How to get hired: the background check process

background check process, all are implemented to ensure the candidate will be beneficial to the company. The background check process is in place to confirm stated facts about previous experience in the candidate’s application as well as their personal history. The primary parts of the background check process are past employment verification, criminal history and, in some cases, credit score (depending on the state and the company). Another subject area the background check process may incorporate, given the increase of lawyers over the last generation, is workers compensation claims. Companies are hesitant to hire previous workers compensation claimers as they are sometimes prone to injury through intentional or unintentional reasons. Again, this will depend on the company. The background check process will also likely investigate key areas of character analysis such as employment references, gaps in employment history, and identity and address verification. There are designated companies, such as Mind Your Business, that perform background checks for companies seeking to hire a new employee, or perhaps seeking to gain relevant information of an existing employee. Interestingly, out of all sectors in the economy, financial service firms use background check companies the most while the construction and property industry shows the least amount of outsourcing. While the position of credit checks within the background check process is up in the air, such checks are still in place in most states. This began when, in 1970, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was passed and is now enforced by the US Federal Trade Commission and private litigants. The FCRA is responsible for “regulating the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information.” The FCRA uses Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRA) to retain consumer’s credit reports and other relative employment information. It is important to be aware that within the background screening process the CRA is not allowed to retain negative information for excessive periods of time. For example, a CRA is only allowed to hold onto bankruptcy information for ten years. The FCRA also notices other information technology companies known as “nationwide specialty consumer reporting agency” of which are responsible for retaining information relevant to medical records or payments, residential or tenant history, and insurance claims. It is important to notice that when a credit check is part of the background check process, mistakes are sometimes made. The Public Interest Research Group reported in 2004 that 79% of consumer credit reports surveyed contained some kind of error. This is part of the reason that credit checks have been the subject of legislation in a dozen or so states. On top of the fact that, in this current economy, many feel it is unfair to judge someone’s work performance on their financial situation, it seems that credit checks as part of the background check process are gradually getting filtered out. Hopefully this information is relevant to your inquiries about the background check process – if you have any further questions please leave a comment or get in touch. If you’re a job seeker, keep these things in mind, and best of luck in your search!]]>