In Depth

Good (and Bad) Background Checks

More organizations use background checks to investigate criminal histories and to make hiring and firing decisions. It's up to CSOs to make sure this powerful but flawed weapon doesn't backfire.

By Sarah D. Scalet

"It's a tough issue," says Osterberg of Schneider National. "Where do we cross the line between your individual right to privacy and your employer's right to know specific things that could be detrimental to your performance or public safety? We've got to find a working balance, where we're not being intrusive, but we're able to learn those things that might be indicative of problematic behavior."

It's no easy task; but it's worth the struggle. Because done well, the background check stands to become much more than another weapon in the CSO's arsenal. It can be a tool for doing the right thing.

Other stories by Sarah D. Scalet

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