FAQs

Via About.com Why do a background check?

Employers have a responsibility to protect their employees as well as the general public. While locating and reporting misdemeanor and felony arrests is of importance to all employers, there are other reasons that necessitate an employer conduct a thorough background check. The employer may want to make sure you were truthful on your application. It's estimated that up over 40% of resumes can contain false or tweaked information, so, employers want to insure that what they are getting in an employee is what they were promised. The employer may perform a background check to find out whether you actually graduated from the college you said you did or to confirm that you worked at your previous employer(s) during the time stated on your resume or your job application.

Via the Federal Trade Commision website Are instant / unlimited database driven background checks the same?

No, a majority of the websites that offer instant, cheap, or unlimited background checks give you unverified and inaccurate results. Many times they simply buy and sell information with little or no verification for accuracy. Reputable background screening firms understand databases can be wrong and that you should only report information taken from actual cases retrieved from the court house. Database driven background checks do not provide accurate information which is critical for business owners to have to make a fair and complete assessment of a candidate. That is the reason database driven background check companies are not FCRA compliant and will not protect you as an employer.

Via E-mail Can I ask for a drug test before I hire someone.

Yes, having an effective Drug Screening Policy at work is essential to a safe work environment. Implementing such a policy does not have to be difficult, nor is it unnecessary. Courts have consistently upheld the legality of requiring a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment. It is a best practice to obtain consent and to clearly indicate drug testing is a requirement for employment.