Hi, I’m Amy Goodman. I’m the Vice President of Human Resources for Sibcy Cline. I am thankful for SELECTiON.COM® and how vital of a partnership we’ve had over the past couple of years that we’ve been working together. Our background checks have come faster. We have been able to customize everything with them. That was something that we couldn’t find with other vendors and partners in the past. We are super thankful for them. Thanks, Julie. She’s the best.
On Oct. 3, 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency enforcing federal consumer financial laws, released their background screening report snapshot, which provides an overview of companies involved in the background screening industry. The CFPB acknowledges three critical drivers of growth: increased demand due to improvements in the labor market, the decline in rental vacancy rates, and expanded online services.
The CFPB report focuses on screenings that include criminal record checks. According to the CFPB report, “72 percent of employers conduct background checks; 82 percent of those that do background checks include criminal background checks.”
The report also highlights the background screening industry, how screening reports are generated, and how screening reports are used by employers. It is estimated that for 2019, there are “1,954 background screening companies with revenue of $3.2 billion,” according to the CFPB.
The report includes developments in the background screening industry and challenges that are related to accuracy and dispute resolution. One of these challenges is inconsistent systems across jurisdictions for reporting criminal records, due to more than 13,000 state courts in the U.S. with an estimated 110,235,200 persons in their criminal history files.
Click here for the full report.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
This article gives a general overview of the legal matters. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all the relevant federal, state, and local laws governing this area. SELECTiON.COM® does not provide legal advice, and we always suggest consulting your own legal counsel for all applicant approval matters.
What is the most crucial thing a background screening provider can offer? It’s challenging to narrow it down to just one. Although the report is essential, there are more valuable qualities that companies need to consider. The factors that make up a proper background screening provider are compliance, price, quality data, turnaround time, and customer service. With these multiple elements working together, you have a positive experience and confidence in your hiring process.
It’s crucial to choose a background screening provider that brings real value to your company.
One reason why a company conducts background checks is to avoid a risky hire. A reputable background screening company makes compliance a priority for you.
Background check companies should be the expert in federal, state, and local laws on employment screening, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act. They should offer you up-to-date disclosure and authorization forms, along with pre-adverse and adverse action letters.
The phrase “you get what you pay for” applies to background checks too. Ask yourself if the lowest price is the best option. Although it is necessary to keep your budget in mind, it’s critical to run quality and up-to-date background checks.
When evaluating for a background screening provider, be sure to compare reports of similar quality. Sometimes less expensive background checks are missing critical data, which can be concerning. Find out if your screening provider is searching through multiple sources of data to compile a complete report on your candidate. Since background screenings are a vital component of hiring, the value they bring to your company should be more important than the cost.
Database searches can be a valuable tool when used alongside other background check reports. Keep in mind that database searches are not a comprehensive stand-alone background check report. Quality providers offer other sources to help ensure an in-depth search for records in addition to a database.
Although there are standard federal regulations, states can have their restrictions on reporting crimes in a database. Some states also restrict case details provided to a database, and some won’t release any information at all to a database. Direct searches are a source of revenue for some state and local governments, so they won’t release information in a database. Using the database search with a county criminal background check is the best way to have an in-depth report on a candidate.
You want to make sure that the background check has quality reporting and is done in a timely manner. The typical turnaround time for a background check is two to three days. In the United States, there are over 3,000 counties or county-equivalents each with their court record database. The turnaround time to obtain the search results varies from county to county, depending on the technology used. Although some counties have online databases, some still use ledger books or microfilm for storage of court records. Results can take longer in counties that are clerk-assisted. A quality background check provider should keep you apprised of any unexpected delays.
Some companies consider customer service one of the most valuable qualities for a background screening provider. Having customer service representatives that are highly trained and qualified to answer your questions are essential qualities. Customer service doesn’t end after a phone call or online chat is over. It’s about the overall experience that you receive from the background check provider.
At SELECTiON.COM®, our customer support team is all in-house, along with our IT department. Customer support is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday through Friday, via phone or Chatrax® our online chat system.
Background check companies should keep you informed on the background screening industry standards. Through monthly newsletters, blog posts, and emails, a background screening company should share essential updates, court closings, background check news, and relevant industry information. The more knowledge you have, then the better your hiring process will be.
What is vital for your company’s hiring process? While compliance, price, quality data, and customer service are all crucial components of a background screening program, the most important thing is your partnership with your provider.
Make sure your overall experience with your background check provider is more valuable than just a report.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
This article gives a general overview of the legal matters. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all the relevant federal, state, and local laws governing this area. SELECTiON.COM® does not provide legal advice, and we always suggest consulting your own legal counsel for all applicant approval matters.
On September 9, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) publicized that its members voted at the 2019 NAPBS Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, to approve the association’s rebrand to the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA).
Established in 2003, PBSA is the only association of its kind and has become the trusted authority for the screening professionals. PBSA was established to promote a high level of ethics and performance standards for the background check industry. This association currently represents over 880 member companies engaged in employment and tenant background screening across the United States.
This rebranding allows for the association to transition fully into a global organization. Currently, the organization has three international chapters and is expanding. The rebrand includes a new logo, branding, and website.
PBSA Member companies are Consumer Reporting Agencies defined under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and these agencies are regulated by both the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. SELECTiON.COM® is a proud member of the PBSA.
The PBSA offers a Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program. Its purpose is to achieve excellence through high professional standards, including the adoption of best practices, awareness of legal compliance, and development of rules that protect clients and consumers. SELECTION.COM® is part of this prestigious program as well, and achieving this certification was no easy task.
To become an accredited firm, SELECTiON.COM® had to demonstrate initial and ongoing compliance with the accreditation standards as prepared by the Background Screening Credentialing Council. Compliance is determined through a rigorous review and on-site audits, which are completed by an independent third-party auditor. SELECTION.COM® documented each of the policies and processes required in each area within the standard and demonstrated visible compliance with their policies to the auditor. The program also required SELECTiON.COM® to commit to uphold and deliver the highest level of industry standards in the following critical areas: Information Security, Legal and Compliance, Client Education, Researcher and Data Standards, Verification Services Standards and Business Practices.
Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) like SELECTiON.COM® help provide the country and its citizens with a safer environment in which to live, work, and play. The common goal for CRAs and PBSA is to continue working together to identify best practices and promote the highest ethical standards.
Contact us today to learn more.
This article gives a general overview of the legal matters. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all the relevant federal, state, and local laws governing this area. SELECTiON.COM® does not provide legal advice, and we always suggest consulting your own legal counsel for all applicant approval matters.
New technology helps companies to go beyond pre-employment checks and allows for the monitoring of current employees for concerning behavior. Continuous monitoring is a real game-changer for employment screening and adds immeasurable value to any employer. While some industries are mandated to do periodic screening, there are more companies than ever embracing some form of continuous background check.
Continuing compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance and applicable state laws is essential. Employers will need to familiarize themselves with these regulations before starting a continuous monitoring program.
Continuous monitoring programs can help to make workplaces and communities safer. Listed below are five questions an employer should keep in mind when implementing an ongoing monitoring program with a third-party background check company.
The simple answer, yes. Ask yourself what type of report that will be run and add this to your policy. What procedures will you follow after receiving the results of the report? Consult with legal counsel to remain within jurisdictional regulations.
The FRCA mandates that employers must obtain the job applicant’s consent before running a background check. State laws dictate the language that is required on a background check authorization form. If the applicant signs the Release and Authorization form during the hiring process, this document works for background checks at any time. However, it is essential that every time the employer wants to run a background check for their employees, that they make sure the release form still complies with the current FCRA regulations. If the release form is no longer compliant, a new form will need to be obtained for continuous monitoring.
A third-party background screening company runs a quality check to verify the information. At SELECTiON.COM®, precise searches are returned almost immediately, and all searches returning with records are reviewed manually by our experienced research team to reduce false-positive results and to ensure accuracy. In those cases, the average turnaround time is two to three hours, during regular business hours – Monday thru Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Quarterly Watch® by SELECTiON.COM® combines our Search America® national criminal database with background check automation. Employers can re-check their employees to verify that no illegal activity has occurred since hiring. Most of our clients choose to re-screen every three months, while others prefer annual and semi-annual checks.
Employers should follow procedure after receiving the background check report. According to the EEOC, an employer cannot act or base employment decisions solely on arrest or incarceration records. However, new criminal activity may lead to an investigation to understand the details and other circumstances surrounding the event. After the independent investigation, it is up to the employer to make a disciplinary decision regarding the specific employee.
When an employer finds a criminal record on a background check run pre or post-hire that causes the applicant to be rejected or terminated, they must follow the FCRA mandated adverse action policy. This process gives applicants and employees the opportunity to review and dispute the information in the report. Your legal team should determine how this policy applies to continuous monitoring and what the procedure should be for the employers regarding suspension, discipline, or termination of an employee.
The Quarterly Watch® product by SELECTiON.COM® has proven to be a great asset to many companies. Out of over one million Quarterly Watch® searches ran by SELECTiON.COM® in the past year, 949 employees/volunteers had criminal hits. The Quarterly Watch® report catches criminal activity before it becomes an issue for your company.
Contact us today to add Quarterly Watch® to your company’s background screening process.
This article gives a general overview of the legal matters. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all the relevant federal, state, and local laws governing this area. SELECTiON.COM® does not provide legal advice, and we always suggest consulting your own legal counsel for all applicant approval matters.
There are many elements that companies worry about on a day-to-day basis. Making sure that background screening is done correctly shouldn’t be one of those worries. At SELECTiON.COM®, we can manage your business’s compliance with the FCRA along with state and local background screening laws, so you don’t need to yourself. There are several features that you can add to your background screening account process to better manage your company’s time and resources.
Save valuable time by having the applicant fill out the background check form themselves. Our applicant entry feature can be added at no additional cost. Once activated, you can send a secure, one-time-use link to the applicant’s email through Fastrax®. We can customize the email to include a personalized message and greeting. From there, the applicant can input their information, including name, social security number, date of birth, and current address. Depending on the types of reports you wish to run, the form can be customized to include additional information such as employment history, education, or driver’s license number.
Once the applicant has filled out their information, the background check can be run immediately. Alternatively, you can also place a hold on the form and review it before approving it for a background check. This is helpful when interviewing multiple job candidates and helps narrow down applicants before running a background check.
Bulk print gives you the ability to be able to view or print more than one report at a time in Fastrax®. Check the box near the name of each applicant you’d like to see in order to convert the reports into a single PDF file. This allows you to easily print or download multiple reports at a time.
Your company can manage the employee work authorization program through Fastrax® from start to finish. Our E-Verify portal will help you to ensure that your workforce is legally authorized to work.
Once an account is created for you through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), you will have the ability to process your applicants from application to employment through Fastrax®. E-Verify should be run within three days of hire. The tab in Fastrax® is labeled “E-Verify” and allows you to create an E-Verify request from the already existing information in our system. Search for the applicant by name or SSN. From there, you will only need to type in the information on your employee’s I-9 form to start the E-Verify process. Most requests are returned instantaneously. Tentative Non-Conformation documents can easily be printed and for your employee’s signature. Our system will notify you once the employee has resolved any issues with their work authorization at the DHS or local Social Security Administration office. With Fastrax®, our program improves the efficiency of your Form I-9 employment verification process and the accuracy of your payroll and tax reporting.
We stay up to date on FCRA regulations and provide the tools to keep you compliant with the click of a button via our proprietary web portal, Fastrax®. Once activated, you can choose to have our in-house staff mail the Pre-Adverse and Adverse Action Letter for a nominal fee, with the click of a button.
You will see a “FCRA” tab on Fastrax®. After you’ve requested a FCRA mailing, a red envelope will show up next to the applicant’s name once a letter has been sent to the individual. The details on which letter was sent will be available to you in the log notes.
SELECTiON.COM® is your one-stop-shop for all things background screening. We will help your company stay compliant and save time.
Contact your in-house sales team member to add any of these services to your background screening process.
This article gives a general overview of the legal matters. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all the relevant federal, state, and local laws governing this area. SELECTiON.COM® does not provide legal advice, and we always suggest consulting your own legal counsel for all applicant approval matters.
