By Brian Huseman
October 28, 2016
It’s a fast-paced world, so it stands to reason that every element of our lives should be sped up to meet the demand, right? Well, when it comes to background checks, that couldn’t be more untrue. While speeding up the process can be effectively done, especially with the help of a reputable background check company, some corners just should not be cut. It’s important to realize that not all background checks are equal, and when it comes to creating a safe environment for your employees, there are some components that you should not go without.
An effective background screening program will do two things, bring in those long term employees that managers love and it will keep out the ones who cause trouble. Failure to properly screen applicants for criminal history can lead to litigation down the road for negligence.
The following reports are the four elements of a background check you should not go without.
Social Security Number Trace Report
The Social Security Trace Report (SSN Trace Report) can help determine if Social Security Numbers provided by potential employees are legitimate. This helps eliminate the fraudulent or improper use of Social Security Numbers.
Checking the residence history of applicants identifies misused addresses and potential problems, such as mail receiving services or prison drop addresses. The information shows if the Social Security Number is valid, the state of issue and the year issued. It identifies maiden and / or alias names.
County Criminal Background Check
County Criminal Background Checks are an essential part of any comprehensive background check solution. This reports criminal activity from individual, selected counties — anywhere in the U.S. This report includes felony and misdemeanor arrests and charges, giving you detail on the “disposition” of each record within the boundaries of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
This report is also the “final word” on your background searches. Running a query on a national database can give you partial information on a background check, or where to look for more information, but with a criminal county background check, you get a complete picture of each record with no need to request additional reports.
Federal Criminal Background Check reports will show if an applicant has had any criminal cases filed against them that violated federal criminal law. It is a search of the federal district court’s records. Federal cases include crimes involving federal law, crimes that cross state boundaries, and crimes that are committed on federal property. Think: bank robbery, fraud, embezzlement, kidnapping, etc. These records are not available from state or county criminal research.
A National criminal database is a great supplement to any background check program. Combined with County and Federal searches, it provides a wide view of your applicant’s criminal history.
At SELECTiON.COM® we always recommend this combined approach. Our proprietary Search America® National Criminal Database is the largest of its kind. Search America® contains roughly 1,100 sources with over 650 million criminal records. Combine this national search with residence based county research, using the SSN Trace Report above, and a Federal Courts report and you get a clear and detailed view of your applicant’s criminal history.
This database also contains currently registered sex offenders with felony conviction records, compiled from sex offender registries available throughout the U.S. as well as a list of all foreign nationals (individuals and entities) that currently carry sanctions by the U.S. Government. With Search America®, we provide you with a powerful, high-speed, multi-jurisdictional search of various types of county, state and federal criminal records databases with immediate results.
Criminal history is the more obvious component employers think they should utilize, but, depending on your industry and even position you’re hiring for, other elements should be considered.
For example:
- Cash handling positions- Credit Report
- Driving a company vehicle- Motor Vehicle Report, Drug Screening
- Management- Prior Employment Verification, Education Verification
- Manufacturing- Workers’ Comp Report, Drug Screening
- Medial Field- Professional License Verification, Character Reference, Drug Screening.
SELECTiON.COM® combines effective research with fast results. Our Customer Support, Verification Specialists and IT Department are in-house and easy to reach.
SELECTiON.COM® has an in house IT department that can facilitate any need you may have. We have fully developed integrations with major HRIS’s serving businesses across the country. These integrations insure consistent research and save our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars by streamlining the process. Not only that, but we offer access to our own applicant tracking system, which saves a considerable amount of time for many of our clients, at no additional cost.
Contact SELECTiON.COM® today for your customized background screening solution.
