The ABCs of Employee Background Screening Policy

Authenticating the information provided by a potential employee is a critical part of hiring. It saves a company from the potential reputational risks of hiring an unscrupulous person.

Validating the skills and degrees of a candidate is necessary to ensure higher productivity, and work quality. It is also necessary to shortlist candidates and ensure that the company hires as per specific requirements and work culture.

Here is a background screening policy template to get started. It can be tailored as per company policies, and industry requirements.

Purpose of Pre-Employment Screening Policy

The employee background screening policy refers to our guidelines for checking the prospective candidates’ backgrounds as part of the hiring process. These checks help us:

• Ensure we hire employees with viable credentials
• Get a detailed insight into the candidate’s background
• Verify the authenticity of the information provided by the candidate
• Identify red flags in a candidate’s employment history

Scope of the Background Screening Policy

This is not only a pre-employment screening policy. It can also be used in internal transfer processes and promotions.

Things to Include in Background Checks

Background checks will include the following elements:

Identity Verification: Validating the person’s name, DOB, addresses, citizenship, etc.

Criminal History: Review of criminal probation and convictions. The following factors can be considered.

• Nature of crime and how it impacts the position
• Number of criminal convictions
• Date and year of conviction
• Does the candidate pose a serious risk to our business, employees, vendors, and customers?

Prior Employment Verification: To authenticate the candidate’s employment with listed companies, including the dates, positions held, performance rating, reasons for leaving, and eligibility for rehire. This will be run for the past 2 employers.

Educational Verification: The background screening policy will include confirming the candidate’s educational qualifications, including the years attending the claimed institution (s), and the degrees/diplomas received.

Driving Records: Candidate’s history of driving, car ownership, in a particular state.

Drug Testing: Testing for substance abuse, and any other habits that can interfere with a candidate’s job performing capabilities.

Credit History: For candidates who will be responsible for managing company funds or credit cards.

Personal and Professional References: Reaching out to individuals listed by the candidate to validate the references. Individuals might be ex-colleagues, superiors, neighbours, landlords, or lawyers, but not family members.

Company Responsibilities Related to Background Checks

In regards to background screening, hiring managers or admin have the responsibility to:

• Inform the requirement of background checks to the candidate beforehand. It should be mentioned in the job description.
• Ask for written consent from the candidates as part of the background screening policy.
• Give a copy of the results of the background check. Inform the candidates about the next course of action.
• Conduct background checks on all candidates who pass the required phase of the interview, without any discrimination or special concessions.
• Give candidates sufficient time to dispute any issues, or provide a correct detail in case they make an error.
• Hire a reputed background check provider based on:

• • Budget
  • Legality
  • References
  • Turnaround time
  • Confidentiality

The hiring department has to bear the company’s interests when adhering to the background screening policy. For instance, if the job role of a candidate includes handling and driving vehicles, they need to have at least 2 to 3 years of a clean driving record.

Candidates handling trade secrets must have a clean criminal history. Some offences in the past like misappropriation of funds, sexual offences, domestic violence, harassment, theft, etc. won’t be tolerated.

BetterPlace Makes It Easy for Companies to Conduct Background Checks

With cross-checking of 9000+ courts and a 20 million+ pre-screened workforce, BetterPlace helps in automated background checks. Whatever your background screening policy, the BetterPlace platform can be customised to ensure that the right data is seen by the intended stakeholder. Contact us to learn more.