The pre-employment background check has become more and more common - especially after the attacks of September 11th 2001. Most employers and workers see the value of the checks.
"Are you looking for a fulltime management position? Fulltime or parttime "
Job seekers handed over their resumes at a job fair on the OSU campus. More than a dozen representatives of companies in sales, service and education talked with potential employees about job opportunities. Insurance agent Grant Margraff with Physicians Mutual Insurance says his company conducts background checks through an on line service to find out if someone committed any crimes.
"The company would find that out and in the state of Ohio, felonies or that kind of thing prevents a person from getting a license to sell insurance and not only would it prevent them from getting a license to be appointed with us we would probably find that out as well and decline them from becoming a part of our team," Margraff said.
Gary Dill, a representative with New Horizons a computer training school says his company also digs into the backgrounds of a potential worker.
"We have a background check that we do. We use a background check company to make sure there's nothing outstanding you know in their background," Dill said.
Job seeker 26 year old Brian Coffman thinks background checks are a good idea.
"They don't want people that are not trustworthy or what not to work for them so I guess that's why I agree I wouldn't want nobody not trustworthy to work for me," Coffman said.
Regional supervisor of Burger King, Donnie Smith says all applications are handled online where they are assessed and investigated.
"We're a cash business, you know you can look at it any other way our job is to turn burgers and fries into cash and what that happens we definitely as a security measure just to your team and yourself and even your guests occasionally it is a security measure that we need to take place," Smith said.
However, Smith says having a criminal record does not necessarily bar you from getting a job at Burger King.
"I mean everyone is in a right to a second chance. Some things regarding you know some certain type of felonies you have a less likely chance to bring on than others," said Smith.
Smith says those decisions are made by corporate headquarters.
Temp worker 36 year old Nichole Jackson hopes that job applicants are honest on their resumes.
"Well it would certainly make me feel uncomfortable depending on what they got in trouble for especially. But, yeah I would think that type of thing would need to be disclosed," Jackson said.
After one year of unemployment, 33 year old Aishia Johnson is frustrated that she may be competing with people who lie on their job applications. But, she believes those who pay their debt to society for wrongdoing should have another chance.
"Just because they made a mistake in life should not disqualify them because they may be highly qualified for a job just as I am, but we need to take in consideration and at least do our due diligence and know the facts behind it," Johnson said.
Facts that some employers says mean the difference between a job or longer unemployment.
