To any serious employer or human resources manager, pre-employment background screening is crucial to getting the most qualified and trustworthy employee.
An employer would want to get information on a prospective employee that includes previous employers, educational background, and driving records among others. Many private consumer reporting agencies, aside from the three biggest bureaus (namely TransUnion, Experian and Equifax), can provide additional pertinent information.
However, employers and human resources managers must be informed that according to law they must make an effort to conduct proper screening methods. When they follow appropriate steps they can be certain that they haven’t committed any negligence in processing a jobseeker’s application.
First, employers must get a criminal record check from their state. This will make them aware in advance just in case an applicant’s answers in the next steps don’t match.
Second, they should perform responsible communication with previous employers. Bias in the effort of contacting past superiors won’t do any good and may also be discriminatory.
Third step is requiring the applicant to include in the application form whether or not they have been convicted of a crime during the interview. Employers should not stop just because he saw on the background check that the applicant has a criminal record.
The crime may not be that seriously enormous or has happened decades ago. When an applicant is honest about it and goes further in telling the date and the penalty imposed, then an employer must reconsider especially when the job seeker is adequately skilled for the job opening.
Fourth, an applicant should also be required to put in the application form whether or not he was a defendant in a civil action for intentional tort, or intentionally violating a legal duty he owed to a victim.
Fifth, employers must also require, if it deems necessary to the job, driving records or parking law violations.
After doing the five steps, an employer or human resource manager may proceed to having the applicant called in for an interview when the results above seem honest and above satisfaction.