At one time I needed to replace a clerk in the small business that my husband and I own. I placed an ad and received many responses. The job required that this person wear many hats, including handling money. I winnowed through the responses and found 3 that sounded promising and called the prospects in for interviews. They were all good, and I told my husband that I was having trouble making up my mind. He asked if I had checked the Wisconsin Circuit Court Records, an on-line service we have here in Wisconsin that offers thumbnail sketches of any arrests, or legal cases, in which a person may have been involved.
Of course you cannot refuse to hire just on the basis of a court record unless the position is a direct conflict with their previous infraction.
To make a long story short, 2 of the 3 prospects had convictions of “theft from employer”. So, I hired the third — a woman who turned out to be a flibberty-jibbet whom I found sitting on the desk, flirting with the newly-wed purchasing manager. After she sassed me in front of our outside accountant, I fired her and took over the position myself. Now, 15 years later, I am still doing the job. I am the ONLY one who handles money in the company. I do both accounts recievable and accounts payable, plus everything else nobody wants to do. It has worked out well.
Do a search in your local paper under the word embezzlement, and you will be amazed at what turns up — particularly in churches and municipal offices. Any place where cash changes hands. Other placec ripe for the pickings seem to be charities and PTAs, or Booster Clubs. And they usually get away with it.
Madison area woman skates with 6 years probation after theft of $30,000 from her church.
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