An estimated 40 percent of resumes contain tweaked or falsified information. Researchers report that 86 percent of companies have discovered misrepresentations or lies on candidates’ resumes and job applications, and 72 percent credit background verifications with revealing issues they would not have found otherwise.
Such disillusioning statistics are prompting employers to order background checks more often today than in the past. Human resource (HR) findings show that 92 percent of organizations look over public and criminal records. Over 75 percent start by validating social security numbers and identities. Then they verify former jobs and/or contact references. Above 50 percent authenticate education and scrutinize motor vehicle records.
Legal Stipulations
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates employment-screening standards. Law requires your firm to obtain candidates’ consent before starting investigations. Confirming degrees and work histories helps hiring managers be certain that contenders have suitable credentials and experience. Background investigations may be mandatory for positions involving government security clearances. Credit reports may provide insights into applicants’ monetary dependability for related duties.
When National PEO conducts your company’s background checks, our certified results will protect you from costly HR issues like bad hires causing high turnover and lawsuits. Knowing what information you can uncover will convince you to embrace this practice for all recruits before onboarding them.
Social Security Numbers
All states allow employers to ask candidates to provide their social security numbers. Some require company safeguards like online encryption to protect job seekers’ privacy. Laws do not mandate compliance except for government positions and national security responsibilities that necessitate credit checks.
Work Experience
Crucial occupational qualifications consist of applicants’ previous and current employers, job durations, titles, and salaries. Unfortunately, misrepresentations have become too common. Conducting work history verifications will confirm or refute that those facts on resumes and applications are accurate. Candidates’ disregard for integrity is more troublesome than their embellishments since signing applications affirms their information’s accuracy.
School Records
Sadly, educational fibs have become widespread. Checking academic records ensures or disproves that contenders graduated from the colleges or universities listed on their resumes and applications with the reported degrees. Professional and industry licenses and certifications also are verifiable under this category.
Credit Reports
Companies are running credit checks on recruits and employees during promotion consideration at increasing rates. Credit score and payment record assessments are typical for positions with financial or accounting duties. Before proceeding, you must send a credit score request to all candidates and receive written agreements.
Criminal Histories
Individual state laws dictate criminal record access. Some prevent employers from obtaining older arrest and conviction information before certain times. Others allow criminal history consideration only for specific positions. This step may be compulsory for government security clearances. Before ruling out contenders with records, evaluate their crimes’ severity, how long ago they occurred, and their relevance to your business.
Additional Documentations
Certain details including driving records and bankruptcies are public. That means you can obtain that non-confidential information without applicant notifications and written permissions. The military does not need veterans’ consent to release their names, ranks, assignments, salaries, and awards. So before hiring veterans for patriotic reasons and tax advantages, confirm their military history via federal background checks.
Inaccessible Information
Even though you cannot solicit candidates’ medical records, you can ask about their abilities to perform certain duties successfully. However, you cannot eliminate hopefuls from consideration due to disabilities.
Drug and Alcohol Tests
State laws governing drug and alcohol testing vary. Some require it. Others limit how and when employers can conduct screenings. Your company can make hiring contingent on applicants passing various pre-employment drug and alcohol breath tests. Options to detect drug use include urine, blood, hair, saliva, and sweat tests.
Elimination Decisions
Whenever your organization does not hire applicants because of their background check outcomes, you must give them pre-adverse action disclosures. Include copies of their reports, rights, information on disputing their results, and contact details for the Consumer Reporting Agency.
Employment Eligibility Verifications
New hires must provide employers with legal proof that they are eligible to work in America. National PEO, a designated E-Verify Arizona agent, will ensure that your firm complies with all Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA) regulations. That involves confirming all state staffers’ identities and work eligibilities via Arizona’s E-Verify program. Our experts will handle your online enrollment. Then they will process new and existing employees’ I-9 forms properly by federal deadlines so you can avoid fines, suspension, business license loss, and prosecution.