Why Employee Vetting Is Crucial for Contractors
In the contracting industry, your business is only as strong as the crew you send to the job site. Unlike a typical office environment, your employees operate heavy machinery, handle dangerous tools, and often work unsupervised in clients' homes or businesses. Because of these high stakes, employee vetting is crucial for contractors.
Mitigating Job Site Risks
Safety is the top priority on any construction or contracting site. An employee under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or one who lacks the necessary safety training, poses a danger to themselves and everyone around them.
Accidents happen, but many are preventable. A rigorous vetting process that includes drug screening and verification of safety certifications helps you identify high-risk candidates before they step onto a site. By ensuring every team member is physically and mentally fit for the job, you significantly lower the likelihood of workplace injuries and costly workers' compensation claims.
Safeguarding Client Trust and Property
When a client hires a contractor, they are often granting access to their most private spaces—their homes or secure business facilities. This requires a tremendous amount of trust. If an employee commits theft, vandalism, or harasses a client, the damage to your company’s reputation can be irreversible.
Background checks are essential for identifying past criminal behavior that could pose a risk. Knowing who you are sending into a client's property allows you to confidently assure your customers that their property and safety are in good hands.
Avoiding Legal Liability
"Negligent hiring" is a legal concept that every contractor should understand. If you hire an employee with a history of violence or reckless behavior, and that employee harms a client or coworker, your business can be held liable for failing to conduct proper due diligence.
Courts often look at whether the employer "knew or should have known" about the employee's background. A documented, consistent vetting process demonstrates that you took reasonable care in your hiring decisions.
For government contractors, it is even more important to go through the proper background checks. There is a variety of background check requirements for government contracts that can leave your business liable if you don’t follow them.
Ensuring Technical Competence
Vetting isn't just about background checks and drug tests; it is also about verifying skill sets. In contracting, claiming to have a skill and actually possessing it are two different things. An employee who falsifies their experience with specific machinery or electrical systems can cause expensive damage to a project.
During the vetting process, take the time to:
Call references to verify specific projects the candidate worked on.
Check the status of any required licenses or certifications.
Conduct practical skills assessments if possible.
Build a Stronger Foundation
Implementing a strict vetting process for contractors might seem to slow hiring, especially when you need boots on the ground quickly. However, the long-term stability of your contracting business depends on it.
