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From time to time, some of our clients question why SELECTiON.COM® follows a QA process for our electronic database searches. Our SEARCH AMERICA® Reports come back showing “hits” about an Applicant. This QA process takes some extra time to complete, but we believe that taking this extra QA step is important for two reasons:
- The final report that we send to the client is more trustworthy; we verify that any conviction record showing on the original SEARCH AMERICA® Report is indeed valid according to the latest state and county records on file with the courts.
- The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. (FCRA) actually requires a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) to take steps to verify the accuracy of information listed in a Consumer Report (CR). Two sections of the FCRA, in particular, address this issue. They are FCRA § 607(b) and FCRA § 613(a):
FCRA § 607. Compliance procedures [15 U.S.C. § 1681e]
(a) . . .
(b) (b) Accuracy of report. Whenever a consumer reporting agency prepares a consumer report it shall follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information concerning the individual about whom the report relates.
FCRA § 613. Public record information for employment purposes [15 U.S.C. § 1681k]
(a) In general. A consumer reporting agency which furnishes a consumer report for employment purposes and which for that purpose compiles and reports items of information on consumers which are matters of public record and are likely to have an adverse effect upon a consumer’s ability to obtain employment shall
(1) at the time such public record information is reported to the user of such consumer report, notify the consumer of the fact that public record information is being reported by the consumer reporting agency, together with the name and address of the person to whom such information is being reported; or
(2) maintain strict procedures designed to insure that whenever public record information which is likely to have an adverse effect on a consumer’s ability to obtain employment is reported it is complete and up to date. For purposes of this paragraph, items of public record relating to arrests, indictments, convictions, suits, tax liens, and outstanding judgments shall be considered up to date if the current public record status of the item at the time of the report is reported. (emphasis added)
Both of the FCRA sections listed above have been the subject of litigation during the past few years. Such litigation is very costly and time consuming.
In light of cases such as Smith v. Hireright and Dalton v. Capital Associated Industries, and based upon its own industry experience, SELECTiON.COM® has adopted its QA process for any SEARCH AMERICA® database search report that contains negative information as its best practice to verify search records are as up-to-date and accurate as possible before reporting them to SELECTiON.COM® clients.
In both of the cases cited above, the parties spent thousands of dollars in litigation expenses. If the CRAs involved in these cases had used a QA process to verify their electronic database search results, they could have avoided the time and expense of the federal court lawsuits that cost them so much time and money to defend.
SELECTiON.COM® is committed to a very thorough QA process for all of our SEARCH AMERICA® reports. By choosing SELECTiON.COM®, you will get the most accurate and up-to-date background check reports possible.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
NOTE: The contents of this article are not legal advice for your particular situation. You should neither act nor rely upon anything stated in this article without first consulting your own legal counsel.
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How do you really know who you’re hiring? Does the interview and application allow enough face-to-face time for you to really get a good read on an applicant? Do you have enough knowledge about the applicant to make a great hiring decision?
In today’s workplace, background screening programs are a common part of the hiring process. While some companies only run criminal background checks, there is a better solution, verification and reference checks.
SELECTiON.COM® provides four different types of verifications/ checks. 
First, is the employment verification report which provides positions held, length of employment, salary, motivation, work habits, and other information about the applicant’s work performance.
Second, is the reference check/ character reference. A reference check gives you more personal insight into the applicant. Things such as reputation, conduct and integrity of the applicant.
Both the employment verification and reference check allow you to get to know the applicant on a more personal level. These checks provide information that allow you to make a much more educated and insightful decision.
The last two verification checks are to make sure that their resume and credentials are accurate.
The education verification documents an applicant’s start and end dates, major fields of study and degrees earned. The last is the professional license verification which includes license type, issuing authority and dates of validity.
These four additional verifications/ checks should be implemented into your background screening program.
Adding these provides insight into the behavior of the applicant along with other aspects of their work habits that you might not have discovered through a basic interview. So, next time you hire, try running these additional checks, so you really know the individual you are hiring.
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Sources:
SHRM- Using Social Media for Talent Acquisition- Recruitment and Screening 2016
CareerBuilder.com Press Release
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Background checks and pre-employment screenings during the application phase are a vital part of the hiring process. Becoming equally important, as more employers are discovering every day, is the ongoing process of keeping track of current employees.
It may not be the most comfortable announcement you make during your next staff meeting, but just because a new hire has a clean background check doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore the potential for inappropriate activity post employment.
That is why SELECTiON.COM recommends running a background screening on your employees every few years. 
Three reasons to keep up-to-date employee background checks:
- Company Responsibility
Proper background checks protect your company—both employees and clients. Running a background check every few years is essential in keeping you and your company safe. It’s an old adage that sometimes bad things happen to good people. It’s equally likely that the same influences which led to bad behavior pre-hire may still cause even the most model employee problems years after accepting the initial job offer.
- New Hires v. Old Hires
Most companies only worry about running background checks on their new hires. It’s easy to get caught up in only checking out new employees. However, that doesn’t mean you should forget to keep an eye on your current employees.
Or for that matter, those long-time staffers who were hired BEFORE you implemented the screening process. Just because an employee poses no risk on their initial background screening, doesn’t mean that they can’t pose a risk in the future.
- Pros Outweigh the Cons
Many employees may complain about having to renew and update their background screenings. However, when it comes to employee background checks— better safe than sorry. It’s easy to run up-to-date background checks on employees. It’s not easy to deal with a potential legal battle.
Current employees can pose as much of a risk to your company as new employees. Most companies just trust that their employees to be forthcoming. That is NOT always the case. It’s important to be vigilant and keeping up-to-date records is the easiest way to accomplish that.
Here at SELECTION.COM, we have multiple solutions to help you keep your employee records up-to-date.
Let us help you find the right solution for you and your company.
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INFORMATION OVERLOAD
Most of us are inundated with calls from marketers and sales people throughout the day, even if we’re not the one making the ultimate buying decision. So even though no one likes the sound of the office phone ringing incessantly, often times it’s easier to just let the call go to voicemail.
Returning that call? Well, that will just have to wait.
Unfortunately, my job is to make your phone ring. I’m not a bad person and I’m certainly not calling to complicate your day. I’m hoping to have an opportunity to connect in an effort to help save you money, time, exposure and a variety of other things that can make a positive impact on your company. 
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
In any sales career, the salesperson is always looking for the next opportunity and their success, in most cases, is a matter of timing.
It’s usually all about being in front of the right person at the right time.
It’s fairly simple to identify the decision maker(s), but how can I, the salesperson, know the right time? This is where you come in.
During the course of these daily attempts to reach the decision makers in any company, many of these calls will invariably land in voice mail or with an administrative person who promises to convey a message because you are out, busy, or just plain unavailable.
In most cases I won’t leave a message, because I can’t expect someone to call a name and number that is unfamiliar without knowing the reason for the call. Plus, it’s my job to reach out to you and not the other way around! I’ll call back later.
When I do leave a message, it is generally very brief: who, what, why and my contact info.
Of course, I will make subsequent attempts to reach you via email or social media platforms, in addition to trying you again on the phone.
This all sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it?
MAKE IT STOP
So how do you handle this unceasing, intrusive pleading for your response?
The majority will ignore these attempts and hope that the caller just gives up. Unfortunately, a lot of callers, just like me, are very persistent.
In the current Business to Business marketplace, most salespeople will exhaust their call sheet. Every. Single. Day. They do this in large part because it is their job, but also because they know that they may be one call away from finding a potential client who really needs their products and services.
So, the next time your phone rings think about answering and either telling the caller to “go away” or to “call back at a better time”.
Even better, a simple “we aren’t interested” or “we won’t be looking at these services until next year”, will not only provide the caller something to work with and some timeframe to honor, but it will make your phone ring a little less often. Guaranteed!
I promise, as a professional sales person, I will honor your timeframe and your wishes. Granted, a “not interested” response is certainly not The Sweetest Words I Ever Hear, but a very close second.
Now, get on with your day. I’ve got calls to make!
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The 12th Annual Child & Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference (“CYPCLC”), to be held next month in Savannah, Georgia, promises to provide more than 200 church leaders with a thought-provoking and inspiring list of speakers and activities, and once again SELECTiON.COM® is a proud co-sponsor.
A nationwide provider of pre-employment and background checks, SELECTiON.COM® is a faith-based company committed to making dioceses across the nation safer.
“As a lifelong member of the Catholic Church, especially, it is a thrill being associated with a group that does such important work,” said Wayne Jung, SELECTiON.COM® Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We feel a deep sense of obligation to keeping children and families safe, and we are proud to support the CYPCLC.”
This year over 160 diocesan representatives from around the country are scheduled to attend the Savannah conference, which runs from February 26 through March 1, 2017.
The CYPCLC is the nation’s leading conference on child and family safety.
SELECTiON.COM® is one of three companies also participating in the 2017 CYPCLC scholarship program. With their support, three underfunded dioceses previously not scheduled to attend are afforded the opportunity to travel to and participate in the conference.
ABOUT SELECTiON.COM®
SELECTiON.COM® is a nationwide provider of criminal and pre-employment background screenings, also referred to as a Consumer Reporting Agency. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, SELECTiON.COM® is a veteran-owned company that has been in business since 1991 and offers more than 21 background and data collection services. www.selection.com
About CYPCLC
Formerly known as the National Safe Environment and Victim Assistance Coordinators Leadership Conference (NSECVAC), the Child & Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference (CYPCLC) is an annual forum for all Catholic leadership to share and receive resources and suggest best practices with the Secretariat of Child & Youth Protection for carrying out the mission of protecting children and youth and fulfilling outreach to survivors of abuse. The 2017 Conference will take place in Savannah, Georgia at the Hilton Savannah Desoto Hotel located in Savannah’s beautiful Historic District. The event is inclusive of all individuals regardless of job title who work diligently to keep the promise to protect and the pledge to heal. http://cypclc.wixsite.com/2017savannah
