The idea of background checks is to mitigate the risks and protect the company’s assets. It includes an assessment of a threat a partnership with a stakeholder/s may cause. Furthermore, such ID verification checks are helpful in preventing the business from potential lawsuits from regulatory forces for onboarding an individual with a sketchy track record.
Criminal background check.
Criminal background check is conducted in the context of pre or post-employment to assess the potential partnership. The businesses can utilise databases from national, federal, state, or supreme courts to check the criminal history of the candidate.
It helps evaluate the candidate’s trustworthiness and if they have ever been involved in criminal activity or a felony. Moreover, the nature of data from a database is also crucial for conducting a thorough check.
For instance, state records will only disclose data from that particular state. Hence, it can leave a few inaccuracies in a nation-wide context. But, the employers’ requirement can be different and require criminal background verification in just the county or state.
The crucial nature of criminal background checks
The importance of criminal background checks lies in its ability to uphold the company’s reputation by onboarding dependable employees. It also fits well with the customers and stakeholders involved in the business.
For instance, hiring a banker with fraud charges will reduce customer satisfaction. In fact, the clients may not even be comfortable having someone handle their hard-earned money by the individual with such a track record.
Furthermore, conducting a criminal background check has to be a two-way street, where it is crucial to keep the collected information confidential. For example, you may not wish to hire an individual with a DUI or drunk driving incident as a cab aggregator. But, if the person is sober now, they deserve a chance to secure a job in other industries.
Frequently asked questions about criminal background checks
Here are a few FAQs regarding background checks:
What kind of information is disclosed in a background check?
- Name of the crime and type: It will include the name of the crime and type of crime such as misdemeanour, felony, sex offender registry check, and more. Furthermore, there are a few limitations as per the state and federal regulations to define what type of crimes can be legally reported in a background check report.
- Disposition: Disposition means the outcome of the matter or crime, such as conviction, pending, or non-conviction. As per the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, you are not allowed to disclose non-convictions or discriminate against such individuals.
- Date of the disposition: Lastly, it includes the date of the disposition. It is crucial because of time-bound instances. For instance, infractions are only disclosed in the report if they are within the last seven years or so.
How to conduct a background check?
Businesses should seek written consent from the candidates before conducting a verification check. Furthermore, as professional agencies have litigation databases and indexed criminal records, it is advisable to consult them. The point is that generic background verification reports can contain a lot of abstract information, including various abbreviations and terms. Therefore, it is essential to select agencies that utilise a user-friendly dashboard and sophisticated workflows to simplify the process.
Who should businesses subject to background verification?
Ideally, businesses should conduct a check on all the potential employees. It highlights the inaccuracies regarding the candidates’ background, minimising the impact on the company’s reputation and upholding other employees’ safety. It is also fitting to conduct a criminal identity check online for the individuals who are recipients of promotions or executive positions.
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