What are Pre-Employment Background Checks and Why are They Important?
Employers who are on the lookout for qualified workers might benefit from the information gleaned from criminal background checks. You may verify an applicant is who they say they are and learn about their criminal history (including felonies and misdemeanors) by doing a background check and an Identity Check. Credit checks are another part of the hiring process that may reveal important information about an applicant’s fiscal responsibilities, such as their spending patterns and debt load.
Background checks reveal important information that can help you make a wise employment decision; read on to discover more.
Please keep in mind that the information provided here is for reference purposes only and not as a substitute for professional or legal advice. It is recommended that you get the opinion of an attorney regarding your company’s operations and legal obligations. No association or endorsement is intended by the use of any trademarks shown herein.
While expanding your crew might boost your company’s output and income, it also exposes you to new dangers. Conducting background checks as part of your pre-employment screening process can vouch for the quality of your hires, which in turn may help your organization succeed.
What is a Pre-Employment Background Check?
Candidates you are most interested in hiring undergo a pre-employment screening procedure. It has several levels, and its specifics depend on the position you’re trying to fill. If you need to hire an accountant, you should look into their financial and criminal backgrounds. If you need someone to drive you around, you should investigate their experience behind the wheel.
The applicant’s identification, social security number, passport number, etc., may all be validated by a background check. Verification services, such as those used to confirm a person’s education or job history, are also a part of a comprehensive background check. The FCRA, the EEOC, and the FTA are the federal and state agencies responsible for regulating background checks on potential employees. Many jobs, especially those dealing with children or the elderly, such as physicians, teachers, carers, etc., need candidates to pass a background check.
A social media search may be conducted to learn more about the candidate’s personality, and assessment or evaluation tests may be used to determine the candidate’s qualifications and suitability for the position.
The importance of doing background checks on potential new employees.
Maintaining a risk-free workplace:
Employers should be wary of hiring people who pose a threat to their company and their workers through acts of theft, violence, or fraud in the workplace.
Remove the rotten ones:
If it is made clear that applicants would be subject to background checks, only serious candidates will apply. This may be done either in the job posting or throughout the application process.
Preventing liability by avoiding negligent retention:
If you don’t hire the appropriate people from the start, you might end up losing a lot of money to things like theft, litigation, and legal bills. What kind of trust can you have in someone, for instance, if you recruit them for a position in finance but then find out they have a criminal record? You will be putting the company’s finances in jeopardy. Avoid putting your company and its employees at risk by employing without doing proper background checks.
Don’t throw away resources waiting around:
The employment process is sometimes rushed because many small firms believe background checks are unnecessary. They realize that their new employee isn’t as qualified as they’d hoped, or that they have a criminal history. As a result, they’ll have to start the hiring process over again, wasting even more time and resources.
What Are the Components of a Background Check?
There are numerous aspects to a background check, so we’ve compiled this list of the most common ones for your convenience. Applicants come in different shapes and sizes, so it’s up to you to create a background check policy that suits the demands of your organization and the position being filled.
Criminal History Record:
A live scan is the most popular method of checking someone’s criminal record. A live scan is an inkless, electronic way of collecting fingerprints that may subsequently be sent to a state repository like the Department of Justice or the Federal Bureau of Investigation for enhanced security clearance. Child abuse, elder abuse, sex offenders, and recent convictions for things like theft, assault, drug possession, and so on are all revealed by a live scan.
Employment Verification:
Human resources must contact the applicant’s former employers to confirm the applicant’s employment status, job titles, dates of employment, salary history, and other relevant information. Managers and coworkers can be contacted to verify the candidate’s experience, character, and whether or not they would suggest them for the position.
Social Media Screening:
The applicant’s sense of humor, interests, and overall character may be gleaned from this. This isn’t as crucial as the others, but it’s still an excellent approach to figure out whether the candidate is a suitable cultural match for your company.
Credential Authentication
Degrees and certifications can be validated with the respective universities or institutes directly for confirmation. A diploma or sealed transcript from the school is often required by employers, but some may go further and call the school to verify the applicant’s academic credentials.
Credit History Check:
Financial job applicants, such as an accountant or CFO, should have their credit checked; a comprehensive credit report is available from major credit reporting agencies like TransUnion, Equifax, or Experian. Debts, loans, credit histories, account balances, etc., both current and historical, are all included in this report.
Testing for Drugs and Alcohol:
It’s not without danger that you hire a former drug addict to educate or care for your children. Employers who take drug and alcohol testing seriously and have a uniform policy benefit greatly.
Driving History and Vehicle Documentation:
Accidents, moving infractions, and DUI convictions are all part of the information that the local DMV might provide in response to a request for a driving record. This report is available for in-person and online requests.
How Much Time Does It Take to Conduct a Criminal History Check?
If you are dealing with a screening company, you may inquire about the expected turnaround time for your specific background check. If the FBI check is required in addition to the live scan background check, the turnaround time might be longer.
In addition, contacting former workplaces and educational institutions might take a few days. Some tasks may still require human intervention, such as retrieving documents from the courthouse.
How much do criminal records check typically cost?
Always shop around for the best deal on screening services before committing to one firm. Prices range from $60 to $80 for a live scan, depending on whether background checks are required (DOJ or FBI, or both). The DMV will provide a report on your driving history for as low as $5. The price of a laboratory drug or alcohol test might range from $50 to $80. You may do the remaining inspections at no cost to yourself, though your time and energy will be required.
Tips for Passing a Pre-Employment History Check
Those who are seeking work would be wise to research “what do employers look for in a background check?” in order to better prepare themselves for the screening phase of the hiring process. Here are some things that applicants might do to prepare themselves:
Recognize the potential impact of what former employers may say about you.
When asked for an employment verification, most companies will keep to responding only the most basic of inquiries. Human resource managers are happy to have open conversations on issues including job titles, employment dates, reasons for leaving, and rehire eligibility. The more open-ended inquiries, such as what your previous employer thought of your character or work ethic, might be difficult. Human resources directors or former bosses will frequently not respond to such questions because they fear being sued for defamation by former workers.
Get your files in order
Applicants who are anxious about the verification procedure are advised to conduct their own checks. Self-check is also available at Florida ElectronicFingerprinting Services. This tactic allows the candidate to see their record before it is shown to the hiring manager. Doing a self-check is a great method to confirm that an expungement has taken effect, or just to get some much-needed piece of mind.
Do a credit check.
Self-credit checks, like self-criminal background checks, can provide insight into what potential employers may view and how they may use that information to make hiring decisions. Some job-seekers take these tests to evaluate if they need to elaborate on their backgrounds in order to explain away less-than-stellar scores. Please be aware that each customer is entitled to a free credit report once per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to find a reliable worker, but FEFPS makes it much simpler. Pre-employment screening services from FEFPS can help you make quicker, more educated hiring decisions. You’ll get instant access to background checks, credit reports, and ID verification to help you make an informed hiring choice.
Questions & Answers
What kinds of things do background checks look for to exclude candidates?
Different companies will have different policies on this issue. The response may vary based on a number of factors, including the nature of the position, the company’s overall approach to discrimination, and the benevolence of particular hiring managers. Extreme criminal convictions (violent crimes, sex offenses, etc.) and dishonesty on the part of the job applicant are the most typical disqualifiers in the vetting process. These characteristics serve as “red flags” for nearly every business out there. As we’ve already established, however, there are additional characteristics that might be dealbreakers depending on the profession, such as a history of reckless driving for driving-related employment or poor credit for financial-related ones.
When an employer conducts a background check, how do they do it?
At FEFPS, we verify employment by calling a candidate’s previous employers and asking pertinent questions regarding start and end dates, job titles, and more.
What can be revealed in a background check?
A “background check” is actually a series of searches across several databases, with the goal of learning as much as possible about a prospective candidate’s history. A person’s criminal record, driving record, job history, educational background, and professional licenses can all be verified by a pre-employment screening service. Details such as employment, education, criminal, and bankruptcy records, as well as aliases and other identifiers, are included.