Employment Screening
Employment Screening
Employment Screening
"Here's an applicant Who, from all appearences, meets our company's requirements. But how do we know for sure?"
Is the information provided accurate and truthful? Has the applicant omitted any important details? The way to answer these questions is by conducting a thorough Employee Background Check.Employees are an important asset to a company or small business. They are the driving force behind production or services rendered. Often employees are the representatives of the business, especially when dealing with customers or clients. Employee background checks are the key to insuring that the company has performed its due diligence in hiring.An application for a position being offered may contain false or misleading information. The applicant meets your company's standards and appears to be just who you are looking for, but is the information provided accurate and truthful? Has the applicant omitted important details? There is no way to answer these questions without conducting a thorough background check.Most states subscribe to a negligent hiring doctrine. Employers can be held responsible for criminal acts committed by an employee. Will the employee be visiting the homes of customers or clients in any capacity that represents the company or business?If it becomes necessary to discharge an employee, the employer can be held accountable for lost wages or damagesTHE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONThe initial step in screening a prospective employee starts with a signed employment application, which should include a "Release of Information Statement," and grants the employer the right to access educational, credit, medical, worker's compensation, police, criminal and court records.Employment Application should ask for: 1. Applicant's full name & social security number 2. Applicant's age, date & place of birth 3. Applicant's current address & telephone number 4. Is current residence a rental or does the applicant own it? 5. Applicant's past addresses for the last 10 years 6. Name and address of landlords for past 10 years, if applicable 7. Applicant's educational background & highest degree earned 8. Applicant's military service record, date & type of discharge 9. Applicant's passport number and date of expiration, if applicable 10. Name, address and telephone number of current employer 11. Names and addresses of employers for the past ten years 12. Name and address of current bank 13. Three credit references 14. Driver's license number, state of issue and expiration date 15. Professional licenses or certifications 16. List of vehicles or real property owned 17. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of three relatives not living with applicant 18. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of three personal referencesEmployee Screening - Sample Release of Information Forms PDF File: Application for Release of Information Word File: Application for Release of Information PDF File: Application & Notification for the Release of Information Word File: Application & Notification for the Release of InformationVERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION INFORMATIONCurrent Address - Confirm applicant lives at address indicated.Education - Verify applicant's educational background. Most college or university graduates are in possession of sealed transcripts when searching for a new position. Unless the position being applied for is of a highly sensitive nature, the employer does not normally seek information from college or university applicants, relying upon the transcript for verification.Employer's Interview - Request information from former employers regarding dates of employment, job description, responsibilities, skills, job performance, employee productivity, honesty and integrity of the applicant. Willing to rehire?Contacting Current Employer - Only if the applicant gives permission, as many people who apply for new positions do not want their current employer to know they are planning to leave.Question Unexplained Gaps in Employment Record - Look at the dates of employment for past years. If a job candidate has something to hide regarding past employment, they will either falsify their dates of employment or simply just omit a span of years without explanation.References - Talk to persons listed as references. Talk with previous employment supervisors and co-workers, if possible. Ask how long each person interviewed has known the applicant. Inquire about the subject's work ethic and any potential problems that may affect the new position.BACKGROUND RECORDS CHECKAfter conducting the initial interviews and verifications noted above, proceed to the next stage: doing a background records check. This is especially vital if any doubts regarding the character of the applicant have been raised during the interview screening of employers, referees or co-workers.Driving Records - Conduct a driver record search if the applicant will be driving a personal or company vehicle. The state's department of motor vehicles keeps records for three to 11 years. Such a records check will reveal any traffic violations, DUI's, suspensions or revocations. Any DUI should raise a question regarding problems with alcohol.To conduct a driving records check you'll need a driver's license number. Make a photocopy of the applicant's driver's license at the time the application is submitted.Professional Licenses or Certifications - If the applicant's occupation is one that requires licensing or certification, inquire at the Secretary of State, Department of Labor, Accountancy Board, Board of Medical Examiners or other appropriate licensing or certification agency regarding the current status of the license or certificateMilitary Records - If the employee listed military service, ask for form DD-214, which will indicate the period of military service and the type of discharge given. Most military records of service are not available for public inspection, but if the employment application indicates military service during the past 3 years, direct contact with a commanding officer will provide personal information, providing the applicant's military position was not classified.Worker's Compensation - As a potential employer, it is important to check to see if the applicant's past history of employment contains any record of accidents and/ or injury. A follow up with the employer listed in the report will provide information regarding the integrity of the claim and whether the potential employee has a history of abusing the system. Worker's Compensation Claim History is especially important if the potential applicant will be performing any physical tasks on the new job where the risk of injury exists.Credit Report - The Credit Header portion of a credit report contains names, addresses, dates of birth and social security numbers, as reported by the subject in question. Headers are indexed by social security number. Some credit headers show the employer's name and also the name of the subject's spouse. The header provides verification that the individual is who he or she claims to be. Such information is available only through information providers. The actual credit report shows an account and payment history, credit activity, debt load.Social Trace Detail - This is an excellent source for verifying address history, lists of relatives and neighbors and the names of any other individuals reporting the same address.Uniform Commercial Code Filings - Each state's secretary of state office maintains UCC records regarding civil litigation by individuals and business entities. These records show names and addresses of plaintiffs and defendants, "doing business as" names, court of record, county and filing date.Federal Bankruptcy Court - The records from the bankruptcy court may divulge information regarding financial difficulties of an applicant. This can sometimes be a deciding factor regarding the hiring of the applicant.Court Records - Court records are available as public record at the county, state and federal levels. County level records often yield the most complete information, regarding both civil and criminal activities.Federal court records are maintained at Federal District Courts. The State Supreme Court and Department of Justice keep state records. Normally these are stored in a central criminal records repository.When doing a routine criminal history search, it should include a review of county court records, statewide criminal courts and a national Department of Corrections felon search.National Criminal Search - If the application shows that the subject has moved from state to state, a nationwide criminal search should be conducted. Such a search will reveal any charges, adjudications and aliases that might have been used. The criminal search is most critical if the person being considered for employment will be working in one's home, caring for family members and/or driving one's vehicles. The background of potential domestic help, child, elderly or health care providers or anyone having access to the home is essential to guaranteeing peace of mind.National Public Records Search - An information provider can assist in accomplishing both statewide and national criminal records searches. Employee screeners offer expert assistance with such database searches.Other Checks - Depending upon the applicant's duties and job requirements, there may be other types avenues of investigation that an employer will wish to take. For instance, if the person being considered was self-employed or owned a business, conduct or commission a Business Background Check.EMPLOYEE SCREENING CHECKLISTThe checklist below will serve as a reminder of the important sources that should be contacted or reviewed to confirm the veracity of an applicant:Employment Verification Human Resources Supervisor/manager Look for gaps in employment recordReferences - Landlords - Personal - NeighborsRecords - Education - Driving Records - Professional license - Military Records - Worker's compensation - Credit reportCivil Court Records - County Courthouse - State UCC filings - Federal Bankruptcy CourtsCriminal Records - County Courthouse - Statewide criminal courts - Federal District Courts
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