Thinking about employment pre-screening? Here are the typers of checks to consider.

Employment pre-screening, while not at the forefront of the political debates, is becoming more and more important for small business owners. It’s more important than ever to ensure you’re aware of EEOC, FCRA and Federal and State Requirements, and performing the right employment pre-screening for your business. There are various points in the hiring process where you can implement employment checks, and each plays a different role in protecting your company or organization. If you’re considering launching a new employment screening program, here’s a quick look into the types of checks you can perform. We hope this helps. Criminal background checks

Criminal background checks are common in employment situations in which the employee will have access to company financial information or will be working with vulnerable populations. In order to conduct criminal checks, a background screening company will check state and federal databases in order to turn up convictions and arrest records for employer review.

Caution: if your state has ban-the-box laws you may not be able to conduct criminal checks until after an interview has been conducted, or even until after an offer of employment has been made.

Credit checks

A credit check is another type of employment pre-screening, usually specific to certain roles (such as role in finance, or when they will have access to company coffers or credit cards.). Be aware: the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires you to inform applicants in writing that you will be conducting credit checks.

Employment or education verification

Ensuring that the applicant’s resume is accurate and truthful is wise, and this is where employment verification and education verification come into play. Sometimes applicants commit resume fraud by listing degrees they never earned and employers they never worked for, because it makes their resumes look more appealing to future employers. Confirming the events and locations listed on a resume can be time-consuming for busy employers, so it’s best to leave this process to a background-screening company.

Drug tests

Many employers conduct drug tests prior to employment regardless of industry, but drug testing is especially important for those positions in which an employee can affect someone else’s safety, such as jobs in manufacturing or transportation. A drug test can be as simple as a urinalysis, or more complicated with hair or blood tests.

Reference checks

It’s a smart practice to review an applicant’s references to ensure that there have not been any issues with the applicant’s past performance. A reference check simply requires checking in via phone or e-mail with the people the candidate has listed as references, as well as former employers, to ensure accuracy regarding the skills and accomplishments the applicant claims.

While all of these types of employment pre-screening are great options to consider when hiring, laws vary from state to state. Working with a background-screening company can ensure that you stay within the bounds of the law in your screening practices.

For more information about how you can utilize these types of background checks when making hiring decisions, contact Mind Your Business.