Employment Advice

Employment Background Screening

It is common for a company to do an employment background screening before hiring an employee. Sometimes, even when you are already working for a company and get promoted to a higher position, companies still do an employment background screening. At the same time, there are certain jobs in which an employment background screening is required by federal or state law. You may wonder why you are being asked to submit to an employment background screening. All the reasons behind just revolves around the security and safety reasons of the company.

Your employers or would be employers ask you to submit yourself to an employment background screening simply because they are being cautious. On the other hand, some employees or applicants are afraid to submit to an employment background screening simply because the employer may dig into something from their past that may or may not affect their being hired or promoted even if it has nothing to do with the current job. Here are the reasons why a company conducts an employment background screening.

Some jobs may not require an employment background screening while in other jobs, it is mandatory. The reason is because the number of negligent hiring lawsuits is increasing nowadays. The employer may be liable for their employees’ actions depending on the situation. There is a high probability of a lawsuit waiting to happen. That threat is the number one reason why companies are very cautious about the employee’s past. What has he or she done previously that can reflect what he or she can do? If there’s a case that happens in the future, the reputation and the company’s budget is at stake. It will also ruin the career of the official who hired that employee.

Another reason for conducting employment background screening is due to the number of current events that has happened in recent years. Take for example the number of child abuse and abductions that has risen over the years. Employees who are working with children are now required by federal and state law to submit to an employment background screening. The terrorists’ attacks of 9/11 in the United States have also resulted in a tight employment background screening.

Another reason behind employment background screening is because of the statistics that around 30 to 40 % of all job applications or resumes in the United States alone include some false information. This is why employers are now cautious about any applicants’ word.

Today, the world is in its information age. This caused companies to require employment background screening as well. The computer database of each and every company that contains the personal data of clients or customers as well as the company employees are at stake if they don’t screen their employees. Who knows if an employee’s purpose in getting that job is to get a hold of the company’s database?

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Employment Background Screening Handbook

This employment background screening handbook provides basic tips and guides on how to prepare for employment background screening. At the same time, this employment background screening handbook will give you information on what information companies need to know from you. Learn which information should not be reported in such background checks by reading this employment background screening handbook.

You are probably reading this employment background screening handbook because you are in the phase of searching for a job. If you have already been scheduled for an interview, better read this now and know what you have to do to prepare before you are subject to an employment background screening.

First and foremost, know that companies conduct employment background checks for safety and security reasons. Put your feet in your employer’s shoes. You wouldn’t want to hire someone who has a pending criminal case, right? You don’t want to hire someone who has a background on stealing from his or her previous company. Add that to the increasing incidents of terrorism, company scandals, and negligent hiring among other things, all the more that you want to make sure you won’t be the next victim. Thus employment background screening is important.

On the other hand, this employment background screening handbook enables you to learn your privacy rights. You should be aware that most of the information that will be gathered are public records that were created by the government agencies. Such information would be driving record, educational records, court cases, medical information, credit reports, criminal records, social security number, worker’s compensation, character references, bankruptcy, properties, neighbor interview, state licensing records, military records, drug test records, personal references, previous employers, and incarceration records or sex offender lists among others. You may say that some of this is confidential. Yes, they are. But companies will request permission from you. And only until you agree would the organizations involved in releasing these records provide the company conducting the background check.

You may say that you have no choice because if you don’t submit yourself to such background check, the company may not hire you. That is true. If you have nothing to hide, then why not just allow them to do so. Do not worry that your records may be used for identity theft or if it feels like invading your privacy. Not all will be reported during a background check. Usually, records that are more than seven years are no longer checked. At the same time, credit report checks would not affect your credit score. It will not place an inquiry in your file. In the same manner, they won’t see your birth date and credit score.

If you’d like to learn about all of the privacy rights that you are entitled to, check out www.privacyrights.org. This employment background screening handbook can only provide limited information. Check with your state’s credit bureau or consumer reporting agency for more information.

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