Pre Employment Background Screening

There was a time when hiring an employee was a simple affair. All you had to do was identify the right man or woman for the job, do a quick reference check by contacting previous employers and hire them. Today, such a hiring policy can cost your business millions of dollars in lawsuits.

According to The Society for Human Resource Management Survey, more than 95% of HR professionals state that their companies conduct background checks on applicants before they hire. That is a 35% increase from a mere 60% in 1995. The increase seems warranted as studies show that more than 42% of job applications contain fabricated or tweaked information. Therefore, whatever the size of your business, pre employment background screening is a necessary prerequisite to hiring a person. Hiring is contingent upon passing these background checks.

Background checks reveal information that was intentionally or mistakenly omitted. Such information may have vital repercussions on your company if they are discovered later on. Something like an undisclosed residency in a region where the employee has a criminal record can literally do your company in. Many companies have lost millions of dollars on negligent hiring lawsuits because they failed to uncover relevant information before they hired.

Pre employment checks usually make use of background checks, drug tests and psychometric testing to verify the background of the candidate and ascertain the claims made in the resume. Employers typically check the veracity of qualification and experience claims and confirm facts regarding previous employment. In addition, they also check out the character of the applicant.

Of course, you cannot dig into a person’s history on a whim. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has set definite regulations for screening employees for purpose of employment. Before conducting the screening, the applicant must provide the company with a written authorization. Even so, certain kinds of information will not be disclosed under any circumstances. School reports and medical records are some examples.

Companies can conduct in-house background screening or use the services of a third party background screening company. The cost of background screening depends on the number of searches included in the screening. Many companies combine several searches into pre-designed packages and offer their clients competitive prices on these packages. Further discounts are sometimes available on volume. Reputed companies typically turn in their reports within 48-72 hours, thereby allowing you to make qualified decisions quickly. Reports are usually clear and concise and delivered in a format that is easy to understand.

Pre employment background screening enables businesses to get what they are promised in an employee and arms them against nasty future surprises. Companies that perform their due diligence before hiring can rest assured that their employees are genuine assets to their organizations.