A Step-By-Step Look At The Employee Background Check

As of the 21st century, pre-employment background checks are now part and parcel of most companies’ hiring process. A company would have two options when carrying out background checks – they can either have somebody else do it for them by outsourcing to a third-party agency, or do it in-house if they have the capacity.

There is a lot of paper-work, co-coordination, and follow-up that goes into conducting a background check and for this reasons companies prefer to get the job done by an outside agency. And of course, all background checks need to be conversant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)’s many stipulations. According to the FCRA, an individual who earns less than $ 75,000 per annum cannot be reported for criminal acts that are more than seven years old. The applicant will also need to sign his/her consent in order for the check to be carried out.

Companies that wish to execute background checks should do so as a matter of policy and should make this known to job seekers. This acts as a deterrent for applicants who intend to hide information. Any company outsourcing their checks to a third party agency must be sure that the agency adheres to all the requirements of the FCRA, as well as any equal opportunity, state or federal laws that may be applicable. All sources that the company would obtain as a result must have some form of cross-checking. Normally, the information is acquired from consumer reporting agencies that report on education, credit history, and criminal records.

Your average employee background check would cover several areas, including the aforementioned credit and educational background, military history if applicable, previous employment record and Social Security Number. Drug test information may be included depending on the references. For certain jobs, a specialized background check may center on specific areas more closely than others – a good example would be drivers, who need their motor-vehicle records closely scrutinized. Another example would be the case of accountants or other employees working for a financial company – their credit history would need to be impeccable in order to qualify in some cases.

When availing the services of an outside agency, factors such as the extent of the check, nature of information desired, contact points at both ends, and person assuring the accuracy of information provided should be decided beforehand. Other logistical issues that need to be finalized between the employer and the Human Resource agency doing the check include the timelines – very important when it comes to submitting all indemnities, evidence of professional liability and other related documents – and the adherence to all privacy and anti-discrimination statutes.

Employers should compare the data obtained from various sources during the process of a background check. Information in a job applicant’s resume should be checked with facts stated in the job application. They must not forget either what is on the cover letter (a much-overlooked component of application) and compare it to what was stated in the interview. Some of these common items to cross-check include educational background, date of birth and Social Security number.

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