Many
people will be much more comfortable entering
into a relationship (be it personal, business,
or employee) once they have performed a
background check on the individual.
While there are many different levels of
background check that can be performed, most
standard background checks will include the
following:
- Verification of Education
- Search of Criminal
Records
- Verification of
Employment
- Credit Check
- Driving Record Check
All of the above are typically
performed in the screening process for
employment. There are, of course, more detailed
and complicated background checks which can
include personal interviews with family, friends
and neighbors and multi-jurisdictional civil
searches.
The Necessity of Background Checks
There are many reasons why you would conduct a
background check. For many corporations it is to
protect themselves and their customers from
those who have criminal records. If for instance
a company hired an employee to work closely with
the public and failed to conduct a background
check, they could be facing a large lawsuit
should that employee commit an act of violence
toward a customer.
When hiring a financial professional a company
would want to conduct a background check to
ensure that that are not on the verge of
bankruptcy themselves. No matter what type of
education or experience a candidate has, a
background can tell you if they are really meant
for a particular position. Each case should be
taken on an individual basis, and applicants
should only be checked for items relevant to
their future jobs.
Regulations Regarding Background Checks
There are several different laws that need to be
followed when conducting background checks.
Since it impact whether or not an applicant will
be hired for a job, a company needs to follow
these laws carefully. The Fair Credit Reporting
Act (FCRA) sets forth the majority of guidelines
for conducting background checks.
The Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) is
another regulation that impacts background
checks that has been recently enacted. This law
governs the flow of information from DMV offices
to the public.
