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5 of the Top Reasons to Use Continuous Criminal Monitoring

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The HR toolkit contains many means of keeping your organization staffed and running efficiently. Tools like applicant tracking systems and performance measuring software help bring in fresh faces and follow your team’s progress, but those are strictly for the pre-hire period and to track working hours. What may be lacking is a way to know that team members are avoiding conflict with the law. Thankfully, that’s where continuous monitoring comes in.

This process is, in form, similar to a preliminary employment background check for criminal history. However, instead of being a one-time affair, the subject is rescreened regularly to identify changes, if any, in the subject’s criminal history. Organizations might order this process due to any number of reasons, but today we’re going through the top five:

1. Compliance

Depending on your business’s trade, rescreening may be mandatory after a pre-determined time. Highly regulated industries like transportation, healthcare, and financial services — to name a few — often include requirements to have your background checked annually, biennially, or after several years with the employer.

2. Protecting Brand & Reputation

Companies, more so than individuals, live and die on how the public perceives them. If current staff make headlines for delinquent or criminal behavior, the community may ask, “Why are they still employed with you?” which can lead to a decline in business opportunities.

3. Safeguarding Sensitive Assets, Information, & Finances

Between trade secrets, billing data, intellectual property, and more, there are many resources and a great deal of customer information that employers don’t want to fall into the wrong hands. A slip-up in trust can be disastrous, threatening an entire business and contributing to the billions of dollars lost annually to intellectual property and trade secret theft, according to the Associated Press.

4. Maintaining a Safe Environment

Two groups comprise the core of all organizations: their staff and customers. Without the trust of both parties to move things forward, there are no deals to close or goals to achieve, making it paramount to protect them.

5. Streamlining & Automation

Keeping up with the goings-on of staff can be tedious and time-consuming. Many HR professionals choose to automate this process to free up valuable time they could spend recruiting and onboarding new staff, evaluating employees, or tending to other essential responsibilities.

No matter the reason, Continuous Criminal Monitoring can help your team remain safe and protect confidential resources. One Source can help by setting up a schedule to keep you informed. Reach out to learn how you can get started.

 

One Source Ranked as an HRO Today Pre-Employment Screening Leader

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One Source would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our clients for helping us achieve a first: ranking as an Enterprise Pre-Employment Screening Leader in the 2023 Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings by HRO Today. This was only possible through feedback from our clients directly to the multi-channel network for HR decision-makers themselves. Our first accolade with the organization, we hope for the chance to exceed customer expectations moving forward.

What Is the Baker’s Dozen Award?

Each year, via an online survey, HRO Today gathers feedback from the customers of businesses in HR-related industries. Organizations are ranked in three categories to determine their standing: service breadth, deal sizes, and service quality. Service Breadth looks at the variety of available services tailored to distinctive audiences, Service Quality measures how customer expectations have been met, and Size of Deals refers to the average scope of contracts drawn up.

We’re Always Striving to Improve

As an Enterprise Pre-Employment Screening Leader, One Source is committed to providing an excellent experience from day one. We believe that the best way to begin is with a diagnosis of needs followed by:

  • Clear Communication – We listen to our customers and regularly adjust our system, services, and offerings based on feedback. If delays or important compliance updates arise, clients receive notices detailing the situation alongside relevant resources and details on possible resolutions.
  • Proactive Support – We’re happy to provide customers with the resources they need to hire confidently through onboarding and beyond. Plus, our support team is available by call, email, or chat whenever you need them.
  • A Streamlined Experience – Our process offers a smooth and accessible experience for both clients and applicants. Between ATS/HRIS integrations, bulk order uploads, automated reminders, and more, we have the tools needed to keep candidates moving.
  • Quick Turnaround Times – At One Source, accuracy is only one of our primary focuses. The other is ensuring that reports are delivered within 24 to 48 hours, allowing us to deliver the TotalCheck experience every time.

Let Us Know How We Can Help

After 20 years of providing trusted screening solutions, One Source greatly appreciates this new honor. We deeply value old and new relationships with clients, so we pledge to continue improving, listening, and learning.

For more information on how One Source goes above and beyond for our customers and their applicants, contact us.

 

A Comprehensive Review of Screening Compliance

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In the world of background checks, compliance is a must. It’s simply a fact of life for both Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) and any organization or business that screens consumers. A nuanced topic though it may be, this article sheds light on the industry-, permissible purpose-, and location-specific requirements that may apply to you. Of course, this article is only a starting point for ensuring your organization complies with background screening laws; consider discussing further with your legal counsel.

Below, we’ve broken down the most important factors to allow you to hone in on what’s relevant to your organization.

Rules & Regulations

Background screening compliance is a joint effort between the CRA who provides the report, the furnishers of data that end up in some reports, and the end user who procures the report. Different regulations and obligations apply to each type of entity, and two federal agencies—the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—are charged with enforcing them.

Background screening companies can also become accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association’s (PBSA’s) Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP). In short, accredited CRAs like us are committed to excellence and delivering the highest level of standards in six critical areas through accountability and continuous improvement of policies and procedures. For more information about this designation and the process of achieving it, check out our PBSA Accreditation page.

Of course, every business is part of an industry—some of which have specific requirements regarding background checks and additional searches (credit history, social media, USDOT, etc.). Organizations in education, finance, healthcare, or transportation (to name a few) need to adhere to specific constraints regarding hiring and continued employment practices. If you have questions about the specifics of your industry, check with your legal counsel.

End User Responsibilities

When working with an accredited background check company, companies must agree to several policies as end users. These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Reports won’t be used to violate the law
  • Consent has been given by applicants
  • Reports will be used confidentially
  • You won’t sell or disclose information to a third party
  • Applicant identities are confirmed

Further, a permissible purpose must be present to run a background check. Most often this is a Written Instruction for site access or personal screening, a Legitimate Business Need like tenant screening, or for Employment such as hiring, promotion, or retention. No matter the purpose, the organization must first be credentialed before they’re allowed to order a report. Most often, this process involves verifying business information, licenses, and tax documents; it may occasionally require an on-site inspection as well.

State-Specific Legislations

Among the myriad of laws and regulations are two that have been taking the country by storm in recent years: Clean Slate and Ban the Box laws. Essentially, these are legislations passed by individual states to limit the amount of information employers can use to deny individuals employment based on criminal history. The former removes eligible offenses from an individual’s criminal record once they’ve completed their sentence and any post-sentence requirements such as parole or probation and have committed any re-offenses. The latter provides certain procedures regarding criminal history inquiries during the application process and, in some cases, limits employers from asking about criminal history on job applications altogether.

To learn more about these measures and if/how they affect your state, read our previous coverage on these subjects here:

Ban the Box Updates: What Employers Need to Know

A man using a ballpoint pen to write while also using a laptop.

Clean Slate Laws: What Employers Need to Know

Two men shaking hands following a job interview.

Additional Obligations

Accompanying the larger regulations at play are additional necessary forms and procedures. Each carries its own significance and it’s important not to neglect them:

Disclosure & Authorization forms ensure applicants consent to being screened. All candidates must complete this form either on paper or electronically, it must be up to date, and it must include what will and may be searched.

Adverse Action means rescinding a job offer due to the results of a background check. This is a two-step process where a letter is sent to the applicant in advance to give them time to review the accuracy and completeness of their report and a chance to dispute inaccuracies.

If a prospective hire chooses to dispute information on their report, the CRA is required to perform a re-investigation and notify the furnishers of the data in question. Both the end user and applicant will be notified of the results of said re-investigation.

In summary, compliance should always be top of mind. Your organization needs to adhere to state and industry regulations, be properly credentialed, follow agreed-upon policies and procedures, and provide candidates with the tools they need to ensure their report is accurate.

For questions related to industry-specific standards, consult your legal adviser. For additional information, check out the Society for Human Resource Management’s website or our archive of compliance coverage.

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.

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.

3 Reasons Why Companies Should Utilize Social Media Checks

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The gold standard in background screening has traditionally been the pre-employment background check on a candidate before extending an offer. Times have changed, though, and so has the information available to onboarding managers.

While it’s important to know if your potential hire has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, falsified employment, or education information, etc., you may also want a glimpse at any possible behavioral issues the candidate exhibits that could put your organization, clients, or team members at risk.

A great way to gather this information is through Social Media Screening. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or a scan of media and news outlets, it feels almost natural to pursue someone’s social media for a closer look into their life. Here are three reasons why many of our clients utilize Social Media Screening.

Enhance Safety Within the Organization

It’s crucial, and social media checks can aid in this process during onboarding. These checks offer information on applicants’ social media accounts to provide a more precise picture of their behaviors and personality online and limit the risk of onboarding those who don’t align with the basic code of conduct or your core values. Illegal activity, violence, or sexually explicit material posted on their accounts is flagged, shared on the report, and sent to the onboarding manager to review.

Prevents Potential Discrimination Accusations

Outsource. Outsource. Outsource. Outsourcing your social media screening can help diminish potential workplace discrimination during the onboarding process. Scrolling through an applicant’s account can put you in a sticky situation if you try to do the screenings yourself. You want to make sure you have an unbiased view so you don’t encounter compliance issues.

It can also go the other way. Suppose an applicant’s account shows potential issues involving race, sexual orientation, gender, religion, or age discrimination. Social Media checks will flag the content for review, so you don’t risk onboarding that individual.

Prevents Reputation Risks

Your team members are the face of your company and what you stand for. When they aren’t at work, anything they do or say can reflect on your company, good or bad. There is a lot of pressure for companies to be consistent with their policies and values with an online presence. Social media checks can show how an individual presents themselves to the internet – meaning you can see a report of any flagged content that might not align with your company’s values and could make your company look bad.

To learn more about Social Media Screening, check out Should social media checks be included in screenings or contact our Client Relations Team.