Background checks are a valuable tool that empowers businesses to make informed hiring decisions and build strong teams. However, not all screening providers are created equal. When evaluating potential providers, consider the types of checks offered, cost, and turnaround time. This guide will help you find the right provider for your business needs.
Legal Compliance
Background check services can reveal much information, including criminal records, civil litigation, tax liens, judgments, and bankruptcies. However, only some of this information is available to the public. In addition, federal and state laws set forth various rules for using this data. These laws can be complicated and vary by location.
Using a professional service familiar with these rules can save you from legal troubles. The exemplary service will help you decide which checks are appropriate for your job openings. This will ensure that you comply with local, state, and federal regulations, protecting job applicants from discrimination. A background check can also verify education and employment history, which helps prevent candidates from lying on their resumes or applications.
Types of Checks
Background checks verify vital details about a potential employee’s past. They examine a candidate’s education, work history, credentials or licenses, and criminal records. They can also include identity verification and a drug test. They can also check a candidate’s civil court actions, such as bankruptcy filings, lawsuits, and judgments against them.
These are essential considerations when hiring someone to handle confidential data or manage substantial sums of money. The scope of a background check search and the number of county courthouses it must contact affects cost. In addition, there are statutory and mandatory access fees charged by data providers and some local courts that are passed through to the employer.
A good provider will be transparent about these add-on fees, so there are no surprises. They will also offer tailor-made background check packages for specific needs and legal requirements. This helps keep costs low while maximizing the information you receive on your candidates. The result is a more informed hiring decision that minimizes risk and compliance issues.
Turnaround Time
The length of time it takes to complete a background check can vary, depending on what searches are conducted and the accuracy of the information candidates provide. A good background check provider will have a standard package that includes a full criminal record search, education verification, and a social security number trace.
It is also essential to ensure that your team has a consistent process when conducting these searches, especially during peak hiring times. If only one person is responsible for the screening process, there may be a higher risk of delay due to human error or miscommunication.
Additionally, ensure that the vendor you choose offers a great candidate experience, allowing them to execute all necessary searches via an online platform. Remember, quality background checks should not be seen as an administrative process that can be checked off the list – they should arm you with insights to help protect your organization from bad hires that could cost you thousands.
Cost
Whether you’re looking for information about your dinner date or want to know more about a co-worker, background checks can provide mountains of data. However, a full background check can take weeks and is often more expensive than a simple search. Various factors affect how long it takes to conduct a background check.
Inclement weather or natural disasters may delay the completion of a check because employers, schools, and courts operate on similar business hours and will be closed or have reduced staff during these events. Additionally, if the candidate has a common name, the search can be slowed because agencies need to review and cross-check each variant of that name.
Finally, many companies perform additional searches such as professional licensing or certification verification, financial disputes, and tax liens/judgments. These searches can add to the overall time for a background check to be completed.