Numerous reasons support the need for conducting background checks on your new and existing employees and volunteers who interact with children and host your in-store activities. Background checks protect you and your business from potential liabilities.
Of primary concern is the potential liability of hiring a sex offender who could interact with your customers and their children. As recently as January 2018, formal complaints have risen to the surface regarding the lack of background checks for employees and volunteers within the hobby industry. An employer that fails to run a background check on their candidates for hire and volunteers in a risk-sensitive position is at high risk for liability. The money saved not running background checks does not compare to what employers might be required to spend to defend themselves against a negligent hiring lawsuit – not to mention the unnecessary risk presented to you, your employees and your customers.
Following the primary concern are the concerns that you may hire an employee with a financial criminal record who could be handling your companies’ cash or books or that you may hire an employee with a criminal record related to workplace violence.
While a background check won’t necessarily uncover all areas of concern with existing and potential employees and volunteers, it will improve new hire quality as it discourages applicants with something to hide and increases the quality of your applicants.
Wondering where to start? Rocky Mountain Hobby-Expo, the combined trade and consumer show sponsored by the Hobby Manufacturers Association, is proud to partner with CoreScreening to provide a substantially discounted rate for your employees and volunteers across the nation to complete an online National Criminal with Sexual Offender Registry search. This program is provided as a service to the industry. Neither the Hobby-Expo nor the Hobby Manufacturers Association receive any benefit or information from background checks performed.
The standard cost for the National Criminal with Sexual Offender Registry search is roughly $20; however, members of Rocky Mountain Hobby-Expo/Hobby Manufacturers Association will receive the discounted price of $8 per background check.
After your employee or volunteer completes the background check request online, the cost of the check will be billed to you and the results will be emailed to an address provided by you. As incidents may occur at any time, you may want to consider running background checks on an annual basis. Our program provides a logo that may be used on your website which indicates CoreScreening has performed employee background checks.
Visit http://www.RockyMountainHobby-Expo.com/buyer-registration/ for the link to our discount background check program (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Jim Marski is the Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Hobby-Expo, an ASTRA member, former VP of Sales for Accucraft Trains and a former hobby store owner. The Hobby-Expo is held October 25th – 28th in Denver, Colorado. The trade portion of the show features a series of business workshops for store owners. ASTRA members may register at no charge.
