How Social Media Screening Protects Employers & Staff

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We have something exciting to share: One Source has a new-and-improved, FCRA-compliant Social Media Hiring Report to offer! It examines common social media sites like Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as over 10,000 other online sources of information for nine different types of workplace misconduct like violence, fraud, harassment, hate speech, and more.

“That’s great,” you might think, “But why should my team incorporate it in our employment screening package?” Well, we’re here to fill you in by covering what information can be revealed and the impact employee social posts can have on a company.

Areas of Concern

These days, nearly everybody (and their dog) has a social media presence. The myriad of platforms available may have different logins, feeds, and content options that can make it difficult to get the full picture of someone’s character; but when viewed together, they can form a cohesive look at a person’s attitudes, beliefs, and online presence.

If hostile language, harassment, or bullying are found on an individual’s account or within their activity, it can be a substantial cause for concern. Should an incident happen due to a lack of oversight in vetting new hires properly, your organization may be liable for a negligent hiring lawsuit. This form of litigation can be costly, too. Reports indicate that the average settlement cashes in at almost $1.5 million, and that’s only in monetary costs. In cases such as these, and even those that don’t make it to court, it doesn’t take long for word to spread and the public to take notice. Let’s look at two examples.

The Court of Public Opinion

In January of this year (2023), TechRaptor reported that a Twitter/X user pointed out that several posts made by the community manager of Limited Run Games, a company that publishes physical copies of popular digital video games, contained targeted and hateful language. Quick to respond—on the same day the tweets were posted, no less—the company investigated the situation and proceeded to terminate the employee in question.

Another instance in May, as reported by New Delhi Television (NDTV), reveals that a now-former-employee of global professional services organization Deloitte called Adolf Hitler “charismatic,” “intellectual,” and a “massive action taker” in a LinkedIn post. Shortly after, backlash grew online until Deloitte terminated their employee as well.

These cases may seem benign, but they represent much more. Each employee had to be trained and compensated, wasting valuable time and money that could have been better spent elsewhere. In addition, the amount of revenue lost to potential customers choosing another company or service provider may not be known for years to come.

At this point, the question becomes, “How can my organization stay ahead of these issues?”

A Solution You Can Trust

The first thing to do is to have a clear policy in place regarding the use of social media. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends that it outline what kinds of content can be flagged, the scope of the searches being conducted, and the consequences incurred if problematic content is found.

Following that, you’ll want to include social media screenings as part of your company’s background checks for employment purposes within the hiring process. If hits are found through searches or specific buzzwords, you can receive actionable data to base hiring decisions on in one convenient document. Below is an example of one such report One Source offers:

For more information on the benefits of social media screening, read 3 Reasons Why Companies Should Utilize Social Media Checks or get in touch with us today.

The Impact of a Candidate’s Experience on Your Organization

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Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic set job markets ablaze and the “great resignation” in motion, organizations across the globe are still feeling the burn. According to CNBC, it’s still “a favorable environment for many jobseekers,” meaning companies must continue to keep their onboarding tools sharp through 2023 and beyond. After all, the effect applicants have on employers — be it positive or negative — can be felt long after your decision on them has been made.

In this blog, we’ll explore those repercussions and provide actionable steps to keep applicants engaged and your organization top of mind to job seekers.

Word Gets Out

First, according to Starred, a candidate experience analytics platform, applicants are found to often share their experiences with their inner circles — friends, family, and coworkers who may be looking for new jobs themselves. If those interactions are favorable to your organization, you may see an increase in referral candidates as word-of-mouth travels and you enjoy a boost in popularity. Inversely, you may receive fewer referrals if those interactions are poor.

Second, past immediate social circles, many are also found to share their job-hunting experiences through online review sites like Glassdoor and Indeed. These sites have the chance to draw much more attention — which can either be a blessing or a curse. If the critiques shared on those sites are found lacking, quality prospects may pass up your company in favor of others with better reviews, increasing the cost of hiring per employee in the long run.

Finally, your talent pool could be on the line. 65% of rejected candidates say they’d re-apply to a company that has a great application experience. Lose out on them and your pool dries up much quicker. Additionally, candidates have a higher likelihood of entirely withdrawing their application if the experience is bad enough, wasting valuable time and resources.

Keep Your Candidates Moving

As reported by Human Resources content platform HRO Today, eight primary factors influence a positive candidate experience through the employment background screening process: An easy online experience, communication options, elimination of redundant data entry, easy-to-follow instructions, reminders for missing information, report access, turnaround time, and proactive communication.

For a straightforward online experience, clear instructions should be included as part of your proactive communication and throughout the remainder of the process as well. You’ll want to ensure your screening platform is accessible and mobile-friendly, allowing e-signature on forms, autofill, and ATS/HRIS integrations to reduce repetitive data entry if possible.

With time of the essence at this step, confirm that the system can send necessary links to candidates through email or text and, if information is missing, daily reminders to prompt them until completion. Reports should then be returned to you within 24-48 hours to maintain the momentum and, as required by the FCRA, sent to applicants who request them within 24 hours.

At One Source, all of the above comes standard with our TotalCheck package, allowing you to provide a first-rate employment screening experience and maintain a strong employer brand.

To improve your applicant experience, contact us for a free consultation.

Customize Your Solution to Meet Your Team’s Needs

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One Source recently debuted big changes to our Client Portal that allow us to streamline processes, improve turnaround time, and provide an improved Client and Applicant experience. We have previously discussed new options available to customize the process, but what exactly does that mean?

This article covers five options available to you to customize your screening process.

Client Dashboard & Order Entry

When you first log in, you’ll notice a preset dashboard showing you news, announcements, user guides, FAQs, and more. Every widget you see on this page can be customized by selecting “Edit Page Layout” at the very bottom, giving you the option to move, resize, or swap them according to your preferences. Two important widgets to pay attention to are titled Applicant Quick Invite (AQI) and Checked Individuals.

With AQI, you can easily send a link to Applicants via email or text message by entering their name and contact information and selecting the package you wish to run. The new mobile-friendly system allows them to sign the consent form electronically, eliminating paper waste while taking the onus of order entry off your plate and giving you more time to focus on other important tasks.
The Checked Individuals widget gives you fast access to recent reports and a link to the full list of Applicants whose screenings have been completed or are currently in progress. This page notes their status in two ways: a progress bar that changes from red to orange to green as each component is completed and an ETA for the whole order. That way, you know when to expect your Applicant’s results and can plan accordingly.

Applicant Experience Customization

Many of the changes made in the upgraded portal were done with the Applicant in mind. If you don’t already, consider utilizing our new AQI option, detailed above. Aside from that, your Applicant’s experience can be customized in the following ways:

1. Email & Text Messaging: The subject line and body text can be edited to use your organization’s voice.

2. Applicant Portal: The message under your Applicant’s name on the entry screen can be edited as you see fit.

One Source Applicant Portal Welcome Message

3. Applicant Entry Screen Logo: By default, you’ll see our logo on the top left of the page. This can be replaced with your team’s logo to appear as a continuation of your systems.

One Source Applicant Portal Logo Display

A La Carte Services

We recognize that not all positions at your organization involve the same duties, responsibilities, or access. That’s why we can tailor your screening package to the specific position you’re hiring for. Here are just a few of our 50+ A La Carte solutions available:

  • Motor Vehicle Records: Does the position require driving on company time or using a company vehicle? MVR searches provide driving records, license statuses, and infractions from the past 3-5 years.
  • Social Media Search: Hiring a public-facing position, or trying to avoid a negligent hire? Social Media Searches provide a comprehensive examination of an Applicant’s online presence scouring hundreds of sources to identify racism, intolerance, sexually explicit content, drug or illegal activity, and violence.
  • Professional License Verification: Licenses can vary by occupation, state, or industry. If you are hiring an Applicant that carries a license, like a Registered Nurse, CPA, or Electrician, we can verify their status.
  • Drug Testing: We have access to a nationwide network of over 6,500 clinics that can run drug screening panels for your organization quickly and efficiently.
  • E-Verify & Electronic I-9: Ensure employees are authorized to work in the United States and complete I-9’s easily and electronically, all from within the portal.

Create Your Own Packages

Many industries have specific search requirements and criteria, such as healthcare, education, transportation, construction, and finance to name a few. We provide the option to build custom packages to fit those standards. For an idea of what’s available to you, below are listed several common additional services organizations utilize:

Healthcare

  • Education Verification
  • Professional License Verification
  • Healthcare Exclusions
  • State Abuse Registries

Transportation

  • Motor Vehicle Records
  • FMCSA Clearinghouse
  • DOT Drug Testing

Financial

  • Credit Report
  • Education Verification
  • Professional License Verification

Construction

  • Drug Testing
  • Motor Vehicle Records

If you are interested in adding supplementary services to your account or customizing the experience for you and your Applicants, please let us know. If there is anything we can assist with, reach out to our Client Relations team by phone at (800) 608-3645 option 1 or use our Support page.

The Importance of Continuous Criminal Monitoring

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When onboarding new team members, your goal is threefold: keep your organization safe, verify the applicant’s professional history, and catch any criminal offenses they may have committed. Background checks can find discrepancies in the provided information, but they can become outdated quickly depending on the individual’s behavior. Even if you have a self-reporting policy for contact with law enforcement in your policy, applicants often aren’t aware or don’t follow them. For the most up-to-date information on team members, continuous monitoring is your solution.

What Is Continuous Monitoring?

Simply stated, Continuous Criminal Monitoring is a process where a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), such as One Source, automatically rescreens selected individuals each month for criminal activity. This is treated similarly to an initial background check, allowing organizations to view updates to specific components tied to an individual.

Why Is It important?

Organizations may utilize continuous monitoring to ensure that team members continue to meet expectations, uphold company values, and stay out of trouble with the law. You may never be aware of new charges brought against someone if you don’t check up on them on a reoccurring basis.

For example, the U.S. Department of Defense vets their personnel using a version called Trusted Workforce (TW). Established in 2018 and planned to reach full Continuous Vetting (CV) status by October 1, 2023, they have already found success in this program. As reported by the DOD, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) was alerted to a fugitive arrest warrant the day following an incident, allowing them to apprehend the individual and revoke their security access quickly.

“If we had not had this individual enrolled in continuous vetting, there’s a high potential that we may not have been aware of the situation until the next periodic investigation, which would have been five and a half years later,” Heather Green, Assistant Director of Vetting Risk Operations for the DCSA said.

Getting Started

To ensure your organization is protected and you stay informed on team member activity, consider incorporating continuous monitoring into your background screening program. Make sure expectations are clear and state your policy plainly to allow no room for misinterpretation.

One Source can help set your organization up for success with monthly, automatic checks of the Global Report, Multi-Court Jurisdictional Database, and National Sex Offender Registry. If we find a hit, we’ll conduct a County Criminal/Statewide search to verify accuracy.

For more information on this service, or if you’d like to add it to your screening process, contact us here. We’re here to empower you to make informed decisions.

Clean Slate Laws: What Employers Need to Know

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It’s no secret to hiring managers that fair chance hiring laws have gained momentum in recent years. However, confusion remains about how these affect an organization’s onboarding process throughout employment screening. Some, such as the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019, have been enacted at a federal level, while others differ from state to state, such as “Ban the Box” laws. Clean slate laws are another prominent example of the latter, which we will cover here to keep you and your team informed whether these laws have been codified in your state or legislators are considering doing so.

What Are Clean Slate Laws?

A “Clean Slate” law refers to state legislation passed to allow criminal records to be cleared or sealed from individual records if they stay crime-free for a specified duration. This means that those records don’t appear on background reports. However, not all expungements are automatic in all states, occasionally relying on the individual petitioning the court instead.

A notable exception to these laws occurs in states that have legalized the recreational selling of marijuana. Here, provisions may be put in place to seal non-violent cannabis-related convictions automatically.

How Do They Affect Employers?

Limiting information about applicants may worry some organizations from a risk management perspective, but it’s important not to let it deter hiring efforts. It is still possible to provide a safe workplace as many high-level and violent crimes are not eligible to be hidden or removed. Concerns of recidivism, while valid, should be tempered, as studies show that the risk for re-offense of expungement recipients is very low.

By removing that information from the equation, these laws make it easier for employers who find it difficult not to create unconscious bias when they see criminal records that typically would disqualify the individual from employment. This is also helpful in preventing backlash related to negligent hiring, as withheld criminal information can’t be used as an example of why the individual shouldn’t have been hired.

Clean Slate States

As of this writing (updated November 2023), twelve states have passed clean slate laws. Click a state in the table below to view the associated bill:

STATE

YEAR SIGNED INTO LAW
Pennsylvania

2018
Utah

2019
New Jersey
Michigan

2020
Connecticut
Delaware

2021
Virginia
Oklahoma

2022
Colorado
Minnesota

2023
California

Employer’s Responsibility

If your state already has a clean slate law in place, it’s important to stay up to date on any changes and adjust your screening policy accordingly. Pay close attention to the legislation that enacted these regulations and any amendments applied, consulting your legal counsel if issues arise. If your state has not established these laws, keep an eye out for the introduction of such bills as campaigns are being run in Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon, and Texas to further the adoption of programs like these.

Regardless of your company’s state, it’s important to remember that background screening is still crucial to effective onboarding. High-level crimes, those on the federal or international levels, and those linked to the National Sex Offender Registry will continue to be uncovered in any state.

For more information on sealed and expunged records, read Do Expunged Records Show Up on Background Checks?

 

Why is Rescreening Important?

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These days most organizations typically have a standard process for screening staff prior to onboarding. According to a 2021 study by Aptitude Research, nearly 80% of organizations are screening staff members before onboarding.

What happens to these staff after you onboard them? Sure, many HR Departments have a policy in place that may require team members to self-report incidents, but how do you know that’s really happening?

In the past decade, rescreening staff has become a hot topic. More and more companies are minimizing the gaps in the safety of their staff by rescreening, and it’s only growing in popularity.

Why should you rescreen?

Rescreening and monitoring staff backgrounds can be considered for various reasons. These can include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Promotion or change in responsibilities: Employees gain access to company finances, credit cards, or building keys.
  • Maintaining company standards: You screened your staff or volunteers before onboarding them, and now you want to ensure they are being held to those same standards.
  • Industry or compliance requirements: Many industries like healthcare, education, or transportation have ongoing screening requirements.

We see organizations with a variety of industry requirements or internal policies in place. This could include annual rescreening of all team members; some conduct it every two to three years and others utilize ongoing monitoring solutions that are run monthly. Others only do it when there is a promotion or change in the company structure. No matter your process…

Don’t forget compliance!

Any rescreening or continuous monitoring must still comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Ensure your organization is following federal and state laws regarding disclosure and authorization. Additionally, if the results of a rescreen create a scenario where you will separate from that individual, be sure you are following the adverse action process.

If you want to include authorization to allow for ongoing screening throughout their time with the company, this must be stated clearly in the initial disclosure. As always, we recommend consulting your legal counsel to ensure your forms are compliant and up to date.

I want to rescreen; what are my options?

When it comes to rescreening, One Source has several options:

  1. Batch Upload: We work with you to establish a rescreening package to meet your standards. Whether this is the complete criminal background, healthcare exclusions, motor vehicle records, or something else, we can customize it to fit your needs. Applicants can then be uploaded directly into our system to be run. Frequency is then up to you.
  2. Continuous Criminal Monitoring: This is an automated search of over 650 million records, including a Global Report, Multi-Court Jurisdictional Database, and National Sex Offender Registry search. The individuals you enroll in monitoring will automatically search for new records at the beginning of each month. Results will be verified by our team to ensure accuracy and the report will be provided back to you.
  3. Other Monitoring Solutions: Outside of criminal monitoring, One Source can also monitor through other screening solutions, including healthcare monitoring and social media monitoring.

Ready to get started?

Incorporating rescreening or continuous monitoring into your screening process could be the difference in creating a safer environment for your organization. To keep the trust between you and your team members, make sure your continuous monitoring policy is clearly stated when they are onboarded, and then remind them on an annual basis. When you start your continuous monitoring, you want to have shared expectations between you and your team members. If you are interested in learning more or would like to add this service to your process, contact us.

For more information on background screening, check out more of our blog or get in touch today.

End User’s Crash Course: The Fair Credit Reporting Act

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Background checks are nothing new, and are now essentially customary in the recruiting and hiring world. Most companies run checks on all new applicants for every open position and even those up for promotions.

So while screenings are a normal part of the onboarding process, keep background check regulations in mind to protect your organization and applicants. Designed to protect the rights and information of job applicants, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) carries immense influence.

When followed properly, the FCRA will help you make informed choices while protecting your candidates. When broken, however, the FCRA gives people the power to levy lawsuits against organizations. To protect your business, make excellent hires and avoid potential legal trouble, brush up on your knowledge with this End User’s Crash Course on Fair Credit Reporting Act.

What is the FCRA?

The FCRA outlines the responsibilities of consumer reporting agencies and the rights of those undergoing background and credit checks. It requires consumer reporting agencies to report accurate and complete information to businesses when they evaluate candidates. It also allows applicants to see their reports and dispute any inaccurate information.

Under FCRA rules, background check agencies have a duty to be thorough and accurate in their reporting. Applicants also have the right to advocate for their reputation and true identity. The burden of the FCRA isn’t just on reporting agencies, however. End Users must uphold the rights of their applicants in order to stay FCRA compliant.

How can I be compliant?

End Users must follow certain procedures when recruiting and hiring to comply with the FCRA:

  • Inform applicants you are going to screen them, then get written consent from every applicant to begin the background check process.
  • Explain what information your background reports gather and why you need it, but only if an explanation does not cause confusion.
  • Be aware of your state’s screening restrictions and adhere to them. “Ban-the-box” laws have become more common in recent years.
  • If you are going to take adverse action—such as rejection or termination—due to the content of a background report, you must follow the adverse action process. If adverse action is taken under the permissible purpose of employment (including volunteer), this includes sending pre-adverse and adverse action letters, a copy of their report, and FCRA Rights.
  • Understand that applicants have the right to dispute their report at any time. When you send a pre-adverse action letter under the permissible purpose of employment (including volunteer), you have to allow a reasonable amount of time—typically around five days—for the individual to dispute their report.

If you follow these steps, you will stay within FCRA rules and avoid negligent hiring suits.

What are the consequences of non-compliance?

The number of lawsuits brought under the FCRA reached an all-time high in 2021 and has continually increased every year since 2011. If an end user and their consumer reporting agency fail to meet FCRA standards, they risk an expensive lawsuit.

Because background screening is often part of standard onboarding processes, organizations can repeat the same FCRA infraction multiple times. This can lead to costly class-action lawsuits from multiple parties.

Eliminate the possibility of FCRA non-compliance suits and maintain your responsibilities by partnering with a trusted background screening agency. One Source is FCRA compliant and here to help you navigate its regulations easily. That was your End User’s Crash Course on Fair Credit Reporting Act. Contact One Source Client Relations to learn more about our services.

Do Expunged Records Show Up on Background Checks?

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When running a criminal record check on a potential employee, volunteer or contractor, you want to learn as much about them as possible. The contents of a criminal record can determine what positions an applicant can fill, or if they can secure a position at all. It makes sense that you want the most comprehensive information as you can find. This will of course help you make the best decisions for your organization. However, not all records are public. Under some circumstances, people can have criminal records sealed or expunged.  But do expunged records show up on background checks? Expunged charges are erased from the record entirely, and sealed records still exist but are inaccessible to the public.

Generally, sealed and expunged records will not appear on a background check. With the help of One Source, you can still make informed decisions about your applicants without sealed or expunged records. Here, we’ll explain what it means to get a record expunged or sealed. We’ll also discuss why those records won’t show up on a report and how you can maintain ethics while onboarding.

What does it mean to get records expunged or sealed?

After a person is convicted with a crime, they may ask the court to remove that conviction from public record. If the court grants a request to expunge a conviction or arrest, all records of the event are completely erased. If the court decides to seal a record, then the record still exists, but it can only be accessed with a court order.

People try to remove records to get a fresh start after a difficult time or to move past a mistake. Requests to erase or seal a record is reviewed by a court. If passed, the records disappear to reinforce their commitment to starting over. This demonstrates that an outside party believes this person deserves a clean record.

Why don’t erased or sealed records show up in reports?

It is unethical for background check agencies to report on convictions that have been purposefully erased. This is why expunged records don’t show up on background checks. Individuals usually earn the right to get their records cleared, so it’s not fair to report on crimes that the court deemed erasable.

Just because it’s unethical to report on hidden records doesn’t mean it never happens, however. Courts will clear a record in their official system, but that record may still remain in the databases of some consumer reporting agencies. This means an erased record could result in a screening report on accident, which could harm an applicant’s chance of being onboarded.

At One Source, we search real-time criminal records directly from the courts. This means we provide you the most current information on an individual or record. We want to give you the best understanding of who is applying for your organization while respecting the wishes of the court and the applicant. Sifting through criminal records can be tricky and pose ethical issues, but One Source has your back and will help you make the best choices. We can help you put together a screening plan that’s right for your organization—contact our Client Relations team today.

As always, if an applicant identifies information in their report which they believe is inaccurate or incomplete, they have the right to dispute the information on their report. Learn more about the dispute process with One Source here.

Ban the Box Updates: What Employers Need to Know

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This article was originally published in June 2022. Updated November 2023.

By now, most HR professionals and hiring managers have heard of Ban the Box and the legislation that’s sweeping the nation. So, what are you doing to prepare for these changes? Are you confident that your onboarding process is up to date and compliant with the laws in place? Here we will help guide you in the direction to make sure your team is prepared for what is to come.

What are Ban the Box Laws?

In simplest terms, Ban the Box means that employers cannot ask on a job application or in certain parts of the hiring process about criminal history. For example, blanket statements like, “have you ever been convicted of a crime.”

These laws aim to put employers’ focus on applicants’ qualifications first, without blanket no-hire policies due to past criminal activity. In most cases, employers must wait until a conditional offer of employment is extended before asking about criminal history or conducting a background check.

On December 20, 2021, Congress enacted the Fair Chance Act. The purpose of the act is to give previous offenders a chance to find work in the United States Federal Government. The Fair Chance Act will “Ban the Box” asking about arrest and conviction history on job applicants for most Federal agencies and contractors. These questions and the background check cannot be started until the conditional job offer has been extended.

What steps can you take to be compliant?

Navigating Ban the Box laws can be confusing. We recommend, as a first step, consulting with your legal counsel. They’ll be able to look at your company profile, industry, and location to see what Ban the Box laws apply to you.

You’ll want to take that information and then review your job descriptions and applications. You’ll also want to be sure your hiring managers only ask about the criminal history during the correct time in the hiring process.

Whether these laws will apply to your organization depends on several factors:

  • Company size
  • Location(s) you hire in (city, county, and state)
  • Industry (different regulations can apply to education, childcare, health care, law enforcement, etc.)
  • Public vs private employer

Currently, 37 states and over 150 cities and counties have adopted similar laws.

While public employers appear to be moving to Ban the Box quicker than private employers, the lists continue to grow.

Currently, 15 states have Ban the Box laws in place for private employers. These include:

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Furthermore, over 20 cities and counties have Ban the Box laws in place for private employers. Some of these include:

Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Columbia, MO; DeSoto, TX; District of Columbia; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Montgomery County, MD; New York­, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Prince George’s County, MD; Rochester, NY; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA; St. Louis, MO; Suffolk County, NY; Waterloo, IA; and Westchester County, NY.

Check out the National Employment Law Project’s (NELP) detailed chart to see whether your city, county, or state has a policy or law.

What’s next?

It’s important to remember that background checks are still a crucial part of the hiring process. Not even the Federal Government, which has adopted Ban the Box entirely, is removing background screening from their hiring process. The safety of your employees, customers, and your organization’s reputation is still essential.

As these laws continue to sweep the country, it’s always best practice to ensure that your background check process is updated. Then, when it’s time to run the background check after a conditional job offer, you can keep things moving quickly.

One Source always recommends reviewing these five areas:

  • Background Check Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Authorization
  • Quality of Data
  • Adverse Action

Reach out to our team if you have any questions on ways you can follow compliance laws and regulations. Or you can learn more about how to stay compliant through our blog, Blueprint to a Compliant Background Check Process.

 

What Non-profits can Benefit from a Reliable Background Check Provider

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Non-profit organizations understand, now more than ever, that accomplishing their mission rests on the shoulders of the people they hire and the volunteers that serve. Gone are the days when anyone willing to show up qualifies to represent the organization and its mission.

To safeguard against risks posed by employees and volunteers, most non-profit organizations have implemented background screening in their onboarding programs. They may conduct background checks internally by accessing state criminal record repositories and/or inexpensive “instant” online background checks or partnering with a professional background check provider.

Though not all background check providers are created equal, there are some notable benefits for non-profits partnering with the right one.

So, what do nonprofits need to look for in a reliable screening provider?
We recommend the three E’s – Expertise, Efficiency, and Effectiveness

Expertise

A reliable background check provider is a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA). To be accredited means they are an expert in the screening industry and the local, state, and federal laws that govern it. Be sure to partner with a background check company that follows the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act or FCRA which includes numerous regulations that govern the onboarding practices for employers and non-profits included, across the United States.

Efficiency

Non-profits are tasked with being good stewards of their money and maximizing every dollar they receive. They want to devote their time, talent and treasure to their mission which may leave little to spend on other top priorities like quality staffing and onboarding procedures. While cost-efficiency in background screening is critical, “the cheaper the better” rarely rings true and may increase risk as the cost of the background check is not always indicative of its quality or accuracy.
An efficient background check provider should have these services to provide you with the answers you need to make an informed decision:

  • Automation Capabilities
  • Mobile-friendly Processes
  • Customizable Solutions
  • Real-time Data

Effectiveness

Non-profits need thorough background checks to maximize their recipients’ safety and fulfill their mission. The reports need to comply with FCRA and similar regulations. Above all, the reports should be fully customizable to serve the unique needs of every organization. The right background check provider aligns with the non-profit’s values and empowers its goal of onboarding volunteers and employees through informed decisions.

By entrusting their screening to a reliable background check provider nonprofit leaders can provide an additional layer of protection for their organizations and those they serve.

If you are interested in learning about best practices in volunteer screening, make sure to read our blog. Whether you’re considering volunteer screening for the first time or you’re a well-seasoned veteran, learn how to create an efficient screening process for your volunteers, here.