Informed hiring decisions are crucial to the success of all companies, big or small. That belief drives everything we do at DISA—and for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, the emphasis on informed hiring decisions has officially been heightened.
These ride-hailing services perform their own background checks before allowing their drivers to hit the road. But after the Maryland’s Public Service Commission (PSC) reviewed those drivers’ job applications based on the state’s standards for qualification, 15% of drivers were disqualified. According to the PSC and a report by the Washington Post, the disqualifications included 460 applicants with criminal histories and 900 who had issues with their driving records.
Uber—for whom 95% of the disqualified drivers worked—claims that the disconnect between their own screening and the state’s is a result of “outdated” screening requirements. Uber and Lyft both use electronic screening in Maryland, but the number of rejections show a gap between the results of these screens and the stringency expected—and enforced—by the state.
Maryland’s PSC isn’t the only state organization to be filtering out unqualified drivers from the Uber and Lyft pools. Both Massachusetts and California are applying elevated screening to drivers, and California’s Public Utilities Commission has proposed that Uber and Lyft do the same.
Given the popularity of these services and their appeal to both customers and potential employees, a heightened screening bar will have far-reaching benefits. Hopefully your next driver will have legitimately made the cut.
Are you an employer and still have questions regarding employment screening?
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About DISA Global Solutions
Founded in 1986, DISA is the industry-leading provider of employee screening and compliance services. Headquartered in Houston, with more than 35 offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, DISA’s comprehensive scope of services includes drug and alcohol testing, background check, occupational health, and transportation compliance. DISA assists employers in making informed staffing decisions while building a culture of safety in their workplace.