Employment Background Check
by admin on October 23, 2011
In August, police arrested a man at an Iowa fair who had been hired to dress in a Cookie Monster costume, hand out fliers, and pose for pictures with fair-going children. As it turned out, the man behind this mascot was a registered sex offender and wasn’t supposed to work on the fairgrounds. So how did he end up inside the costume anyway? Simple – according to reports, the company that hired him never performed a background check.
Stories such as this one never fail to draw attention to the necessity of background checks for potential hires and, in some cases, volunteers. They can be time-consuming or costly, but help avoid painful cases such as the one described above. Typically, background checks are required by law, especially for jobs that require hires to work with children, the elderly, or the disabled. State and federal government jobs may also require a background check for security clearance. Other times, background checks are performed to protect the company’s interests and employees. Applicants for jobs that handle money, such as bank tellers, often will undergo both a credit check and a criminal background check, while companies may also perform a background check to avert potential negligent hiring lawsuits, especially since if an employee hurts another worker, the employer may be liable. Employers also may verify education records and job references to weed out resume fraud. Employers have the right to not hire someone based on their findings, with the exception of medical records or disability.
A background check will vary from job to job, with some performing a more thorough check than others. Generally, it will include verification of a Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number to ensure an applicant is eligible to work, interviews with past employers, and increasingly, mining of social networking sites like Facebook to obtain information on a hire. In addition, public records companies may obtain during a background check include driving records, vehicle registration, credit records, criminal records, court records, worker’s compensation, bankruptcy, medical records, military records, state licensing records, drug test records, incarceration records, sex offender lists, and education records like transcripts, recommendations, and discipline history. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, education records, military service records, and medical records are confidential, and an employer must get your permission before obtaining them.
There are also records that, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, cannot be included at all in a background check. These include bankruptcies that occurred more than a decade ago, as well as civil suits, civil judgments, records of arrest, paid tax liens, accounts placed for collection, and any other negative information (save for criminal convictions) that occurred more than seven years ago. This law only applies to background checks performed by an outside company, however; background checks performed in-house do not have to comply.
Here at BackgroundCheck.org, we aim to provide you with the information you need to successfully conduct a thorough background check, as well as details on how to use the information you receive. Browse through our informative articles to learn more about background checks, such as what a background check includes, what it leaves out, and what you need to know about the legality of requesting certain …Read the full article →
Pre-employment background checks have become commonplace since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. About 93% of employers now run criminal checks for all applicants, according to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), and they are only one group interested in researching your history. It is a known fact that lenders regularly use credit reports to verify identity and establish risk, but …Read the full article →
Employers can pull your credit report for any type of position ranging from entry-level mailroom employees to CEOs. There is a growing belief that you are more likely to embezzle from a company if you are overextended and struggling to make your minimum payments. Some employers believe that a low credit rating is indicative of poor judgment and self-control. If you want to ensure that your credit …Read the full article →
If starting a business with a partner, then most people want reliable information. References can be faked, and people only name those individuals likely to say nice things. Background checks give neutral or unbiased information. The cost for individual reports varies among companies. Some reports cost only about $10, but people can get a fairly detailed report for $20. The more detailed the report …Read the full article →
Employers utilize background checks as a way to follow up on applications and ensure that employees are who they appear to be. Big companies aren't the only ones who can benefit from using background check services, however. People who are hiring childcare workers, individuals who are looking for business partners and small businesses all need the services of a background check. Unfortunately, private …Read the full article →
Whether you are applying for a job as a teacher, a janitor in a school, or a daycare worker, you will probably be put through a background check. This is necessary not only for the safety of the children, but it also limits the liability of your employer. State agencies and private companies need to know that you are honest and forthcoming with information. They have to ensure that you are not a sex …Read the full article →
Background checks are performed for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for a background check is likely for employment. Companies perform background checks on potential hires for many reasons. In recent years, companies have been sued for “negligent hiring.” Negligent hiring involves the hiring of an individual who is not fit for or qualified for the position. To protect against negligent …Read the full article →
Landowners and businesses perform various types of background checks on prospective tenants, and credit card and employment applicants. The types of background checks may include criminal, civil, family, traffic and credit history. However, with the amount of information available from sources, especially the internet, not all information that is available is legal to obtain for the person/business …Read the full article →
Whether hiring an employee or assessing a potential date, sometimes you want some additional information about a person to make sure they're who they appear to be. Although numerous background check companies exist to provide this information, sometimes it makes more sense to do some sleuthing on your own first. The internet has made it easier than ever to get information about people. Even simply …Read the full article →
The reports prove affordable, thorough, and confidential, leading to a high degree of customer satisfaction. Clients can choose from criminal records searches, driving records, credit reports, workers compensation histories, lawsuits, real estate records, civil actions, sexual offender searches, and social networking activity reports. The company includes reports from all over the world, making …Read the full article →
Criminal background checks provide evidence of dishonesty, violent tendencies, or sexual abuse. Governments throughout the country require screenings to identify pedophiles or people with questionable characters. Many states require investigation of employment applicants for sensitive positions. These jobs include working with children, medical patients, or vulnerable, disabled or elderly people. …Read the full article →
Finding out background information on an individual is often a part of making important decisions about the person. Whether the background check is performed for the purpose of hiring new employees or it is a personal matter, finding a reliable website is not always a simple task. Understanding the characteristics of a reliable website is the first step of ensuring that the information provided is …Read the full article →
A wide range of background check websites are available online. While many of the services offer inaccurate or incomplete information, consumers who are worried about privacy for any reason will want to remove the information from the website. Different websites will vary in specific requirements to remove personal information from the site, but understanding the most common methods will make it easier …Read the full article →
A company that is planning to start hiring must work out an effective screening process for potential employees. The background screening process should always include the same information for all employees applying for the same position. By ensuring the process is organized and developed before hiring the risk of discrimination charges is eliminated. Development is the first step of ensuring the …Read the full article →
Conducting a background check on an individual is often a necessary part of a hiring process for any employer. The problem is that so many screening companies offer services and finding the best company will require researching the business. Despite the time required for research, looking up specific information on the company will make a difference between working with the best services and getting …Read the full article →
The best background checks will take a few weeks to a few months before the most accurate information is provided. The best services will never claim that the results are instant or provided within 24 hours because many records will require going to county courthouses and making formal requests for information. It is the court that determines the timing and sometimes that might mean waiting for a …Read the full article →
A complete background check is not always a necessity. Most situations will only need a background check for criminal behavior or a credit check to determine if the individual is qualified. A complete background check looks into everything from birth records to criminal history, credit history and even marriage records. This type of background check is used for situations where a partial check is …Read the full article →
A background check is basically a report on an individual. It can include criminal history, financial history, education history, public records, or a combination of these things. With a thorough background check, you can get a better picture of an individual's past and patterns. It's a common tool used by employers and individuals to ensure that those you hire or let into your home are worthy …Read the full article →
Hiring new employees often requires looking into the background of applicants to determine if they are qualified for the position. While many employers run a background check on potential workers, screening is a delicate process that requires careful handling to avoid discrimination or negligent hiring claims. Keeping a few tips in mind will ensure that federal and state laws are properly followed …Read the full article →
A standard question on most job applications, many companies want to know if they can contact your former employer. The question is easy to answer if you left on good terms, but it can get sticky if you were fired or had conflicts with a supervisor. Whether you left on great terms or less than favorable conditions, you should know what can and cannot be said about you as part of a background check …Read the full article →
Getting a background check performed on any individual is a legal right. Employers frequently run a background check on potential employees to avoid problems that might occur as a result of criminal history. The problem is that with so many services offering free and pay-for options, understanding the key differences and what is included in the free services will determine which option is best for …Read the full article →
While business owners and individuals might want to learn information about an individual immediately, legitimate services for background checks will not make false promises. Websites and services that promise instant results are often a rip-off. Anyone who has considered a background check through a website that offers a guarantee of results within 24 hours or less is looking at a rip-off website …Read the full article →
Companies rely on pre-employment background screenings, but they often fail to update their records by investigating on-the-job employees. An employee convicted of a crime involving a serious moral or ethical lapse could present many problems, especially if the worker has delivered outstanding work performance for many years. Another major background check problem involves international screenings …Read the full article →
Criminal history is not the only information obtained from a background check. Along with criminal history, other pertinent information included can alert potential employers to an employee or applicant’s negative history. Employers learn to spot repetitive patterns that have an adverse influence on an employee’s performance in the workplace. An employer must obtain signed permission of the applicant …Read the full article →
Now that you know how important a background check is, the first step is to gather information on the potential nanny. Start by talking to the applicant. Ask for references from other employers and families. Find out what ages of children they have cared for, and ask them directly if there is anything about their background you should be aware of. Applicants should be completely comfortable and at …Read the full article →
The state and federal governments follow conflicting policies regulating the industry. On one hand, governments extol the benefits that background checks bring for weeding out sexual predators and scam artists from working directly with children, elderly people, or disabled individuals. Governments endorse the use of credit reports to determine the fitness of government employees, financial industry …Read the full article →
Criminal Records CheckState laws vary with regard to a prospective employer or landlord accessing an individual’s criminal records. Some states will allow access to criminal records only for a certain number of years prior to the current date. Other states will only allow criminal records checks for positions that would require a clean criminal history. Check with your state …Read the full article →Part of a background check includes talking to former landlords. Unfortunately, you cannot count on applicants to list rentals where they caused expensive damages. Professional background companies will work around this problem by using credit reports. You can call the owners of properties listed as residences on the report to cover those the potential tenant neglected to list. It’s better to discover …Read the full article →
Research where people are searching to find rental information and place an ad in this publication. For example, if the rental unit is located in a smaller town, and most renters use the local paper to find living spaces, advertise in the local paper. Though it may be easier to post an ad on the internet, if few potential renters use the internet to locate their next living space, an ad on the …Read the full article → 
