Unemployment claims site

[calicorp]

Is there a site (I'm in California) that I can check to see if somebody has made a claim to get unemployment benefits from their last employer? This would be a good background check on new job applicants.

Thanks

[GrimJack]

Why would this be a good background check?

My first thought is that this might be a privacy issue - check with the state. If the state says that they can not give out that information then you will be tiptoeing into problems if you decide to go elsewhere. A quick google did not seem to bring up anything from the employer side. There are companies who handle the employer side of fighting unemployment claims - maybe one of them would have information for you.

[calicorp]

Because if someone is claiming unemployment from every place they worked at, then you don't want them.

[GrimJack]

So it is a bad sign that when someone is laid off due to lack of work and collects unemployment? I have heard that some hiring policies are aimed at hiring only people who already have a job (ie filtering out from consideration anyone who is unemployed) but assuming that someone who collects unemployment is not worth hiring seems just a bit harsh; isn't the purpose of UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE that a person be covered in case they lose their job?