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How to Streamline Remote Employee Onboarding

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The shift to remote work has changed how many businesses keep employees engaged, informed, and connected to company culture. Creating a sense of connection can be particularly difficult for new employees who only know you through their computer screen. Through the pandemic and beyond, businesses must be able to adapt their onboarding process to sufficiently meet the demands of virtual work. HR teams can develop processes and experiences that allow new, virtual employees to feel welcome while keeping virtual hiring organized. Here are some remote employee onboarding tips to creating a straightforward, engaging process for your HR team.

Automate the Paperwork

So many parts of the hiring and onboarding process involve stacks of paperwork for both HR and the new hire. You can streamline this entire process for your HR team and new hire by automating the processes for background checks, I-9s, employee handbooks and other onboarding information. One Source’s online portal offers simplicity and organization that will align with your HR team’s workflow. This also gives them time to acquaint prospective hires with your company.

Other kinds of HR software can allow applicants to complete onboarding documents like direct deposit forms and Form I-9s. Form I-9s must be completed within three days of a new hire date. However, your team can start the process sooner. This can streamline the remote employee onboarding process and take some pressure off new employees. Your newest team members will be overwhelmed enough by learning about their new job remotely, so take any chance to automate paperwork and free time to focus on building a connection.

Keep Communicating

Just because face-to-face interviews are rare these days doesn’t mean your hiring mindset should shift much. You’re still trying to win over the best candidates. Maintain proper communication about scheduling and operations so your applicants and new hires. This lets them know they’re not out of sight, out of mind. Setting clear expectations about onboarding processes and being communicative makes new employees feel involved and valued.

To keep communication flowing between you and your new hires, you can seek feedback with surveys and quick meetings. The insight you gather from those who experience remote onboarding can help you improve your process and shine a light on ways you can make all new employees feel more welcome.

Remote hiring and onboarding require creativity, proactive communication and care. At One Source, we work to help you seamlessly navigate the changing hiring environment to make your applicants and newcomers feel welcome while supporting your HR team. Check out our screening solutions to see how One Source can help you build the screening process that fits your needs.

Motor Vehicle Record FAQs for Employers

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In any organization, each employee has a unique set of tasks that require a unique set of skills. Some skills, such as driving, require a great deal of trust on the part of the employer. Executing that skill perfectly is essential to the well-being of the organization and the public. When a position requires a specific and important skill like driving, it makes sense to ensure the person you choose for the position has a consistent history of responsible driving. You can ensure that through a motor vehicle record check.

Hiring teams use motor vehicle record (MVR) reports to identify whether or not a candidate has a responsible driving record. Many jobs don’t require operating a car or machinery on behalf of the organization.  This means you don’t have to run a MVR check on everyone. Still, it’s in your best interest to check the driving records of anyone who might operate a vehicle while on the job. Here are some common questions about MVR reports.

What does a Motor Vehicle Record report tell me?

The information in a report might vary depending on your state and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that compiles the report, but generally you can expect the following  in a MVR:

  • Current license status (suspended, revoked, cancelled)
  • Past license statuses
  • License class
  • Accident reports
  • DUI convictions
  • Vehicular crimes
  • Traffic violations
  • Insurance lapses

Altogether, each of these pieces of information can help you decide whether or not any candidate is a responsible driver.

Should I check an employee’s MVR more than once?

Most places have rules that require you to check MVRs on a regular basis. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) suggests that any employee who has to drive a vehicle for work, regardless of if the employer owns the vehicle, should have an MVR report completed at regular intervals.

For employers who fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, they must review each driving employee’s MVR every 12 months. They must also keep the MVR on file for three years. This ensures employees keep their clean driving record throughout their time working with you.

How do I get a MVR report and how long does it take?

One Source can take care of MVR reports for you as an extension of our TotalCheck package. TotalCheck includes all the criminal history and identity checks you expect of any background report, and you can add a DMV driver’s history check or a Department of Transportation screening. You can also run a standalone driving history search on a recurring basis, or ad it as an extension of your TC package. We can help you decide what kinds of checks make the most sense for you depending on your job requirements.

At One Source, we take a lot of pride in producing thorough, accurate background reports quickly and efficiently. We strive for a turnaround time of 24-48 hours. The speed at which we can compile an MVR depends on the rules and operating schedules of your local DMV, but we generally get MVRs back in a less than a couple of hours.

To start hiring drivers with confidence, contact the One Source Client Relations Team and build your MVR process today.

How to Navigate the Changing Contractor Hiring Market

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Over the past few months on this blog, we’ve covered several aspects of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted hiring. One perspective we have yet to cover is the influx of companies turning to contractor hiring and contingent workers.

Some industries are utilizing contractors through the pandemic because they might not know how many of their jobs will be truly permanent. Some industries are using contingent workers to complete tasks that arose suddenly during the pandemic and won’t be necessary later. Regardless of why your company might be hiring more contractors, it’s important to have a consistent screening process in place for temporary workers.

Contractors can deal with the same sensitive, proprietary information and have the same client interactions as full-time employees. To make your investment in contractors pay off, follow these tips for choosing contractors you can trust.

Set Consistent Expectations to help navigate contractor hiring

Despite the constraints of a crisis like the pandemic, you shouldn’t abandon your usual hiring practices. Maintaining consistency in screening expectations and hiring are key to avoiding unnecessary risk from a poor hire.

Apply the same screening standards to contingent workers as you would to any other employee. If you run drug tests or driving record checks on your full-time team, perform the same checks for temporary hires. Consistency will prevent headaches for your HR team and streamline your hiring so you can get the best contractors to work as quickly as possible.

Add a Few Contractor-Specific Guidelines

While your base screening process should be the same for contractors as it is for any other potential employee, you can add some screenings specific to contingent workers to amplify your background reports.

For one-off, temporary or contingent workers, you’ll follow approximately the same screening process you would follow for any other employee. You can include a few additional screenings such as drug screenings or driving records checks.

If you’re hiring a contractor, be aware that their staffing company will run their own background checks. You can let their staffing company know if you want any screenings or specific searches beyond their background checks. For vendors, construction workers or other workers who need access to your property, you can use One Source Certified Contractors (OSCC) checks to allow them access to your site. A school, for example, would use OSCC to find a contractor to fix their plumbing or renovate the school.

You can source contractors from staffing agencies who will run their own background checks for you. If you decide to hire any of the contractors full-time, you can then use your own screening process to vet them thoroughly before they become a full employee.

Whether you need several contingent workers quickly or want to spend some time finding the right person to handle a task for you, be sure to complete a proper screening before you give anyone access to your organization. One Source can help you screen all potential contractors so you can move forward. Contact our Client Relations Team to learn more about contractor screening.

One Source Background Check Resources Review: April-July 2020

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At One Source, we provide comprehensive, transparent and useful background check education and resources on a weekly basis. We are experts in the screening industry, and we want everyone to have access to a categorized review of One Source’s background check resources to determine their security needs.

We will continue to curate blog posts and include them in this quarterly review of our blog. We’ll organize the blogs by topic to make it easier to find the information you need and utilize our knowledge when you need it. With that said, let’s dive into the One Source Background Check Resources Review.

Background Check Resources Review : General Background Check Information

Should social media checks be included in screenings?

A job candidate’s social media accounts can provide a clear picture of their true behaviors and personality—and social media screenings can absolutely have a place in the hiring process. However, that screening should not be as simple as letting your hiring manager quickly scroll through a candidate’s profile(s). In this blog, we explain how you can ethically and seamlessly integrate social media checks into your hiring process.

How to maximize your investment in quality background checks

When done right, background checks drive success. But when done insufficiently, poor background checks can lead to serious difficulties. That’s why background checks should be considered as investments in the future of your organization. Here we’ll talk about how making the most of your investment in background checks strengthens your company and how you can avoid the hidden costs of inadequate screenings.

The state of the screening industry during the pandemic

This blog is from the first week of May, and we do have more current COVID-19 information on our site. However, this blog sets the baseline of the screening industry’s response to the pandemic and how the pandemic has impacted screening turnaround times and protocols.

Compliance and Ethics

Answering all of your Fair Credit Reporting Act and adverse action FAQs

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) guides the background check process for employers and offers privileges and rights to the candidates who undergo screenings. Complying with the FCRA is essential to hiring teams, and One Source can answer all your compliance questions and guide you through an ethical hiring process.

Can I ever run a background check without permission?

Technically, if you have someone’s full name, you could run a background check on them without their knowledge. However, that doesn’t mean you should. Ethically—and often legally—you should always obtain permission before screening anyone. In this blog, we dive into the rules, expectations and potential consequences of running background checks in different contexts.

New Compliance Laws You Should Know in 2020

Regardless of whether your company is hiring right now, new compliance laws will likely affect you down the road. So it’s best to stay one step ahead and be prepared when your business is ready to hire again. Here are some of the most important state and federal regulations about screening and hiring that have been passed in recent months.

Protesting and background screenings: Is your business prepared?

Thousands of people have been arrested in recent months due to petty infractions from protests. Many of these arrests are released without charges. It’s up to each organization to decide how to manage protest arrests in their hiring, but we have some guidelines to help you develop a process.

Employers & Hiring Departments

How a background check company can enhance your hiring process

Hiring is already complicated enough—you have to write the perfect job description, filter through resumes, organize interview times and screen your candidates. Background check companies like One Source can help streamline and enhance your hiring to take some weight off you and help you find the right candidate.

Recognizing and minimizing hiring bias with background checks

First impressions are important in the hiring process, but unconscious biases can incorrectly shape those initial meetings. Background checks and smart hiring practices are effective ways to minimize biases. Here, we discuss a few screening methods you can implement to make your hiring unbiased and successful.

How employers can safely bring employees back to the office

As offices slowly start to reopen and employees begin to return, employers are busy planning how to keep everyone safe once they’re back under one roof. Not only are employers tasked with safely bringing employees back, but also creating a secure environment for customers and clients. We have some insights from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to guide your reopening plans.

Managing the challenges and changes of remote hiring

Remote recruiting is tricky new territory for recruiters and job seekers alike. But sometimes in hiring, adaptability is the name of the game. Meeting applicants where they are and adjusting accordingly can help bring out the best candidates. That being said, remote hiring isn’t easy—here we explore a few challenges you may encounter and how One Source can help.

Should I screen my furloughed or laid off employees if they come back?

Whether employees were furloughed, laid off or worked from home, you will need to take a look at your new employee processes. With One Source’s help, businesses can determine whether it is necessary for them to screen furloughed employees.

Volunteer Organizations

Volunteer Screening Best Practices

If you’re considering volunteer screenings for the first time or increasing screening measures, you can follow One Source’s best practices. With a strong background check procedure, you can get your volunteers out to serve others quickly and safely.

One Source has an entire library of blogs, FAQs and more—covering every aspect of background checks. Review our other Background Check Resources Reviews on our blog for more useful tips and information. If you have any further questions about background screening or how One Source can assist you, contact our Client Relations team.

How COVID-19 Impacts Tenant Screenings

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There isn’t much about our daily lives the pandemic hasn’t impacted. And the housing industry is no exception. Property managers face potential for delinquent payments and apartment turnover as their tenants manage their own difficulties. The challenges become an endless cycle of waiting for the financial crisis to evolve to a more stable environment. What can potentially be lost in the shuffle is processes, or changes to them, for prospective tenants. Tenant screenings should certainly still remain a priority for property managers and owners.

Amending the FCRA During the Pandemic

As property managers screen potential tenants, it’s necessary to stay informed of changes impacting credit reports. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) in particular brings change to tenant screenings. When the CARES Act became law, federal and state government encouraged financial services companies to offer payment relief to consumers impacted by COVID-19.

However, the CARES act also triggered an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If a consumer accepted assistance from their financial services companies, their account status is required to adjust accordingly. The assistance could range from deferring payments, making partial payments, modifying a loan or others. If a consumer participated, regardless of the aid, their account would be required to be adjusted from “delinquent” to “current” status. For consumers with delinquent accounts who elect not to accept the assistance, their status would remain.

How Does the Amended FCRA Impact Tenant Screenings?

Property managers have the opportunity to adjust how they screen a potential tenant. However, credit reports are imperative to gaining a better understanding about whether or not the tenant will consistently afford rent. Having a clear understanding of what information is provided can help property managers fill vacancies with greater confidence.

Consider the amended FCRA and how it could impact how you approve or disapprove tenant applicants. If an applicant accepted CARES assistance, consider their financial stability prior to the pandemic and now. While the current status is important, thinking long-term could paint a clearer picture of whether or not the tenant is a right fit. We can help identify the information needed to fully understand the financial information provided and its potential impact on your decisions.

One Source provides customizable tenant screening packages that, regardless of the depth of information gathered, can be turned around in 48 hours. As a leading background check solutions provider, we believe it’s our responsibility to know and understand current state and federal regulations, and help businesses determine what information is most valuable to their decision making. 

Should I Screen My Furloughed or Laid off Employees if They Come Back?

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Furlough. Layoffs. Remote employees. The arrival of COVID-19 created a tidal wave of change for businesses of all sizes. As retail and office spaces begin to reopen, HR departments and leadership will be working together to establish return-to-work plans focused on safety, operational efficiency, and government-mandated protocols. Depending on whether employees were furloughed, laid off or able to work from home, businesses will need to take a close look at their new employee processes. Businesses need to determine whether it is necessary for them to be screening furloughed employees. 

Were your employees furloughed or laid off?

In most cases, it’s not necessary to implement the hiring process for furloughed employees. Legally, they remained an employee. So while you may not need to go through an application process,  reviewing contracts, salary, and benefits may be necessary. This could also be a good time to conduct a new screening of furloughed employees.

Lay-offs terminate existing contracts. If a business would like to re-employ an individual, it’s in their best interest to treat it as a new hire. It may be possible to relax some procedures, but weigh the risks before you change anything. Consider each layer of your process and carefully determine why or why not it’s necessary to follow each step. This should include everything from application forms to background checks. Furthermore, be prepared to explain to your re-hires that these screenings are in the best interest of the company moving forward.

Is this a good time to review state and local laws?

As leaders discuss plans for reopening, in addition to reviewing policies and employee handbooks, it is just as important to review current federal, state and local laws. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, if a former employee is rehired within three years of the origination date of the original Form I-9, employers have the option to either use the same form or complete a new one. Electing to utilize the previously completed form could help streamline the hiring and onboarding processes. This will allow you time to screen re-hires.

Businesses considering bringing employees back can also consider a solution that isn’t simply keeping all processes or eliminating others. When it comes to background screening, our team can work with yours to build a customized background screening program. We can help minimizes risk and supports your hiring process and goals. You may not yet know if you’ll re-screen returning members, but our services can give you confidence in your decision.

Protesting and Background Screenings: Is Your Business Prepared?

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Over 10,000 arrests in the last three weeks are from protests. These arrests vary widely and can be tricky for HR departments. When it comes to business policy, protesting and background screenings: What impact could an arrest due to protesting have on a prospective or current employee?

How arrests can impact a person’s record

Some arrests made this month are due to violent behavior. However, most are less serious crimes or petty infractions. These arrests include things like obstructing traffic and being out past curfew. A majority of protest-related arrests will be released without charges. But if an applicant is charged with a crime, then the arrest could rise to the surface during a pre-employment background check. One Source does not report arrest records—they cannot be considered in the hiring process. Other credit reporting agencies may report arrest records, but you will be unable to use them in hiring.

Each state handles cases like these differently. So people might not know whether their arrest will be removed from their record. Complex court systems and tedious administrative processes just add to the challenge. All of these challenges encourage businesses of all sizes and industries to take a closer look at their policies. 

Creating policies regarding criminal records

One Source tailors the pre-employment screening to the specific needs and concerns of your business. Flexibility is especially useful in the instance of protesting. For arrests made for non-violent infractions, businesses can omit these records from the screening. One Source offers these arrest reports, but they cannot be used for hiring purposes. Sharing your business’s policies with our team and discussing any additional requirements you have allows us to develop an appropriate, and thorough, screening to support your policies.

Consider your approach to social media checks, too

In addition to criminal records as they relate to protesting, it may be necessary to discuss your approach to any social media screening your business does as part of its hiring process. Outline your expectations and policies specific to social media can save your internal team time. This also helps inform potential (and existing) employees. One Source offers Fair Credit Reporting Act compliant social media checks, should you choose to screen social media.

As our world continues to evolve, take time to review and create policies to reflect what’s currently happening. This can help your business plan and prepare for what’s next. Develop policies to guide your HR processes and minimize hiring bias, improve screenings and enhance communications with prospective and current employees. Rely on the specialized expertise of your business partners, like us, to offer recommendations and opportunities that support your needs.

If you currently don’t have a policy in place regarding arrests due to protesting—for applicants and employees—this could be the right time to start an internal conversation.

Managing the Challenges and Changes of Remote Hiring

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Remote recruiting is tricky. It’s relatively new territory for recruiters and job seekers and it comes with different expectations, restrictions and rules. While not every company is hiring right now, those who are must adjust their processes.

But sometimes in hiring, adaptability is the name of the game. Meeting applicants where they are and adjusting accordingly can help bring out the best candidates, no matter how strange the hiring circumstances. The being said, remote hiring isn’t easy—here are a few challenges you may encounter and how One Source can help.

Hiring without meeting in person

Face to face interaction with candidates has been an essential part of the hiring process. By getting an applicant in your work environment and seeing how they interact with your team, you can tell a lot about how they’ll fit in to your staff. However, remote recruiting and hiring does not offer the luxury of in-person interviews. So how do we adapt?

One way to customize the hiring process for an online space is to lean on the technologies that you’re already using. Zoom, Google Meet and other video conferencing services are an easy way to connect face to face at any time. Generally through the hiring process, you may only speak with candidates a few times before you make a decision. These video chat apps make it easy to have more frequent conversations with applicants. You can invite them to chat with your whole team and develop a sense of their personality through shorter, more frequent conversations.

You can also lean on other hiring resources like background checks and work samples to better understand what a candidate is like. One Source’s online portal makes it easy to keep reports in one place and refer to them whenever necessary. So, despite the lack of in-person communication, online resources allow you to compile a relatively complete picture of who you’re interviewing.

Notice and address gaps in your hiring process

While unconventional, turning your hiring process on its head by moving it online can be a good way to identify gaps and issues in your typical hiring process. Remote hiring may intensify underlying inefficiencies and frustrations. Do you need to revise your application review process? Should you ask different questions and measure different skills? Does your screening process align with your objectives? You may find yourself asking any of these questions and more as you continue remote hiring.

Don’t be afraid to think on your feet as you navigate new hiring methods. While your team should always be aligned and intentional, there has never been a better time to try new things and solve problems in creative ways. Patching up inefficiencies in your hiring will make your staff stronger in the long run.

If you feel like your background check process isn’t working toward your goals, contact us at One Source and we’ll help you build a screening process tailored to your needs. Everyone is managing change right now, so we’re here to make your hiring that much easier.

How Employers Can Safely Bring Employees Back to the Office

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As offices slowly start to reopen and employees begin to return, employers are likely busy planning how to keep everyone safe once they’re back under one roof. Not only are employers tasked with safely bringing employees back, but also creating a secure environment for customers and clients.

You might be trying to find the right way to screen your employees for illness as you start bringing employees back to the office. In issues of health, however, there are several compliance laws and regulations you must follow to protect their privacy. Screening your employees is possible. Though there is a lot of planning and considerations you need to take into account first.

Compliance with medical regulations

You can ask your employees whether they have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 and if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19. However, once you gather any medical information from your employees, it’s your responsibility to keep that information confidential. If any of your employees test positive for COVID-19, you can alert the rest of your staff, but you must not disclose the identity of the sick employee.

If you’re hiring new employees or re-screening current employees, some background screenings may include medical information including drug testing, physicals and more. First, you need to receive consent to screen anyone. This can easily be done with One Source’s contact-free release forms. As always, the content of a screening report is between you, the employee and the reporting agency. Essentially, do everything in your power to keep your team informed about the health of your company while protecting the privacy of individual employees.

Planning for a healthy work environment

Part of your plan for reopening your office should focus on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) guidelines. This will allow you to provide a risk-free work place. This may require you to move desks apart, enforce social distancing measures and more. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a safe work environment as the pandemic continues.

Your strategy for returning to the office may include some new hires. You may feel the need to screen new employees or applicants for COVID-19 before they can enter the office. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released guidelines on how to fairly screen new hires. You can request that new hires get screened for COVID-19 after you make a conditional job offer and before they start working. If you want to screen all qualified applicants for COVID-19, you must also screen all new employees in the same role.

You can also require temperature checks as employees enter the office. Some thermometers simply say whether or not you have a fever, keeping the exact temperature of your employees private.

Many employers right now are juggling their plans to return to the office safely while managing screenings and information privacy. One Source can help you manage screenings efficiently and let you focus on keeping your team safe. Learn more by contacting our Client Relations team today.

Volunteer Screening Best Practices

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As the COVID-19 pandemic alters our lives every day, nonprofits and other volunteer organizations are using their volunteer base to bring community support. Some volunteers fill essential needs like food delivery and medical care—and the demand for quality volunteers continues to rise. Volunteers bring valuable care and necessary resources to communities through this pandemic. This means it’s extremely important for volunteer organizations to make sure they’re recruiting the best volunteers. The way your organization’s volunteers act through the pandemic will reflect on your organization for years to come. One of the best ways to ensure you recruit excellent helpers is to run volunteer screenings for each applicant. It may take some time to screen each applicant, but the clarity and security of a screening report is well worth it.

If you’re considering volunteer screenings for the first time or increasing your screening measures, you can follow these best practices to create an efficient screening process. With a strong background check procedure, you can get your volunteers out to serve others quickly and safely.

Find a screening partner you trust.

Your time is best spent running your organization and selecting volunteers. It should not be spent digging up background information on volunteer applicants. Regardless of how many background checks your organization may need to run, you will save time and resources by outsourcing your background checks.

Quality screening agencies like One Source are well-versed in volunteer screenings and can assist you in deciphering what screening reports really mean. When you partner with a screening agency, you  get the most accurate and complete reports. Furthermore, you get help clarifying what the screenings truly represent. At One Source, we can turn around screenings in 48 hours. Then, the results are presented on a user friendly platform. You can save valuable time and focus on finding the best volunteers to fulfill your mission.

Know when to screen potential volunteers.

Background checks are one of many tools you can use to build a strong, dedicated volunteer base. It doesn’t always make sense to base all of your volunteer decisions on screening reports alone, but they should be an important point of consideration. To create an efficient screening process, time background checks strategically in your vetting process.

You can start your vetting process with a thorough application followed by reference checks. After evaluating applications and references, you can determine which applicants would be good volunteer fits for your organization. Those applicants can then move on to the next round of vetting: background checks and interviews. Interview your applicants to get a deeper insight into their personality and strengths. Then, you can run background checks on your top candidates. Pair the background report with the information you gained from the references and interview to decide whether someone should volunteer for your cause.

Volunteers are providing essential services to thousands of people throughout our communities and their impact cannot be understated. If your organization is sending volunteers out into the world right now, it is in your best interest to be certain they are the best representatives of your mission. Contact One Sources’ Client Relations team today to learn how we can make your volunteer screening process thorough, streamlined and effective.