you’re going to have to go through the process of candidate credentialing. It’s important to make sure that a candidate’s qualifications check out; when you have a candidate who doesn’t fit the bill, it ends up being a big waste of time and money for everyone involved, and will no please the client. Someone who can’t do the job properly is not only going to waste time on the job, but they’re going to waste money and precious resources as well. When you take the time to find a quality candidate, it really pays off.
Negligent credentialing lawsuits are unfortunately something that companies often have to deal with when it comes down to a worker who wasn’t actually qualified. These kinds of lawsuits are particularly rampant in the healthcare industries and other more technical fields, but any industry and any organization is likely to see many candidates whose credentials don’t quite check out. But what’s the right way to approach a credentialing problem in order to maximize efficiency and reduce the risk of a lawsuit? Here are some of the best practices for candidate credentialing, via HireRight.
Ensure that the minimum is more than met.
Sure, everyone is always looking for candidates that meet the minimum requirement. But you have to go much farther than that. Background and criminal checks need to be thorough: when these things aren’t dealt with the right way, it often leads to problems being overlooked. Don’t put your staffing agency at risk by only throwing in half the effort. Data from abuse and sex offender registries also should not be something that’s taken lightly. No one wants a hire that ends up being incredibly detrimental and counterproductive to their agency. To top it off, the lack of background checking is always going to fall back on the staffing agency.
Get a third party involved.
When it comes down to basic human error and general inconsistencies, getting a third party involved to help with the credentialing process can really free up your hands. Sure, your agency might have a good vetting system. But bringing in a separate set of professional eyes can really prove to be helpful. These are trained professionals who know exactly what they’re looking for in order to assist in the credentialing process.
Be prepared and organized.
Have you collected and organized the materials that you would need in the event of an audit? Everything that you would need for the credentialing process should be easy to access, including your staffing insurance policy. Having a system of documentation that shows how you’re meeting or exceeding industry expectations will prove to be key when it comes down to candidate credentialing. If your candidate was sued in the past, you’re also going to want that information readily available.
The final thing that any staffing agency should do is to continuously monitor their employees. Just because they passed a background check doesn’t mean that they’re actually competent. Keep notes of everything that goes on with your staffing agency.
About World Wide Specialty Programs
For the last 50 years, World Wide Specialty Programs has dedicated itself to providing the optimal products and solutions for the staffing industry. As the only insurance firm to be an ASA commercial liability partner, we are committed to that partnership and committed to using our knowledge of the industry to provide staffing firms with the best possible coverage. For more information about Staffing Professional Liability Insurance or any other coverage, we have available to protect your staffing business, give us a call at (800) 245-9653 to speak with one of our representatives.