employment background screening

On this episode Tim & Joe cover the Holiday Wishlist for Human Resources Professionals.


1) Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
   Acquire TM (EON Applications) is one of our favorites

2)  Add something new to Screening & Risk Mitigation programs
  Social Media Screening
  Criminal Monitoring
  COVID 19 Testing

3) Evaluate / Audit your current Background Screening Provider

4) Networking... find a way to connect with industry professionals and trusted advisors
  SHRM, PIHRA, Chamber, etc.

What is on your wishlist that we didn't cover?

Matt McGregor of First Advantage (Non-Profit & Education Expert)  Interview

On this episode we interview Matt who is truly an expert in working with NONPROFIT organizations to support their mission while mitigating exposure to risk. Matt understands the mission of his clients.

On this episode we talk with Matt about the following topics;

1.    As you work across the nonprofit space what are you seeing as organizational focal points heading into 2021?

2.     Honing in on safety, what aspects are most important in preparing for 21?

3.     With volunteer attraction and retention, what are orgs looking for?

4.     What are nonprofits doing to ensure they protect their brand & reputation?
 

7 Year Criminal Background Checks...What does that mean exactly?

On this episode we clear up some of the confusion around what a 7-year criminal background check is or can be.

Establishing a history of addresses reported or utilize by an applicant going back 7 years will give a background screening partner the ability to look for criminal records in all counties of residence going back that far.

The 7-year reportability of convictions and non-convictions is governed by where the employer and/or applicant are located because state rules govern if non-conviction within 7 years or beyond 7 years can be reported. In some states criminal records with a disposition date beyond 7 years cannot be reported.

Keep in mind that often times having too much history on an applicant can lead to longer turnaround times, increased cost and most importantly having eyes on information that is not reportable and should not be used for a hiring decision.

COVID-19 Test Kits - Brad Carmon of Clinical Reference Laboratory

On this episode of Background Screening Tips & Tech we bring on Brad Carmon, Directo of Sales (Employer Services) to talk about the capabilities of Clinical Reference Laboratory. A privately owned testing laboratory that is one of the largest in the country.

CRL was founded in 1979 and obtained their DOT (Department of Transportation) certification in 1989.  They process more than 16,000 samples each day at their lab in Lenexa, Kansas. 

Brad talks about the specifics around COVID-19 Testing kits. Everything from CRL - Saliva based (molecular testing) versus nasal swab tests.

Connect with Brad...
Brad Carmon
bcarmon@crlcorp.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-carmon-86852061/

Background Screening Software Platforms - License Software OR Build Your Own/Homegrown

On this episode Tim Santoni and Joe Buerlen the differences between using a background screening provider that is on a software platform like Tazworks, Deverus, Accio Data, etc. versus a homegrown, self developed platform.

Their are pro's and con's to both, the most important to thing is to understand what platform is being used and understand how that platform or software impacts the following;

Integrations
Customizations
Compliance
User Experience (UI)
Support 
Updates / Upgrades
Data Privacy 

Winter is Coming...

On this episode of the podcast Tim Santoni and Joe Buerlen talk about the challenge’s employers will be facing as we head into winter. The season are chaging and the cold weather will bring allergies and the flue. Also, the increased visibility and attention into diversity and inclusivity is on the minds of HR and Talent Acquisition professionals.

The weather will be cooling off, we are entering allergy and flu season. What will this mean as employers try to protect their teams from COVID? Will there be more false positives for COVID? Will there be an increase in the need to conduct rapid tests and conduct contact tracing.?

Employers are now being required to look deeper into an applicant’s background and understand if there is anything out there on social media that could be perceived as racist, sexist, etc. before they make a hiring decision.

COVID-19 Testing will be something that will likely be occurring more often just to be safe.

Social Media Screening is something that more and more employers will be evaluating, adopting and implementing.

Criminal Monitoring is becoming more and more popular to have visibility into the workforce and be in front of potential reputation issues before they become front page news.

Social Media Screening

On Episode 8 of the podcast, Joe Buerlen and Tim Santoni talk about the increasing requests for Social Media Screening as part of the pre-employment background check process.

They discuss the concerns, best practices and how to do it compliantly.

Hiring people with CRIMINAL histories

On this episode Tim Santoni & Joe Buerlen discuss trends towards hiring people with criminal backgrounds. 

Here are two companies that make it a point to hire people with criminal histories.

Dave's Killer Bread
http://www.daveskillerbread.com/

Hot Chicken Takeover
https://hotchickentakeover.com/

On this episode Tim Santoni and Joe Buerlen dispel many of the myths around the National Criminal Database Search. This search is often referred to as a "Multi-Jurisdictional Search" or "National Criminal Records Search."

We want to highlight what it can do it, what it can't do and how it can be a component of your background screening program.

Background Screening & Hiring Challenges Post COVID 19       Background Screening Issues Post COVID

       1)         Court closures and modified hours will impact the turnaround time of                                           background checks.
       
       2)         Set proper expectations with hiring managers, recruiting teams & applicants
       
       3)         Make sure your screening partner is reaching out and communicating regularly with your team (especially when courts reopen, like New Jersey recently)
       
       4)         If you decide not to screen applicants due to time and budget constraints        
consider risk exposure, compliance issues and regulatory issues that can arise                when your company is audited. Especially with so many out of the workforce.   Application and resumes will be on the rise in the coming months. Make sure you are making the right hiring decision. “knowing” someone is not a substitute for ensuring your brand protection! 
 
 
       5)         Applicants will likely be more anxious to start working especially if they were laid off or furloughed at the prior employer, so be sure your screening partner is                making the applicant experience smooth and not creating any road blocks. Employment verifications are just as important as criminal searches in the new environment. Historically applicant’s have provided an inaccuracy rate of 52% on resumes and applications. Although verifications add cost and TAT, the benefits outweigh the negatives! 
 
       
       6)         Because applicants will likely be signing employment agreement documents  remotely be sure your screening company has an electronic app to gain                          authorizes and disclosures from an applicant because paper forms might not be                  an option. Ensure those electronic documents are up to date and provide the applicant with everything they are granted per the FCRA. Talk with legal counsel when onboarding applicants in another state and ensure all proper laws are being followed.
 
       7)         Social Media Screening – in Post COVID 19 times the activities of current and prospective employees on social media can be extremely detrimental. Implementing a social media screening policy is something to evaluate.

Alternatives to consider:
Run a database type search and the re-screen in 6 or 12 months and include county level court searches.