How To Run A Background Check On Anyone
By The Safety Mom Jan 31 , 2011 | 10:30:00 amPosted in: Family, Personal Safety Whether it’s finding the occasional babysitter, a handyman for fix-it projects or a housekeeper, the process can be daunting. I used to be a trusting person but my cynical New York side has come out more over the years and for good reason. I’ve heard too many stories of seemingly normal babysitters suddenly becoming nut cases and handymen who have disappeared half way through a job with 100 percent of the money.
I used to rely exclusively on references and hire people who had worked for acquaintances, but now I do background checks on anyone who is going to be working in my home. When hiring a babysitter there are some great sites such as Care.com, Sittercity.com and Nannies4hire.com and you can order a background check directly from them.
The beauty of the Internet is that so much information is available for free online. A great place to start is Free Public Record Sites. This lists available resources by state including driving, criminal, civil and financial records. Prior to starting your search however, find out the privacy laws for your particular state. Each state’s laws are different. Some require written consent from the person for whom you’re conducting the background check but others don’t. If you inform the person and get their date of birth and social security number you can run a check through the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Even once you’ve done a background check on a person, it still pays to be cautious. Nanny cams and home monitoring systems that have wireless cameras, allow you to view rooms in your home through your computer, will help to ensure that everything is okay. No, this is not invasion of privacy! For anyone who’s discovered their babysitter neglecting or abusing their child or workers taking 2-hour coffee breaks, it’s reassuring to know that you can actually keep an eye on what’s going on. There’s nothing wrong with informing babysitters or other workers that you have cameras. If they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing they shouldn’t have a problem.
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Babysitter & Nanny Do’s and Don’ts 10 Questions to Ask When Selecting a Daycare Provider Do you Know Where Your Teen is Online?
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