However, it is legal to let candidates know that not allowing a background check can hurt their chances of landing the job. Be careful with social media You don't need permission to search for a candidate online. You can type a name in any search engine and easily find information without signed waivers or permission forms. However, many states are adopting legislation that prohibits an employer from searching social media even if the candidate gives permission. Other states prohibit employers from using the information acquired from social media to make hiring decisions. If you choose to use social media, don't get too close to the candidate. Don't ask for Twitter handles or to be friends on Facebook. A person's lifestyle or political views rarely have anything to do with their ability to perform a job. Don't let what you see posted on social media cloud your judgment or lead to discrimination. In addition, avoid looking up a candidate before an interview is scheduled. You don't want to form a first impression without first actually meeting either on the phone or face to face.
The candidate has the right to dispute any findings or fix any mistakes that appear in the report. The person has the right to explain anything that may appear bad. If you are disqualifying an applicant because of something learned in the background report, make sure it is a legitimate cause. For example, you can't say that the background check found that the applicant graduated from college in 1986 and is therefore just too old to do the job. That would be discrimination. But if you find that there is a pattern that suggests the person has a hard time telling the truth, that is a more legitimate reason for not wanting to extend an offer. Treat everybody equally Above all else, remember that it is illegal to discriminate. Every candidate must be evaluated equally. If you do a credit check on one candidate, you have to do a credit check on all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and so on. For example, if you decide that a credit check is not needed, wait until you get a pool of candidates for the next open position.
Let's take a look at what background check questions you should be asking of your next potential applicant. What Can Be Revealed in an Employee Background Check? Especially for smaller companies, it can be appealing to skip the nuances of a comprehensive background check and assume your applicant is who they say they are. However, this decision can be incredibly detrimental to the company, financially and also from a company culture perspective. Hiring the wrong person not only leads to plenty of internal issues, but lowers company morale and employee faith in management as the residual damage and workload is left for employees to correct. Performing an pre- employment background check confirms an applicant's provided information and experience by scanning various federal agencies, like the FBI, DEA, U. S. Secret Service, Homeland Security, and more. Here are some of the things that can be revealed in a background check. Identity and Employment History Confirmation Are you hiring who you think you are?
You generally can get background information on an organization, particularly a large organization, on its Internet site or by telephoning its public relations office. A public company's annual report to the stockholders tells about its corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Most government agencies can furnish reports that describe their programs and missions. Press releases, company newsletters or magazines, and recruitment brochures also can be useful. Ask the organization for any other items that might interest a prospective employee. If possible, speak to current or former employees of the organization. Background information on the organization may be available at your public or school library. If you cannot get an annual report, check the library for reference directories that may provide basic facts about the company, such as earnings, products and services, and number of employees. Some directories widely available in libraries either in print or as online databases include: Dun & Bradstreet's Million Dollar Directory Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations Mergent's Industrial Review (formerly Moody's Industrial Manual) Thomas Register of American Manufacturers Ward's Business Directory Stories about an organization in magazines and newspapers can tell a great deal about its successes, failures, and plans for the future.
It can also generate questions about gaps in employment history and reasons for short stints at companies. Typically, a prior employment verification can confirm: Job start and end dates Titles held Salary Job duties or description Reason for termination or leaving the company It's important to verify that what a candidate says is their employment history IS their actual employment history. This type of background check can properly vet any candidate before making a job offer. Education Verification Attended is not the same as graduated, but the only way hiring managers can accurately determine a candidate's education on a resume is through an education verification check. Academic verification is primarily used to confirm or deny an applicant's level of education claimed on an application, and where that education came from. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) makes it clear that some positions classified as Exempt require employees to have advanced or specialized education. Should the FLSA challenge the exemption, the employer must be able to prove the worker has appropriate credentials.
These reports can be produced once a year for free by law, however some states, and even cities like New York City and Chicago, have made it illegal to base hiring decisions on credit scores. The catch with these types of checks is that they can only be performed with the express permission of the subject of the test. Employers can use a credit background check to prove whether or not a potential employee is fiscally responsible, especially when the position they are interviewing for deals closely with money or finances. Social Media & Internet Check Employers should consider viewing public social media accounts and posts of potential employees to learn more about them. There are numerous pitfalls, however, to be aware of before relying on any information collected through an i nternet social media search such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. While it's possible to obtain useful, but unverified, information about a candidate for employment, care still has to be used to ensure that the information is true.