In the second installment of our three-part series on employee lies and blunders, we’ll take a look at people who have posted questionable pictures or content up on the Internet with ill-effects. Though these peoples’ antics backfired on them, their funny blunders will go down in the record books as explosively entertaining. All of these stories (courtesy of the Computer World Networking Web site) bring to the forefront the need for employment background screening and criminal background searches for all new employees. Accu-Screen has been providing these services, and many more, to employers for over 15 years.
1. Why do teachers seem to top lists like these? For one cheerleading coach at Waukegan High School, her indecent pictures on MySpace caused uproar with parents and fellow teachers alike. The teacher was described as “incompetent, immature, and inexperienced” by the angry mob. Rather than firing the teacher for her unprofessional conduct, Illinois’ congressman pardoned her on account of the fact that she was also his executive assistant – after all, doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?
2. Here’s another educator in hot water…actually warm, Gulf of Mexico waters. Salisbury University in Maryland’s president learned the hard way that what happens in Mexico doesn’t stay in Mexico. Her Facebook photo album of her trip to Mexico included racial statements against the locals (a very bad first impression to make, by the way) as well as humorous, and that term is used sparingly, pictures of a male tapir with the anatomy pointed out. She was forced to apologize publicly for her unbecoming conduct. Privacy settings work wonders when they are used properly!
3. At Anglo Irish Bank, more than holiday cheer is being spread around. For one bank intern, his fateful decision of asking for time off for a family emergency in another state backfired on him and turned his boss into the Grinch. For Halloween, he had planned to go to a party, but didn’t think he would get off of work in time to make it. So, what would any sane, party-loving animal do? Lie about where you are, of course! What? Pictures of the employee in his fabulous Disney-tastic Peter Pan costume were posted on Facebook. Boss finds pictures, attaches photos to an email asking for a logical explanation, and blank copies the entire employee email list. Now he has to sweep up his fairy dust and fly off to another job. Hope someone does an employment background screening check before hiring him!
4. When it comes to brains and brawn, firemen seem to have it all. Unfortunately, one Boston fireman proves that not all firemen have those qualities. For one, his muscles were so big and strong that he decided to compete in the 2008 Pro Natural American Championships as a bodybuilder. Here’s where the brains failed him: he won eighth place in the competition just two weeks after filing a permanent physical disability claim with the city of Boston due to “back injuries”. Video of the competition made its way to YouTube where his bosses found out that he had lots of brawn, but was definitely lacking in the brains department.
These employee stories, whether criminal in nature or simply poor judgment, highlight the importance of running criminal background searches and an employment background screening on every new employee prior to hiring. You never know what kind of disciplinary record, indecent act, or fraudulent lie you might find!
