Employee Background Checks are Important to
Company Security
It
is always important to know who you are hiring,
especially in these days of document fraud and
resume inflating.
You can verify that the person you are hiring is
truly who they say they are, including having
all the credentials they claim, by performing a
basic background check.
Employers of all sizes have begun to realize the
importance of employee background checks over
the last couple of years. Background checks are
especially important for those companies with
defense contracts or other government contracts.
This includes those working on the manufacturing
floor producing parts for military applications
and airport screeners alike.
Companies can choose to outsource background
checks or perform them internally. No matter how
they get done, having the necessary
documentation will prove that the company
exercised due diligence when hiring this
particular employee.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has
established guidelines for the ethical
performance of background checks. This requires
that the applicant consent to the background
check and places limits on how far back
information can be gathered.
Disgruntled employees can cause a host of
problems for companies these days. It is also
hard to believe some of the claims of experience
and education that can be found on resumes and
job applications these days. Many past employers
will not make full disclosures about employees
due to threats of legal action, further
necessitating a background check. In some cases
present employers are glad they are leaving and
will be less than honest so that they will get
the job and move on.
All applicants should be advised that background
checks will be performed as a matter of company
policy. You will hopefully deter applicants from
falsifying information on applications and
resumes by publicizing this policy.
Common items that are checked during a standard
employee background check include previous
employment history, social security number,
personal references, education, and military
service. Some employers will also choose to
investigate credit and driving records. Many
companies will also require and pay for a drug
test at a local lab. Often the level of detail
involved in a background check is determined by
the type of position for which the person is
applying. For example, it makes sense to check
the driving records of those applicants who will
be driving company vehicles if hired. Credit
checks are often performed only on those
employees who will have positions that give them
access to the company’s finances.
It
is always important to know who you are hiring,
especially in these days of document fraud and
resume inflating.