Hiring new talent is exciting, but like any significant decision, it’s essential to take the time to vet someone thoroughly before you enter into any professional relationship. Apart from mitigating risks related to negligent hiring, background checks also help employers comply with state and federal regulations.
Ideally, a background investigation should be comprehensive while still being flexible and cover a range of aspects, such as education verification, credit checks, criminal history, and identity verification through public records, references, and internet searches. Let’s explore how a compliant background check can help you avert unnecessary risks.
What Is a Professional Background Check?
A consumer credit reporting agency conducts professional background checks, which obtain information from various sources. These checks generally cover several industries; some of them are:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Consumer Products
- Home services
- Professional Services
- Healthcare
- Banking And Finance
- Education
- Property Management
- Non-profits
- Transportation
- Construction
First Contact HR offers a variety of services across multiple industries. Our customized packages target the requirements of various business models, enabling them to stay compliant with all federal, state, and local laws while reducing the risk of a flawed hiring process.
How Are Background Checks Performed?
Finding suitable candidates for your company can be tricky to handle. Some companies conduct their own background checks, while others outsource them to experienced firms with extensive employment screening resources. Outsourcing your background check requirements to a reputable firm will save you time and resources, while also enabling consistent compliance with industry-specific requirements.
Here’s how background check companies conduct employment background checks:
- The applicant consents to the background check and provides personal information.
- The background check firm uses applicant data to verify identity and conducts specific checks defined by the client.
- Background check firms receive records from sources and prepare reports based on client and legal requirements.
- Background check firm sends background report to employer or property manager.
- If the event an adverse decision is made, the applicant can dispute any aspect of the background check report.
- Disputes arising from background check investigations must be re-investigated at no additional cost to the employer or property manager.
Outsourcing your background checks to a third-party screening company is a great way to provide your firm with the professional and secure results that you need. A reliable and professional background check provider ensures that the applicant has consented to and is involved in each step of the process to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements.
What Can You Learn from a Background Check Report?
A thorough, accurate pre-employment background check provides employers with crucial information about their potential employees. Reports include various information from public and private databases and can evaluate the prospective employee’s work history, past conduct, or creditworthiness. Here are a few things that professional employment screening reports include:
- Global Searches
- Criminal database check
- Professional and Personal References
- Social Security Number Trace
- County court and federal Records
- Education Background Check
- Motor Vehicle Record and License statuses
- Professional Licenses
- Employment Verification
Usually, background checks and reports are customized according to the industries and positions the applicant has applied for. The standard background check may cover all of the searches mentioned above. Still, a more thorough and customized background check may be required when the role requires discretion and handling sensitive operations.
Compliant Background Screenings with First Contact HR
Efficient screening of applicants before hiring is essential for the well-being of any company. However, employers performing background checks themselves are likely to miss critical details and may find it challenging to gather information from all sources. Further, as staff turnover occurs within these organizations, some level of consistency is compromised. Partnering with a reputable background check provider streamlines the process and allows employers to perform thorough pre-employment screenings while avoiding potential legal repercussions.
First Contact HR complies with all state and federal government regulations set forth. As licensed private investigators and human resource specialists, we help you design a pre-employment screening program that meets all the legal requirements and is consistent with your industry.