Background Checks
However, the background check is one of the most common and controversial forms of pre-employment screening. Reportedly, 96% of HR professionals conduct background checks on new hires; a substantial increase from the 66% of HR professionals conducting pre-employment screenings in 1996.
Background checks can provide access to all kinds of data, including:
Pre-employment Screening
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Credit Records: Example: Employees dealing with money
- Academic Records
- Criminal Records
- Driving Records: Example: Employees employed as drivers
- Employment Records
- Litigation Records
- Military Records
- Address History
- Social Security Trace
- Worker’s Compensation
Pre-employment screening can aid employers in detecting any number of discrepancies or warning signals, such as false information on resumes and applications or a criminal past. Plus, background checks have been credited with minimizing the chances of a negligent lawsuits and decreasing attrition rates.
Although most candidates won’t mind giving a potential employer the right to conduct a background check, others may not feel comfortable with a company gaining access to information that is private and irrelevant to employment. The legality of accessing certain information through background checks is still under scrutiny, so it is important that background checks only be performed with the employee’s knowledge and a signed disclosure form as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Gemma Beristain, COO for Picore Worldwide