Minnesota recently joined a small but growing number of states by signing a law into effect that prohibits all employers from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal history in the initial application process. This law-which took effect January 1, 2014-prohibits private employers from inquiring into, considering, or requiring the disclosure of an applicant’s criminal record or history until either:

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, background screening company, Minnesota, Criminal records, Hiring, NAPBS, background screen, background check, FCRA, 2014 hiring, wordpress blog, Good hiring practices, EEOC

Background screening job applicants is an integral part of the hiring process. By checking out a person’s criminal convictions, verifying their work history, and conducting drug testing, a company can gain a deeper understanding as to whether or not the person will fit well into the company culture.
However, the background screening process that was in place 3 years ago may not be the most effective one today. Here are some points to cover in reviewing your background screening process:

1. Take another look. Knowing the specific pieces of the applicant’s background you are currently screening is a great starting point. Make sure you know what information is being checked for each position.
2. Remember ‘the I’s’ have it. E-verify and I-9 processes need to keep up with regulations. A good many states have begun requiring companies to have these processes in place. Audits from ICE have also increased. It is more important than ever for companies to have a good, recorded trail for their E-verify and I-9’s.
3. Get the whole picture. Look at the criminal check policy, and make certain it is robust. At a minimum, check the person’s county of residence, work, and study. You may also want to add a national criminal database search, which can uncover crimes in places that were not originally targeted to search.
4. Review adverse action procedures. If a person is not hired in whole or part because of information found in a background check, you must send a pre-adverse action letter to the applicant, and after a reasonable amount of time, then send an adverse action letter. Be sure to follow this every single time.
5. Establish relevancy. Evaluate each position and decide which screening tools are important for that particular job. Some positions will not require a credit check, for example. It may be imperative in other positions to verify education. Review your screening process to ensure it is fair and relevant for each position.
6. Remember the information is only as good as the source. The background screening report is only as accurate and reliable as the Background Screening company that provides it. Ask your vendor if they are accredited by the NAPBS, and if they have licensed private investigators on staff. If the answer is ‘no’, you may want to look for a new provider.

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, background screening company, Hiring, background screen, background check, criminal records search, 2014 hiring, wordpress blog, Good hiring practices, E-Verify

Perhaps the biggest obstacle hiring managers fall victim to is:

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, Background screening, Employment screening policy, Criminal records, Hiring, background screen, background check, criminal records search, wordpress blog, Good hiring practices

Have you ever wondered about how things would have turned out if you had hired that other candidate? You know, the one who finished second to that super-polished person who sounded great in the interviews … but never performed as expected?

Hiring mistakes cause a lot of stress. And the cost of poor hires can be the greatest expense in your P&L, but they’re often hard to quantify.
Why?

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, Background screening, Employment screening policy, 2013 hiring, background screening company, Hiring, background check, wordpress blog

As the holiday season approaches, our minds drift to great food, shopping, and being thankful. However, the end of the year is also a time businesses need to look at their practices, and make sure they have the best hiring system possible going into the New Year.
This should include reviewing your background screening policy.

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, background screening company, background screen, background check, wordpress blog, Good hiring practices

For the first time in 17 years the federal government is closed for business except for essential employees and functions. This situation could last for days, weeks, or months. No one knows how long it will take for the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House to reach an agreement to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year.
How does this impact HR professionals and the work you do daily?
If your organization does business with the government, there may be no need for your products and services during this shutdown and you may find it necessary to also furlough some of your employees until the government resumes normal operations. Be sure to check the websites of the specific government agency you work with for their contingency plan. Your organization is still obligated to meet statutory deadlines and compliance requirements of these agencies.
Here are some specific areas where HR operations will be impacted:

Topics: Data Facts blog, Cynthia Thompson, wordpress blog, EEOC, E-Verify

Data 360, the name of the new Data Facts innovative background screening process, allows a business to halt the screening process if the main indicators shows negative information.

Topics: Data Facts blog, Pre-employment screening, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, 2013 hiring, Hiring, background screen, background check, wordpress blog

Here are 7 steps to follow if your company decides to utilize social media in its pre-employment screening process:

Topics: Data Facts blog, social media screening, Pre-employment screening, Background screening, 2013 hiring, background screen, background check, wordpress blog, Good hiring practices

When it comes to screening an applicant’s background, knowledge is power. The more knowledge a company collects about an applicant, the better that company can be at discerning whether or not the applicant is a good ‘fit’.

As more and more people sign on to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and the many other social media sites available, hiring professionals are becoming more tempted to take a peek at the information before hiring an applicant. Who can blame them? There is virtually a goldmine of potentially valuable information to be gleaned from a person’s profile, blog, photographs, or collection of tweets. Companies could benefit greatly by knowing about an applicant's online presence up front.

Topics: Data Facts blog, social media screening, Pre-employment screening, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, 2013 hiring, social media, Hiring, NAPBS, background screen, background check, wordpress blog

In last week’s blog, we discussed the importance of ongoing screening of current employees and how crucial periodic checks can be to maintaining a company’s safety and welfare. Keeping abreast of an employee's criminal record, motor vehicle record, and potential drug habits can eliminate big and disastrous surprises.
Keep in mind, however, there are a few rules that must be followed to ensure company compliance with the FCRA.

Here are some slight ‘tweaks’ to add to your screening policy when implementing post-employment or ongoing screening:

Topics: Data Facts blog, NAPBS accreditation, Background screening, Employment screening policy, Criminal records, Hiring, background screen, background check, FCRA, wordpress blog, Drug testing