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An Indiana-based news team recently published an article that discussed background screening policies for applicants at Halloween-themed haunted houses.

Halloween Hiring

October is packed with thrills, chills and... employment opportunities. Every year, hundreds of seasonal businesses sell costumes and create spooky fun experiences for Halloween enthusiasts. One common attraction is the haunted house - a place where customers can receive a safe scare from actors in an assortment of "horrifying" costumes.

Haunted houses are popular with the public and people who are seeking temporary jobs in the "scare industry." It's not unusual for hundreds of individuals to apply for work at a single location. People who run these facilities need employees to do a wide range of tasks such as selling tickets, cleaning up and attempting to frighten crowds.

Are Temporary Workers Being Screened?

CBS4 in Indianapolis, Indiana decided to find out if haunted house employees go through a background screening before they are hired. They published an article that showed mixed results. Their investigation revealed that local haunted houses are not required to screen applicants. Each facility is allowed to decide if they want to run background checks on prospective employees.

The news team discovered that some locations ran background checks while others did not. The level of screening varied as well. Procedures ranged from checking to see if applicants have active warrants or are listed on a sex offender registry to running comprehensive criminal background checks.

According to the CBS4 article, most employers also put their performers through a rigorous training program that covers safety, interacting with the public and other key topics.

Why Background Checks Are Important for Haunted House Workers

People who work at haunted houses or similar attractions have direct access to the public. This can include minors, elderly individuals or others who could be part of a vulnerable population. It is essential to ensure that employees who are hired to create terrifyingly memorable experiences are also well trained on how to establish and maintain a safe environment.

Background checks provide important information about each applicant, including the subject's employment history, whether or not they are listed on a sex offender registry and if they have any reportable criminal convictions. If they do, then the report will contain details about the offense(s) that employers may consider when making hiring decisions.

While most haunted houses are "hands off", a few allow the staff to touch patrons. Customers are informed of this in advance. They expect everyone who is working inside the haunted house to be trained, safe and knowledgeable about what is and is not an improper touch. In situations like this, background checks become even more crucial.

Best Practices

If you're hiring for the Halloween season, we recommend screening all potential employees to help ensure a positive experience for everyone. Best practice is to create a background screening package that will be used on all potential performers. This helps establish a fair and transparent hiring policy.

It's easy to build a custom background check package that includes an array of criminal record searches, employment verification, reference checks and other position-focused searches. If you are hiring staff for a holiday-themed attraction and need help building a custom background package, contact our experienced screening staff for assistance.