By Julie F. Burke
August 22, 2016
The retail industry faces some unique challenges when it comes to performing background checks and making sure they hire the best employees possible. Based upon my experience working with retailers nationwide, here are the top three problems most of my clients have dealt with at one time or another, along with some suggestions for overcoming each one.
Theft
Shoplifting by customers lags a distant second to employee theft for most retailers and that can make hiring the right person incredibly important. Getting a background check with accurate and timely results can be equally difficult. While theft is a top concern for retailers, sometimes you cannot see that pattern unless the applicant has actually been convicted of a crime. What you can see are specific incidents or a work history with a pattern that lead to this behavior. Knowing the background of your applicant can be your greatest indicator of their ability to do their job with honesty and integrity.
Customer Support
Background check results are not always crystal clear. Case information and terminology differ from state to state. Human Resource Managers and Compliance Officers often need an answer right away while viewing criminal history reports. It is imperative that customer support is available to answer questions instantly, whether by phone or Live Chat. If they do not receive support in a timely and efficient fashion, it can cause missed opportunities for everyone concerned.
Compliance
FCRA stands for the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The FCRA dictates that an applicant / volunteer / current employee be given a clear and conspicuous disclosure that a consumer report (background check) may be procured for employment purposes during the application process. If for any reason, in whole or in part, a Retailer decides not to hire or place an applicant due to their background check, the company must send the applicant a “Pre-Decision Letter”, copy of their background check and a Consumer Rights Letter.
After that, it’s required that the company wait the appropriate number of days and then mail an “Adverse Action Letter” to the applicant. Failure to follow the above proper procedures could lead to litigation. Retailers need an easy process to match their industry in order to be compliant with FCRA regulations.
SELECTiON.COM® will help to keep you compliant with the click of a button via our proprietary web portal, Fastrax Select®. We offer pre-populated Pre-Decision and Adverse Action Letters free of charge on your custom dashboard, or by checking a box, our clients can choose to have our in-house staff do the mailings for them.
Solutions
SELECTiON.COM® has solutions for all of the above challenges. We can customize your reports for part-time, full-time and managerial positions. Our Social Security Number Trace report, County Criminal History Reports and our proprietary national criminal database, Search America®, provide a perfect solution for the fast paced retail industry. Our Search America® Report provides a multi-jurisdictional search of criminal record databases and Government Watch lists including correction records and Sex Offender registries from all 50 states.
In addition to clear results being INSTANT, records found are personally reviewed by our dedicated Quality Assurance Department before being sent back to the client. These reports with criminal records, once reviewed, are transmitted within 2-3 business hours. Furthermore, we can add a Credit Report to the Management Reports.
Customer service representatives at SELECTiON.COM® have a tenure of 7.5 years in the industry. Our entire team, from part-time researcher to CEO, is accessible by phone or email and LIVE help via an online chat portal is available M-F, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (EST). Our Verification Specialists and IT Department are in-house and easy to reach.
Contact SELECTiON.COM® today for your customized background screening solution.
Julie F. Burke
Associate Vice President of Sales
800-325-3609 ex. 3027
