If Suzy passes all the required background checks, she can be hired for the job, but just remember that Suzy has an obligation to report any other wrongdoings in the building.

“The employee should be taught to always report criminal behavior,” says Murphy. “If she sees a crime being committed — say a domestic violence crime or if she sees children going in and out of a suspicious apartment — and does nothing about it and someonegets hurt, it can be a serious liability issue for the building.”

These background checks and phone calls may take time to perform, but in the long run it will be worth it to have an employee that you know you can trust to do the job and do it well.

Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to New England Condominium magazine.