What is negligent hiring?

Negligent hiring refers to the practice of hiring a candidate who has a questionable background or history that could indicate potential risks or harm, ultimately leading to negative consequences for the employer, employees, or clients. This concept emphasizes the responsibility of employers to conduct thorough background checks and assessments before making hiring decisions.

By hiring someone with a dubious record—such as a history of violent behavior, fraud, or substance abuse—an employer can be held liable if that employee later causes harm in the workplace or to clients. The law holds employers accountable for not taking reasonable steps to avoid such outcomes, highlighting the importance of due diligence in the hiring process.

The other options relate to different aspects of human resource management but do not define negligent hiring. Providing insufficient training reflects a failure in employee development. Reducing the number of staff pertains to workforce management and budget decisions. Promoting without proper evaluation highlights issues in performance management and career development but is not directly related to the concept of negligent hiring. Therefore, the focus on hiring individuals with problematic backgrounds clearly identifies the concept of negligent hiring.