There are many myths surrounding employee background screening. Here, we dispel three major employee background screening myths and arm you with the information you need to make critical hiring decisions for your company.
Myth 1 – Employers Can Review an Applicant’s Social Media Profile to Make a Hiring Decision
First and foremost, social media is an unreliable way to screen potential hires. You may not have the right social media account, or you may not be able to glean the information you need from their account. For example, they’re unlikely to post about their criminal past on Facebook. Second, many states have passed laws that ban employers from accessing employee social media accounts and using them to base employment decisions.
Myth 2 – Pre-Employee Background Screening Are the Only Type of Background Checks a Company Needs to Do
Many companies believe that once they do a pre-employee background screening on an applicant, they’re good to go. This is not true — any time an employee is promoted, especially to a position that requires additional security clearance, another comprehensive criminal search should be done. Employers may also decide that employees should be screened if they are involved in an accident or if alcohol or drug abuse is suspected.
Myth 3 – Employers Can Withdraw Employment Offers If an Employee Background Screening Failed Without Fear of Litigation
It may be a common belief that if an applicant fails an employee background screening that an employer can easily withdraw an offer of employment. However, this is not the case. Applicants have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to dispute any data found on their background check that they do not agree with. Employers must also follow adverse action requirements before withdrawing an offer of employment. If an employer does not allow the employee to dispute potential issues with the information on their background check or does not follow adverse action requirements, an employer may be subject to litigation.
Employee background screening can seem like a significant undertaking, but with the right support, it does not have to be. Companies have a lot of responsibility to protect employers and employees and hire qualified employees. Screening Intelligence, LLC makes performing employee background screening on potential applicants easier than ever before. We gather our data from various trusted sources and take pride in excellent customer service. Ready to make the employee background screening process simple? Contact us today.
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