Best Practices for Employment Background Checking

Best Practices for Employment hintergrund CheckingBest Practices for Employment Background CheckingScreening job candidates has become an increasingly important step in the hiring process, yet not all employers use employment background checks to their best advantage. What should all employers understand about conducting successful employment background checks to enkoranvers that they build the best teams? Look for Relevant Data in an Employment Background Check This is the information that employers should seek to find when they perform essential and professional background checks. Background checks can include an array of personal information about job applicants, such as County criminal historyVerification of addressKnown sexual offenderEmployment history verificationDriving historyEducation history and degreesHealth fraud and abuseReference verificationDrug testingCounty civil historyFederal criminal historyFederal civil historyProfessional license verificationSocial media ko ntrolleCredit checks Employers may find information about any or all of these background areas without difficulty by checking internal resources or through the use of a qualified service provider. Note that employers canbut they may not want to pursueeach of these background checks depending on their relevance to the job they are filling. For example, the average employee doesnt handle money in most jobs but employees in an accounting office or who run a cash register do. Thus, a leistungspunkt check is only necessary for employees who will handle the financial end of your business. Otherbeiwise, the credit check is invasive and unnecessary. Employers also need to make certain that they are using legal and best practices in areas such as social media background checks. In some casesas with social media screeningemployers may want to leverage a third-party vendor to mitigate violations of the law. The greatest challenge for employers is knowing how to weigh the information obtained d uring the employment decision-making process. Another is to ensure that their background check process adheres to state and Federal laws. For example, many states restrict the time period of past history that you may consider. Most screening providers will relay information for the past seven years. To ensure that you are compliant with the law, talk with a knowledgeable provider, an attorney, or your state department of labor. Know When to Consider Criminal History Most employers who conduct employment background checks rely heavily on criminal history when screeninghowever, that information alone rarely paints a complete picture of any job candidate. What may look like a red flag could actually be a red herring. So employers need to thoughtfully consider how a criminal past may actually affect job results. For instance, a citation for walking a dog off-leash or for fishing without a license does create a criminal history, but it does little to portray the type of skills a pote ntially reliable employee could bring to the job. On the other hand, when a criminal past stems from a more serious violation, employers must consider whether the nature of the crime relates to the skills necessary for the job. Be careful to look at the big picture and decide how any criminal history may, in fact, relate to the job in question. Most importantly, to ensure Equal Employment Opportunity Commission compliance, do not adopt a blanket policy regarding criminal history in your hiring. That is, eliminate statements in your policy and handbooks that state such policies as our company does not hire felons or our company does not hire anyone with a criminal record. Never say never. Discern Patterns From Background Data Thorough screening procedures provide details far beyond acriminal history that may be the best indicator of an employees capabilities. Employment history, for one, helps to confirm job experiencebut also sheds light on potential issues such as frequent move s, career changes, and other factors that could indicate a potential employee might not be a good long-term candidate. Look for patterns that show how an employee strives to succeedor how an employee displays consistent difficultiesto get a good impression of her or his ability to take on the job. Be careful, because applicants inflate their resumes more often than you may think. If you are considering someone based on skills listed, proper verification of employment, education, and licenses is a must. This is also a great way to screen out dishonest applicants. Dont Overlook Crucial Information in a Background Check Some indicators of a job applicants capabilities might surprise you. A background check might reveal a personality trait or unique response to a situation that could be a real asset to your team, despite the fact it isnt highlighted in the applicants resume. If you make the effort to conduct a good employment background check, use all of the information you can to y our advantage. As important as it is to find areas of concern, it can be just as important to mine for strengths. Filter Information Carefully to Avoid Discrimination Most importantly, use the background information wisely. A single concern raised by an employment background checksuch as confirmation of a criminal historyshould never automatically eliminate a candidate from consideration. Instead, consider a candidates entire presentation and eliminate him or her based on objective details pertinent to the ability to accomplish the job. Document the hiring teams recruitment effort and decision-making process with as much detail as possible. Unfortunately, many employers dont realize that they unknowingly discriminate in the hiring process. If applicants answer honestly about past histories such as an existing criminal record, an automatic rejection based on that undesirable answer constitutes discrimination. Personal information from the past cannot solely decide an applicants f ate, so be sure to Ban the Box with an auto-rejection process and consider the whole candidate. To avoid discriminatory hiring, be sure to follow the guidelines set forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with regard to criminal history, including the type of crime that was committed, the nature of the work that must be accomplished and the amount of time that has elapsed before tossing that job application. Discuss Concerns With Job Candidates Be prepared to share all background information with applicants. Employers must legally provide this information if requestedand also if any of the information found precludes those applicants from being hired. But remember, you have an opportunity to put the data into perspective by generating a discussion about the issue with the potential employee. Remember, the employment background check is a way to obtain information to aid your decision-making. Use that information to your advantage. Work through your questions with th e prospective employee instead of dropping your candidate without the chance to explain. Avoid Costly Mistakes As You Approach Employment Background Check The greatest error in conducting background checks is not incorporating them into the screening process in the first place. The cost of replacing a bad hire far outweighs the value of a good background check, so put your procedures in place from the get-go. Additionally, you can save your organization time and money when pursuing background checks. Work with a reputable firm that conducts the work themselves, at the source, without automation.Adhere to all adverse action procedures, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and other state and local laws.Have an attorney knowledgeable in this field review your process.Devise a list of background checks that are pertinent to assessing the qualifications of candidates for each of your available jobs. Courts are increasingly finding for plaintiffs if the check that affected their candidacy was irrelevant to the job. The Bottom Line on Background Checks Overall, keep in mind that a good business is built on people who fulfill their duties responsibly. Any information that is revealed to you when conducting pre-employment screening is information about real individuals. Whether that information provides positive or negative signs about a candidates potential fit within your organization, be respectful and responsible about the way that you handle the information. Information from an employment background check can impact many people who have a stake in your business and its reputation. The way you handle candidate background information can impact the candidates lives as well. It is a serious step in the talent management lifecycle that deserves proper care every step of the way. More Red Flags for Employers During Hiring 5 Cover Letter Red Flags for Employers5 Interview Red Flags for Employers5 More Interview Red Flags for Employers