Skip to main content

How Background Checks Help Employers



How Background Checks Help Employers
HUMAN RESOURCES

ARTICLE
06/15/2017

Pre-employment, post-offer screening is considered a best practice. It can help employers determine the best candidates, better ensure the candidate meets minimum standards, and can help mitigate future risk. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that one study conducted by CareerBuilder found 54% of small businesses had noted a lie on an applicant's resume. While background checks can help in highlighting issues from a candidate's past, they don't necessarily provide insight into future and ongoing threats. Here's what business leaders should consider when incorporating background screening into their human capital management.
Consider Implementing Hiring Checks for Candidates
Many companies are already conducting pre-employment, post-offer background screening of candidates. A focus on reducing potential liability and improving the quality of your hiring starts with a commitment to pre-hiring screening. Solutions may include:
·        Checking references and verifying the accuracy of resumes;
·        Conducting criminal background checks where permitted under law;
·        Conducting in-depth background checks where permitted under law;
·        Running credit checks where permitted under law; and/or
·        Evaluating whether social media background checks or other advanced screenings are appropriate.
Employers must comply with the applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding background screening.
If you're not conducting pre-hire background checks, it may be time to start. If you haven't evaluated whether your current background screening process is thorough enough, now is an opportunity to reassess.
Communicating with Employees about Background Screening
In order to run a background check utilizing a Consumer Reporting Agency, employers must comply with the applicable guidelines in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable state laws. The FCRA includes several requirements, including but not limited to, a signed consent for the background screening. If permitted in your jurisdiction and where appropriate for your industry, you may consider whether to include an evergreen clause in your release, which would allow your organization to continuously access this information. Employers are encouraged to discuss with legal counsel before proceeding.
Conducting employee background checks, primarily pre-employment, post-offer checks, help employers mitigate risk and more effectively identify the best candidates. 

Looking for more information? Contact us, Secure Employment Group (SEG) at 888-610-2566.  Or visit our website www.secureemploymentgroup.com for more information on all your pre-employment screening needs including Background Checks, Drug Screening and Personality Assessments to ensure stronger hires and a safe environment for your employees!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Workplace Violence...Are you and your staff protected??

Workplace Violence: It Can Happen Anywhere HUMAN RESOURCES ARTICLE 08/04/2016 Varying degrees of workplace violence can happen anywhere, and at any time. According to  OSHA , nearly 2 million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year, yet many more cases go unreported. While there’s no standard or regulation applicable to workplace violence, OSHA does have a  General Duty Clause  that it enforces, which states among other things that each employer “shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death of serious physical harm to his employees.” While workplace violence may happen anywhere at any time, it may also be instigated by anyone. Violent behaviors may come from a white-collar employee, a blue-collar worker, or a third party–such as customers or an employee's partner. What are some common factors or wa...
1 comment
Read more

An uptick in Hiring, Importance of Background Screening

An uptick in Hiring, Importance of Background Screening -KG April 9, 2015 Although some states have changed their laws around medical and recreational marijuana use, more than half of 3,119 HR professionals surveyed said their organizations do not accommodate marijuana use in the workplace or plan to do so in the next year. That is among the findings of HR 2015 Employee Background Screening Benchmark Report, conducted in October and November 2014 with HR professionals responsible for employment screening and recruiting. “This is going to be one of the hottest topics of the year in terms of background screening: drug screening,” said Rachel Trindade, vice president of marketing at HR, a provider of employment background checks, drug and health screenings, and Form I-9 employment verification. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized the possession of marijuana for medical use, and four states and the District of Columbia have legaliz...
Post a Comment
Read more
Monday, May 6, 2013 4 Reasons Why Small Businesses Need to Use Background Checks Many Small Business Owners think Background Checks are just for “the big boys”. Maybe it is because as a small business owner you mostly hire “people you know”, or you think that Background Checks are just “too expensive” for your Small Business. Neither of these arguments are true. Using Background Checks is actually a cost-effective and sound business strategy for any Small Business. Here are 4 Reasons Why Background Checks and Small Business make Great Partners: Small Businesses have a Limited Budget for Hiring and Training: Most Small Businesses operate on a tight budget. Your resources are split among the many costs associated with running your businesses - payroll, insurance, utilities, and more. Wasting any of your funds on hiring and training the wrong candidate is bad business. Using a Background Check as part of the hiring process can help eliminate some o...
Post a Comment
Read more