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Author:
Steve Valentino

Depending on your state and what type of business you are in, employee background checks may or may not be mandated by law. In businesses that deal with children or seniors, Federal law requires background checks on all employees and/or volunteers. The reasons should be obvious: the Federal government wants to ensure that those served are safe from hard and employers need to safeguard themselves against negligent lawsuits.

If an employee will be doing any type of driving for the business, it is important to know their driving history. For insurance purposes, employers need to have up-to-date information regarding the candidate’s Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) report. This report details any moving violations or accidents. Information such as this can assist the employer in making a solid decision regarding the hiree. This type of information is usually available at the state level for a minimal fee.

Employers conduct employee background checks for a variety of reasons. With the rise of lawsuits for negligence, many employers are considering employee background checks a standard part of their Human Resource guidelines. A growing number of child and elder abuse cases, as well as child abduction cases, make it important for all employers hiring people to work with these groups to perform detailed background checks. Following the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, many employers are now screening new hires with a scrutinizing eye. Concerns over potential terrorists obtaining positions within sensitive agencies have increased the popularity of employee background investigations.

Employers also want to be sure that the information given by the applicant is true and accurate. With many employers reporting up to 30% of applicants falsifying information, background checks can screen for those who lie on resumes. Employers often interpret this as a lack of good morals and character on the part of the applicant. It is direly important for prospective employees to be up-front and honest about their backgrounds, work experience and education.

Pre-Employment Background Checks

In the information age in which we live, background checks are not necessarily difficult to perform. Basically, an employer needs to understand the Fair Credit Report Act laws as well as laws pertaining to individual states. With these laws in mind, the employer can determine what type of information is actually needed, considering each position within their company and the details of the job function. Some positions may require cash or sensitive information handling and would therefore need a thorough criminal background check. Other positions may not be as sensitive in nature but require a high degree of education or experience in the field. Educational background checks and work related references are often very important in this type of pre-employment screening.

Some employers require a credit report in their pre-employment screening tools. This subject is widely debated and is often considered an invasion of privacy. Many prospective employees ask employers, “I will not be handling cash transactions or dealing with personal information, why do you need my credit report?” Most employers who request this information are not necessarily trying to be intrusive into the candidate’s life; they simply believe that a credit report is a good indicator of character. Some employers insist that a poor credit score, which indicates failure to pay bills on time, means that the individual does not have a high level of responsibility. Others claim that a poor credit score indicates poor job performance and could possibly turn into retention issues. Credit reports also list employment history and places the person has lived. Employers often use this as a pre-screening tool to verify that application information is true and accurate.

Another type of pre-employment background check included in the “investigative consumer report” is character referencing. This method usually involves the personal interviewing of friends, family, neighbors or associates and is an approved method of screening under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This type of investigation does, however, require a separate consent form required under the FCRA. It gives the employer a general idea about the candidate’s character and personal moral values.

It is imperative that employers provide notice to the applicant prior to conducting the pre-screening background check. As mandated by federal law, specifically the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Employers need to ensure that they are following the guidelines set forth by the Act. Having the proper consent forms and understanding what information can and cannot be used in the hiring process is just as important as gaining the information itself

About the author:
Background Checks Info provides detailed information about criminal, employment, online, executive, and personal background checks. Background Checks Info is affiliated with Original Content Web.

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A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Background Checks... The Importance Of Criminal Background Checks A criminal check is a part of the background check done for pre-employment screening. A criminal background check has become an inexpensive way of legally obtaining details about a person. The details of the person can even be provided to the companies through their websites online and the results would be produced as soon as possible depending on the extent of the background check required. A criminal check can be done by investigating the criminal history of the person that would be recorded in the criminal record manuals of the courts. Each state would contain the details of all the individuals having a criminal background in their respective courts. A nationwide search might prove to be tougher since there is no general national database being maintained and open to the public that might provide the list of all the criminals in the country. Since state records are only able to provide the criminal history of a person in that state, it might be difficult to rule out the option of that individual having committed some crime in some other state. The only option would be to believe that a criminal would not move too far away from their home to commit a crime. A criminal check begins with the verification of the personal details of the individual. Authentication of the SSN might be able to provide some valuable information about the person. With the help of this information, the criminal check is made easier and might produce quicker results. However, this might sometimes be misleading since a fake SSN can be purchased on the street and, unless a check is conducted, it would be next to impossible to verify the authentication of that particular SSN. Along with the SSN, the person's credit history and driving history can also provide some valuable information that...