10 Reasons Families are Afraid to Ask for a Nanny Background Check


Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin | in Background Check

Though the safety of our children is paramount, asking a nanny candidate for permission to run a background check can be intimidating. There are many reasons why parents, especially those hiring a nanny for the very first time, are hesitant to approach their favorite applicant about a criminal and consumer report investigation; here are ten of them.

  1. The Risk of Offending an Experienced Candidate – Anyone who has ever interviewed a nanny knows that the seasoned veterans of the field can be downright intimidating. Asking such a stern figure for permission to dig into her past can seem overly intrusive and make parents a bit nervous.
  2. The Nanny Came With a Friend or Family Member’s Recommendation – When a nanny is suggested by a friend or family member, requesting a background investigation can seem like an invasion of the nanny’s privacy and a lack of trust in the loved one’s judgment.
  3. Potential Discrimination Claims – As lawsuits claiming “credit-check discrimination” rise, many parents worry that performing a background check on their nanny candidates could open the door for a lawsuit of their own.
  4. Worries That The Process is Too Expensive – For those who have no experience with running background checks, it’s easy to assume that the process will be quite pricey. Affording a nanny’s salary and perks packages can be difficult enough in our economic climate; worries about the cost of a background investigation can cause some parents to forgo them.
  5. Discomfort With the Legal Implications – Because the laws differ from state to state, knowing exactly what’s legal in regard to a background check and what isn’t permissible can be daunting.
  6. Concerns About the Difficulty Level – A lack of experience with the process of background investigations can also cause parents seeking a nanny to worry that they’d be taking on a difficult and tedious task.
  7. Fear That the Process Will Be Too Lengthy – Worrying that a great candidate could slip through their fingers by taking another post while they wait for the background check to come back is another aspect of a criminal and consumer report investigation that scares some parents away.
  8. Worried About Potential Complications – Horror stories about mistaken identities, wrongfully executed searches and other complications from friends and family can be a strong deterrent for those seeking a nanny.
  9. Disposing of Personal Information Properly – Accessing a person’s sensitive information and personal data creates a very large responsibility for the person who possesses it, in the sense that it must be disposed of carefully to prevent the possibility of identity theft. Concerns about inadvertently playing a role in such a devastating crime can be a very scary thing.
  10. Worries About Finding a Reputable Company – Choosing to run a background check through a company that specializes in such things can be easier for employers who have no experience doing such things themselves, but concerns about finding a reputable company to do so can be another deterrent.

Though there are several aspects of running a background check on a potential employee that are daunting, taking the risk of hiring a candidate with a criminal history is even more terrifying. Weighing your options carefully and researching all aspects of the process is the best possible way to make your decision.

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