This is because an employer has an obligation to its employees and others who will come in contact with them to provide a safe and productive working environment.
This may include conducting interviews, verifying work and educational histories, checking references and conducting a background check on all applicants who have accepted an offer of conditional hire, and if an adverse assessment is found, to deny employment to such an applicant.
It is important to also note that, in the United States, background checks for job applicants are subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (2003).
Negligent supervision is closely related, as it occurs where a party fails to reasonably monitor or control the actions of an employee.
A variation of negligent retention or supervision is negligent training, which arises where the employer's training of the employee fails to prevent the employee from engaging in the acts that injure the claimant, or fails to remediate a pattern of behaviour which leads to an injury.