Your employees are the foundation of your company’s success. To meet your business goals, you need a team of reliable, skilled individuals—but assembling such a team isn’t always easy. In fact, 56% of candidates surveyed admitted to lying on their resumes, often about their work experience, education, skills, or job responsibilities. While minor exaggerations may not be harmful in some industries, they could pose serious risks in others.
In some cases, candidates may leave out crucial details about their background, which can be even more problematic. For example, a person with a recent history of violence might hide their past, which could endanger coworkers and customers. Conducting background checks can help reduce these risks and ensure you make informed, safe hiring decisions.
But how do you know the thoroughness of the background check? Let’s examine the step-by-step process.
Essential Steps in Employee Background Checks
Knowing what happens when you request a background check is essential to ensure you get the best results. Here are the critical steps of a background screening process:
Step 1: Define Your Screening Requirements
Before starting the background check process, it’s essential to tailor your screening to the specific role and industry.
Different roles require different levels of screening. For example, positions in finance may need credit checks, while healthcare roles often require criminal background checks and drug tests. Additionally, industries like finance or healthcare have regulations that mandate specific screenings, so staying compliant with these is crucial.
Align the screening process with your company’s policies and legal guidelines. Ensure candidates are aware of these requirements upfront, ensuring transparency and trust. This helps set clear expectations and protects both the company and candidates legally.
Defining your screening needs early creates a solid foundation for a thorough and compliant process.
Step 2: Choose the Right Background Screening Services
Once you’ve defined your screening requirements, the next step is selecting the appropriate background checks for each role.
Not every role needs every type of check. High-level positions may require more in-depth screenings, such as credit or employment history verification, while entry-level roles may only need basic criminal background checks. Matching the type of check to the job helps avoid unnecessary costs and ensures you gather relevant information.
Selecting the right combination of services ensures that your screening process is thorough and tailored to your organization’s specific needs.
Step 3: Obtain Candidate Consent
Obtaining consent from the candidates is crucial before conducting any background checks. This step is a legal requirement and essential to maintaining transparency and trust in the hiring process.
Legal Requirements
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers must provide a separate, standalone disclosure informing candidates that a background check will be conducted and obtain their explicit written consent. Obtain written and signed consent to avoid legal complications, including potential lawsuits and fines.
Clear communication about the background screening process is vital. Candidates should know:
- What checks will be conducted: Outline the screenings you plan to perform, such as criminal, employment, or credit checks.
- Why these checks are necessary: Explain how the information will help you make informed hiring decisions.
- What the process entails: Provide details about how and when the checks will be performed and how long they typically take. Also, attach a document stating their rights to refute or correct the statements that appear on the background check.
Obtaining consent meets legal requirements and builds trust, leading candidates to view your company more favorably, regardless of the application outcome. Proper consent ensures a respectful and smooth screening process, safeguarding both your organization and potential employees.
Step 4: Conducting the Background Check
After obtaining the candidate’s consent, it’s time to proceed with the background check. This step involves gathering and verifying the information outlined in your screening requirements.
Selecting a reputable provider is essential if you use a third-party screening service. Look for a provider that:
- Is compliant with legal standards: Ensure they adhere to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and other relevant laws.
- Offers comprehensive services: The provider should be able to conduct various checks based on your specific needs.
- Has a good reputation: Research reviews and ratings to confirm their reliability and quality of service.
Step 5: Interpreting the Results
Once you have completed the background check, carefully analyze the results, as this stage significantly influences your hiring decision. Review the gathered information, focusing on critical details in each category. In criminal records, assess the nature and relevance of any offenses and their dates.
Verify employment and education details and analyze credit reports for concerning patterns, especially for roles involving financial responsibilities. Check for violations or accidents on motor vehicle records for driving positions and understand the context of civil litigation to gauge the candidate’s suitability.
Interpreting these results requires a thoughtful approach. Consider how the results relate to job responsibilities. For example, a minor offense from years ago may matter less for a non-customer-facing role. Involve hiring managers to ensure consistency in decision-making.
As you make your hiring decision, maintain fairness and legal compliance, keeping the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in mind.
Step 6: Communicating the Outcome with Candidates
Once you have decided based on the background check results, it’s important to promptly and professionally communicate the outcome to the candidates. If the decision is favorable, congratulate them and discuss the next steps in the hiring process, such as onboarding details.
For candidates who were not selected due to negative findings, it’s essential to handle the communication with care. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you must follow a two-step process.
1. Pre-Adverse Action
Before deciding to take adverse action—such as rejecting a candidate or firing an employee—employers must notify the individual that the background check results may impact their hiring or employment status. This notice must include a copy of the background report and a summary of the individual’s rights under the FCRA. The pre-adverse action letter allows the candidate or employee to review the report, dispute any inaccuracies, or provide context to the findings.
2. Adverse Action
Once the pre-adverse action notice has been given, the employer must allow a reasonable period for the individual to respond (generally five to seven days). If the employer decides to proceed with the adverse action despite the candidate’s response, they must issue a final adverse action notice. This notice must detail the employer’s decision, explain the reasons for the action, and include information on the reporting agency that provided the background check. The notice should also inform the individual of their right to dispute the report’s accuracy.
Employers must also take steps to safeguard the confidentiality of background check information and ensure that sensitive data is handled securely. This includes implementing data security measures such as encryption, restricted access, and secure storage. Employers should only share this information with authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis and follow strict protocols to protect against unauthorized access, data breaches, or misuse of sensitive information.
Step 7: Post-Hire Screening and Re-Screening
Post-hire screening and re-screening are vital practices that help maintain a safe and compliant workplace even after hiring a candidate. Many organizations implement a policy of periodic re-screening, which may include background checks at regular intervals or when employees are promoted to higher-risk positions.
This process can help identify any new issues that may have arisen since the initial screening, such as criminal activity or changes in driving records. It’s important to communicate your re-screening policy to employees upfront and ensure they understand that it is a standard part of your organization’s commitment to safety and integrity. Regular re-screening can protect your company from potential risks and reinforce a culture of accountability within your workforce.
How to Perform a Background Check?
Performing a background check is an essential practice in hiring that involves several unique considerations to ensure a thorough evaluation of candidates.
1. Customize the Background Check for the Position
Each job has distinct requirements and associated risks. For instance, a position involving financial transactions may necessitate a deeper dive into the candidate’s credit history. At the same time, roles in sensitive environments, such as healthcare, may require thorough checks for any history of misconduct. Tailor the screening process to reflect the specific needs of the role to ensure the most relevant information is obtained.
2. Incorporate Social Media and Online Presence Review
In today’s digital age, candidates’ online personas can provide valuable insights into their character and professionalism. Review publicly available social media profiles and online activities during your background check process. This can help identify potential red flags that may not appear in traditional checks.
3. Conduct Reference Checks
Besides standard background checks, conducting reference checks can provide deeper insights into a candidate’s work ethic and behavior from previous employers or colleagues. Prepare specific questions to ask references about the candidate’s skills, reliability, and how they handled challenges in the workplace.
4. Assess Soft Skills Through Behavioral Assessments
Consider incorporating behavioral assessments to evaluate candidates’ soft skills and cultural fit within your organization. These assessments can provide a well-rounded view of how a candidate may perform in team dynamics and align with company values, supplementing the information gathered from traditional background checks.
Background Screening Tips for Employers
You need to be very careful when deciding when to hire and when to neglect a person’s resume. Here are some background screening best practices to help you make the right decisions.
1. Understand Legal Requirements
Familiarize yourself with local, state, and federal laws governing background checks, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Ban-the-Box laws in the U.S. State laws and “Ban the Box” laws are important because they regulate when and how employers can inquire about criminal history during the hiring process. These laws prevent discrimination and promote fair hiring practices by ensuring candidates are evaluated based on their qualifications rather than their criminal record. Compliance with these laws helps employers avoid legal risks and fosters a more equitable workplace.
2. Conduct Thorough Reference Checks
In addition to criminal and employment history checks, conduct thorough reference checks to gather insights into a candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and interpersonal skills. Speak with former supervisors or colleagues to get a clearer picture of the candidate’s past performance and behavior in the workplace.
3. Balance Fairness with Safety
While assessing any potential risks associated with hiring a candidate is essential, ensure that your screening process remains fair and non-discriminatory. Avoid using blanket policies that may unfairly disadvantage certain groups. Consider the relevance of any adverse findings to the specific job duties.
4. Document Your Process
Keep detailed records of your background screening process, including consent forms, results, and any decisions based on the findings. Documentation helps protect your organization in disputes and ensures compliance with legal requirements.
Secure Your Hiring Process with Verification Screening Solutions!
Creating a safe and compliant workplace begins with choosing the right background screening partner. At Verification Screening Solutions, we provide a variety of tailored services to meet your specific needs:
- County-Level Criminal Checks: Conduct thorough checks within specific counties to reveal any local criminal activities.
- County-Level Civil Search: Get detailed insights into an individual’s civil litigation history within specific counties across the United States.
- Statewide Criminal Search: Perform extensive searches across entire states for a complete overview of criminal history.
- Federal Criminal Search: Access records from federal courts to identify serious offenses.
- SSN Trace: Get foundational information like an individual’s address associated with Social Security Number (SSN) for comprehensive background checks.
- National Searches: Conduct thorough investigations nationwide to fully understand a candidate’s criminal background.
- Motor Vehicle Report (MVR): Review driving records to assess potential risks associated with driving offenses.
- Sex Offender Search: Ensure safety by checking against national sex offender registries.
- Federal Civil Search: Explore federal civil court records for additional insights into a candidate’s history.
- Employment Verification: Validate previous employment details to confirm a candidate’s work experience.
- Education Verification: Check educational credentials to ensure candidates meet the necessary qualifications for the job.
- Finger Printing: Get comprehensive background checks including licensing, employment, and more with accurate fingerprinting services.
Take action today to improve the safety and integrity of your workplace. Contact Verification Screening Solutions to discover how our comprehensive background screening services can help you make informed hiring decisions.
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