MENUMENU
  • FREE RESOURCES
  • PREMIUM CONTENT
        • SEE MORE
          PREMIUM RESOURCES
  • HR DEEP DIVES
        • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for HR Professionals
          Employment Law
          Labor Law Posting Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
          Recruiting
          businesswoman selecting future employees on digital interfaces
          Recruiting Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
          Performance Management
          vector image of young female making star rating
          Performance Review Resources
          Employment Law
          Understanding Equal Employment Opportunity and the EEOC
          Recruiting
          Onboarding Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
  • CORONAVIRUS & HR

  • LOGIN
  • SIGN UP FREE

HR Morning

MENUMENU
  • FREE RESOURCES
  • PREMIUM CONTENT
        • SEE MORE
          PREMIUM RESOURCES
  • HR DEEP DIVES
        • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for HR Professionals
          Employment Law
          Labor Law Posting Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
          Recruiting
          businesswoman selecting future employees on digital interfaces
          Recruiting Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
          Performance Management
          vector image of young female making star rating
          Performance Review Resources
          Employment Law
          Understanding Equal Employment Opportunity and the EEOC
          Recruiting
          Onboarding Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
  • CORONAVIRUS & HR
  • Employment Law
  • Benefits
  • Recruiting
  • Talent Management
  • Performance Management
  • HR Technology
  • More
    • Leadership & Strategy
    • Compensation
    • Staff Administration
    • Policy & Procedures
    • Wellness
    • Staff Departure
    • Employee Services
    • Work Location
    • HR Career & Self-Care
    • Health Care
    • Retirement Plans

Lying in the hiring process: How to handle the candidate

Lynn Cavanaugh
by Lynn Cavanaugh
July 2, 2019
2 minute read
  • SHARE ON

Do you know how well your company is protected from false claims on employment applications?

During the hiring process, the ability to disqualify an applicant from consideration for a job, or to fire a candidate who lied on their application, hinges on what you have in writing.

It’s a common problem

A recent study showed 85% of employers have caught applicants lying on their resume or job application.

The common areas to fudge are dates of past employment, credentials, training, degrees, prior earnings and criminal history.

How can you avoid the liabilities that come with application falsification? Here are some steps employers should take, according to Workforce.

Be prepared

Implement a clear, uniform policy about the consequences of providing false information on an application.

Put a disclaimer on your standard job application near the signature line. By signing the application, the applicant acknowledges that providing false, misleading or inaccurate information on the application, on the resume or during an interview is grounds for disqualification, or termination if already hired.

The disclaimer should also expressly waive any liability for the employer if the applicant isn’t hired or is terminated for providing false information.

Be consistent

The best protection for your company is to follow your policy of disqualification/termination every time you find out for a fact that an applicant lied on their application or in a job interview.

Consistency during the recruiting process can protect the employer from legal liabilities and countless headaches down the road.

If a background investigation reveals an applicant or employee clearly lied, the applicant should be rejected or the employee terminated immediately.

If you only suspect falsification, HR should conduct a fair and impartial investigation and document the findings. Disciplinary action should be taken if the findings are conclusive.

Having a strict application falsification policy can save your company from potential legal action later.

Some states have laws prohibiting revoking job offers based on the discovery of a misdemeanor or other convictions with no relevance to the applicant’s suitability for the job.

However, following your company policy of revoking an offer when an employee misrepresents the existence of the conviction would still be allowed.

Lynn Cavanaugh
Lynn Cavanaugh
Lynn, a member of the HRMorning staff, is an award-winning editor who writes about HR, benefits and compensation topics. Previously, she was editor-in-chief of Woman’s Own and American Woman magazines.

Primary Sidebar

Get the latest from HRMorning in your inbox PLUS immediately access 10 FREE HR guides.

I WANT MY FREE GUIDES

Keep Up To Date with the Latest HR News

With HRMorning arriving in your inbox, you will never miss critical stories on labor laws, benefits, retention and onboarding strategies.

Sign up for a free HRMorning membership and get our newsletter!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
HR Morning Logo
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linked In
  • ABOUT HRMORNING
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • WRITE FOR US
  • CONTACT
  • Employment Law
  • Benefits
  • Recruiting
  • Talent Management
  • HR Technology
  • Performance Management
  • Leadership & Strategy
  • Compensation & Payroll
  • Policy & Culture
  • Staff Administration
  • Wellness & Safety
  • Staff Departure
  • Employee Services
  • Work Location
  • HR Career & Self-Care

HRMorning, part of the SuccessFuel Network, provides the latest HR and employment law news for HR professionals in the trenches of small-to-medium-sized businesses. Rather than simply regurgitating the day’s headlines, HRMorning delivers actionable insights, helping HR execs understand what HR trends mean to their business.

Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Copyright © 2021 SuccessFuel

WELCOME BACK!

Enter your username and password below to log in

Forget Your Username or Password?

Reset Password

Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

Log In

During your free trial, you can cancel at any time with a single click on your “Account” page.  It’s that easy.

Why do we need your credit card for a free trial?

We ask for your credit card to allow your subscription to continue should you decide to keep your membership beyond the free trial period.  This prevents any interruption of content access.

Your card will not be charged at any point during your 21 day free trial
and you may cancel at any time during your free trial.

preloader