Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever, and that means employers are being asked to do more to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion. To keep up with changing market needs and stay competitive, organizations need to adopt more stringent recruitment and hiring practices. This means conducting a more accurate and thorough employment verification background check on all potential employees. After all, an accurate employee background screening can save your business from hiring nightmares.
Unfortunately, the growing volume of information available online makes it easy for workers to falsify their personal histories. To stay in compliance with your company’s policies, new employees need to pass employee background checks that follow the laws and regulations set by your state or the federal government overall.
Here are some tips to make sure you stay compliant and make sure your employment verifications & background checks are done right.
Make sure your background check process is comprehensive.
Employee background checks should include information about the person’s past employment, education, finances, and physical and mental health. This can all be found on a standard background check, or it can be gathered through a series of interview questions, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.
Comply with employment background screening laws.
All 50 states have laws that regulate and limit the use of certain information in employment background checks. These laws vary, but in general, they require that an employer conducting a background check must have a business or personal relationship with the person being screened. This means that employers may not be able to conduct background checks on employees who are not hired or on workers who have resigned in the past two years etc.
Additionally, each state has different laws regarding the time it takes to screen job applicants and determine if they are compliant with requirements such as fingerprinting and identification requirements.
Hire reliable employment verification services.
Employment verification services are businesses that provide a method for employers to verify the information they are given about prospective employees. With these services, you can be assured that the candidate you are hiring has the appropriate experience to do well in your company. It will also reveal gaps in their previous work history or perhaps embellishments or false claims that they may have provided during the initial interview process. These services can be an effective way for employers to stay compliant with employment screening laws while completing their due diligence in the hiring process.
Make sure to do your research and find a reliable service before using its services.
Be transparent with your background check policies and make sure your employees are protected.
Communicate a clear and consistent information privacy policy, make all employees aware of the policy, and make sure to include the policy in your employee handbook. All communication and information about the employee background check process should be kept confidential to the extent possible.
Conclusion
It is important to make sure you are following best practices and staying compliant with employment background screening laws. And remember, even the most well-intentioned companies can make mistakes when it comes to hiring. To make sure that your background check process stays compliant with current laws, partner with the right company to help you navigate those waters while keeping you up to date with any changes in real time.
