Background Checks

[Quiver318]

Have you seen how insane employment background screenings have gotten?

I am considering accepting a job with a new company, but they have sent me some consent forms to allow a third-party to perform a background screening on me. The forms are pretty spooky looking! They involve everything that you would normally expect, but they would also seem to have no bounds. For example, they will be looking in my medical records for past drug test results, any refusals to take a drug test, and any old workers' compensation injuries. They will search for FBI Fingerprints, my complete earnings history, resume inaccuracies, and innumerable other factors I have never seen listed before.

Do you agree that they are being a little too paraniod over such a measly job? I can tell you that I certainly feel pariniod now!

What bothers me most is that they have included a “full release of liability” which extends to every government agency, company, past employer or anyone who would be involved in my screening, in any way (even my references). This means that if any one of them commits gross negligence, slander, libel, identity theft, or otherwise ruins my life during this investigation, I would have little or no legal recourse to fix it. Nice for them, eh?