We work with many organizations to advise on what to include and how to evaluate background checks on prospective and current employees. However, background checks are only useful if you know what to include and how to evaluate background checks and the results. Here’s what you should include and why and what to look for in a background check. A recent article from The Leader listed the areas below. We considered their comments and added our own in each area.
Work History: Confirming the work history of the applicant is important. Most prior employers are willing to confirm at least that a person worked there, the dates employed and the position. This information is crucial. The individual may have adjusted employment dates to hide incarceration time. Were they really a manager as they claimed? About 30% of the time we can talk to a supervisor to obtain additional information. Verifying work history can also help you get more addresses to conduct criminal background checks and confirm past salaries. If the prior employer knew of behavior that resulted in an injury and didn’t disclose it to you, you can use that omission in a tort of negligent referral case.
Social Media Accounts: Another area to review can be social media accounts. This should only be done after consulting employment legal counsel, as you could discover information that could violate discrimination laws. In general, you should wait until after a conditional job offer was extended. Learn more about the dangers of social media checks here.
Educational Records: Educational records are one of the most falsified pieces of information on resumes and applications. Falsifying about something so easily verifiable reflects poorly on the applicant. It can indicate a pattern of future unacceptable behavior.
Vehicle Registration: If the job description requires driving a vehicle while in your employ, a motor vehicle record should be part of the search.
Drug Test Results: Illegal substance users are a greater risk to your company’s profit, your customers, your employees, and your reputation. Additionally, they are more likely to have accidents, abuse your health insurance program and file workers compensation claims. Pre-employment drug screenings are essential.
