Tag Archive for: nonprofits

A Guide To Screening Contractors and Contingent Workers

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Whether you’re a business owner in search of a consultant or a school superintendent looking to renovate, you’ll need to find and hire a contractor. Contractors, or contingent workers, follow a unique format of employment that depends on the expectations of those who enlist their services.

Since contractors are hired on a temporary, project-to-project basis, it can be unclear whether they should be subject to screenings like full-time employees. Contracting agencies often run background checks on individuals before they can join the agency. However, it’s impossible to know if those checks match your organization’s screening standards.

If you hire contractors, get in touch with a screening solutions provider that complies with the rights of contractors while still upholding your screening standards. Below we’ll discuss some rules about screening contractors and contingent workers to ensure you find the best contractor for your needs.

How should I handle contractor screening?

In order to decide the best background check process for contractors, think about the nature of your organization and what you expect of each contractor.

Some questions to consider as you outline your contractor screening policy include:

  • Is your organization regulated by any federal or state screening requirements?
  • Will the contractor interact with any vulnerable populations like children or the elderly while working on your property?
  • Could the contractor potentially have access to your organization’s sensitive information?

Determining the level of access a contractor will need and considering your industry’s screening regulations will clarify the kind of background check you should choose for contractors. When in doubt, follow the same screening policy you use for full-time employees. This ensures everyone working for you is screened equally and helps prevent discrimination claims.

What should I look for on a contractor’s background report?

At One Source, we provide simple, efficient contractor screening solutions to help you choose the right contractors for every job. It can sometimes be tricky to determine on your own what a background report really means, but we work with you to take the guesswork out of the entire process.

When you receive a certified contractor report from One Source, you will see if he or she does or does not meet our requirements. This way, you can quickly determine whether to hire a certain contractor. Your project will begin sooner and your organization remains safe with the contractor you choose. That’s just a beginning guide to screening contractors and contingent workers. 

To learn more about One Source’s contractor screening offerings, reach out to the One Source Client Relations Team.

9 Websites Your HR Team Needs to Bookmark

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Human resources teams are the multitaskers, recruiters, coaches, cheerleaders and everyday administrators that keep companies going and thriving. While juggling payroll, benefits and hiring, they also need to keep up with news and trends in the HR industry. 

These nine websites your HR team needs to bookmark provide excellent resources to get quick updates on their field. Some analyze HR news, some break down ethical hiring practices and others have unique thought leadership to move your team forward. Bookmark your favorites and help your team stay sharp.

The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA)

The PBSA is a trade organization that sets performance and ethical standards for background check agencies. They’re on the cutting edge of screening practices with plenty of resources and information for your hiring team. Check out their resources, education and accreditation tabs to learn how to choose an outstanding screening partner.

HR Bartender

Sharlyn Lauby, an HR consultant, is the friendly, welcoming voice of the HR Bartender blog. She fills her site with fun commentary, insightful opinions and thoughtful analysis of trends in the human resources world. Often, Lauby will answer reader questions from all perspectives of hiring and talent development. If you want enriching and educational content delivered with pizzazz, make a habit of visiting HR Bartender.

Fistful of Talent

The authors of Fistful of Talent take current events and uncover how human resources concepts appear in all of them. Their editorials offer approachable commentary and lessons about how to manage talent and grow teams.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

While a bit more technical, the EEOC’s site has vital information for any hiring team. If you ever have a question about employment law or ethical hiring practices, you can check the EEOC’s publications page and peruse their variety of fact sheets. Basically, everything you need to know about equal opportunity employment lives on this site, even if you have to search a bit to find it.

Evil HR Lady

For off-the-wall, honest HR content with a pinch of sass, Evil HR Lady is your go-to blog. The writers aren’t afraid to tackle tough subjects with class and mundane topics with excitement. If you’re ever unsure how to handle a particularly difficult, weird or emotional HR situation, the answers are probably somewhere on this site.

TLNT

TLNT is a division of ERE Media, an online hub for recruiters. On the TLNT site, you’ll find professional news, analysis and opinions of the HR industry plus a daily e-newsletter and a curated feed of HR blogs from across the internet. So, TLNT is an all-in-one resource for everything talent and recruitment related.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

SHRM stands as a key human resources trade organization with over 275,000 members around the world. They are thought leaders in the HR space with thousands of articles, reports and studies to inspire your team. Some content requires SHRM membership to view, but much of their best content is free.

BLR

One of the most unique features of BLR’s site is its comprehensive, easy-to-use search function. Therefore, they make it easy to hone down the exact topic and kind of content you need from their huge library of HR articles, presentations, quizzes and talking points. It’s especially useful if you need to find specific information about compliance or employment law.

One Source

Here at One Source, we have resources, blogs, FAQs, a glossary of background check terms and a responsive, knowledgeable Client Relations team. So, when you need background check guidance or hiring assistance, One Source will have your back and help create the best HR solutions for your team. Contact One Source Client Relations to learn more about our services and resources.

Three Essential Background Check Tips for Nonprofits

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Nonprofits exist to create good in their communities, and volunteers are the perfect vehicle for that good. They’re the face of many nonprofits—they interact with the public most and are what people remember about nonprofits. The roles of volunteers within nonprofits can vary widely too. Some can take long-term administrative roles, and some may work just a single event.

Regardless of how involved any given volunteer is in your nonprofit, they will make an impact on your audience. You need to be certain that volunteers will represent your nonprofit in the best light, so it’s a good idea to screen them.

Protect the people you advocate for and get excellent volunteers with these three essential background check tips for nonprofits.

Use more than one check

A simple criminal background check will clarify some aspects of a volunteer’s past, but it won’t uncover everything you’ll want to know. Identify the qualifications and traits you expect from your volunteers and choose screenings that will tell you exactly what you need. If your volunteers will operate vehicles, run a driving record screening on them. If your volunteers will work with children, check child abuse records or education credentials.

Make your application process streamlined

Those who apply to volunteer for your nonprofit are driven by a desire to make a difference. They want to help you as soon as they can, so a seamless application process will make it easy for them to start helping you and make the screening process faster. If you can send your applicants’ information off to your background check agency quickly, you’ll be able to get the best volunteers to work right when you need them.

Be aware of your risks

Budgeting is extremely important for organizations that don’t work for profit. While screening every single person who wants to volunteer may seem out of budget, there are background check agencies such as One Source that are happy to work with you and offer special nonprofit pricing. Build your budget to include room to screen the number of applicants you expect. Carefully spending on background checks will always be less costly than managing the fallout of a bad volunteer. It may take a budget adjustment, but it’s worth it in the long run.

That’s three essential background check tips for nonprofits, but it’s jus . To learn more about how One Source can help you get the best volunteers, contact our Client Relations Team.

5 Things You May Not Know About Background Checks

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If you help with your organization’s hiring process or are applying for a new job, the impact and value of background checks are likely on your mind. Background checks equip hiring departments to make more informed decisions and expedite the entire process. While screening has become an extremely common part of hiring, few applicants or employers know what happens behind the scenes of background reporting.

To build strong background checks or apply with a better understanding of the process, it helps to know how screening reports are created. These five facts about background checks will help you handle screenings successfully.

Reporting a criminal record can be complicated

You won’t find one all-inclusive database where you can collect someone’s entire criminal history. Criminal records are dispersed throughout thousands of county, state and federal court documents, so it requires know-how and skill to compile a criminal record.

There is a wide variety of background checks

Most background reports offer more comprehensive information than a criminal history check. At One Source, a screening report includes a criminal record as well as applicant history trace, sex offender registry checks, global watchlist reports and additional screenings if you request them.

Applicants must be aware of and approve every screening you perform

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers must get informed, written permission from every individual they wish to screen. This protects applicants’ rights and gives a clear protocol if employers want to remove an applicant from consideration due to their report.

Complete background reports can be created quickly

As we explained earlier, compiling the information in a screening report takes thorough checking and research. However, professionals working with excellent systems can build comprehensive reports in a matter of days. One Source can deliver a report in 48 hours while upholding the highest standard of quality.

The most effective screening processes continue beyond hiring

The most important time to run background checks is during hiring but making ongoing checks a regular expectation helps too. When your employees expect rescreening, they place trust in your culture of security and hold themselves accountable.

As you embark on your job search or hiring process, know what to expect from background checks. And know that One Source is here to partner with you to deliver expertise and excellence in screenings.

Questions Nonprofits Should Ask About Background Checks

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Nonprofit organizations solve problems, enrich communities and advocate for social good. The altruistic nature of many nonprofits’ work includes consistent interaction with vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In order for nonprofits to protect the people they serve and expand their mission, they must do everything in their power to ensure safety and honesty in their staff and volunteer base. 

One way nonprofits can promote security is by background checking all of their workers, both paid and volunteer. By screening everyone who would like to associate with a nonprofit, leadership can more carefully select those representing the organization and place more trust in its team members. Before any nonprofit initiates a screening policy, it should clarify these questions nonprofits should ask about background checks with a screening agency.

What background information do nonprofits need to know?

A criminal history check is the baseline screening every organization should run on their applicants. Different organizations may require more specialized checks like driving records or certifications, but background check agencies can easily bundle those screenings with criminal checks. One Source provides county, state, multi-court and federal criminal checks as well as searches of the National Sex offender Registry and global watchlists in its standard TotalCheck package.

TotalCheck provides a full picture of an applicant’s criminal history, and One Source can include additional checks if necessary. You should identify screenings that may be relevant to your nonprofit—driving history, child abuse registries, drug screening or others.

How can a nonprofit create an ideal screening program?

Background checks are just one piece of an entire resource toolkit nonprofits should use to promote a safe environment. By developing and implementing a security program, you can supplement the information from background checks and further build credibility. Safety should be an expectation integral to a nonprofit’s organizational culture.

All team members should be screened every few years so you can stay up to date on the status of everyone associated with your organization. Subsequent screenings paired with educational materials demonstrating how safety is imperative to your mission should help create a transparent culture of security. When staff and volunteers join your nonprofit with the understanding of regular screenings, they will be more open to all security measures. One Source has screening programs designed just for nonprofits to allow consistent screening and stay within budget with special nonprofit pricing.

What if a background report raises concerns?

In order to disqualify applicants ethically and consistently, create a code of expectations your nonprofit follows when reviewing background reports. Determine what offenses do and do not exclude applicants from participating in your organization and stick to that plan. If you need assistance in deciding how your nonprofit will interpret reports, One Source can help.

If you decide not to hire an employee or volunteer based on the results of their background check, you must follow (pre) adverse action requirements and notify them in writing of as quickly as possible. Provide context for your reasoning and give the applicant the contact information of your screening agency so the agency can handle any disputes the applicant may file.

You should be able to focus on doing good without having to worry about their team members. Nonprofit screening solutions with One Source can help your organization stay safe even on a budget. Contact One Source Client Relations to learn more.

The Top 3 Reasons Nonprofit Volunteers Need Background Checks

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To nonprofit organizations, volunteers are so much more than temporary helpers. They’re the lifeblood that lets a nonprofit thrive. They are administrators, fundraisers, cheerleaders, advocates and anything else that can drive an organization’s purpose forward.

The actions of volunteers make or break a nonprofit’s success. Genuine, reliable volunteers can boost a nonprofit’s integrity and increase its impact, but dishonest volunteers put nonprofits’ finances and reputations at risk.

So, how do you make sure your organization recruits excellent volunteers? Background checks. Here are the top 3 reasons nonprofit volunteers need background checks:

Public Safety

Volunteers who assist with events, fundraisers and outreach efforts are the face of an organization. Their exchanges with the public define how the organization is perceived, and it is the duty of volunteers to ensure everyone is comfortable and safe.

Running background checks on potential volunteers gives you peace of mind that your volunteers will treat the communities you serve with respect. Many nonprofits work with vulnerable populations like children and the elderly, and volunteers who interact with them must be screened. If an incident occurs and you did not background check your volunteers, you could be held responsible for the incident. Background checks keep the community you serve safe and allow you to trust your volunteers.

Volunteer Dedication

In order to grow your volunteer base with caring, dedicated volunteers, you must build a positive volunteer work environment. If volunteers steal, lie or take advantage of an organization, distrust becomes rooted in its culture.

Potentially wonderful volunteers will be wary of participating in the organization for fear of an unpleasant experience.

Nonprofits must make volunteers feel valued and secure to earn their loyalty. Background checks help you make informed decisions about which volunteers will foster a constructive work environment. Once you establish your organization as a great place to volunteer, your number of dedicated volunteers will increase.

Reputation Management

When people donate to a nonprofit, they trust the money they give will be used wisely. When people bring their families to a nonprofit’s event, they trust they will be safe. Public trust is required to maintain a nonprofit’s relevance. However, one wrong move from a volunteer can wreck the public’s confidence and leave the nonprofit in ruin.

Background checks allow you to verify your volunteers are ethical. Volunteers who handle donations honestly and treat others kindly will boost trust in your organization. People can tell when an organization has integrity. Build a good reputation through your volunteers, and people will be proud to support you.

Volunteers can be your nonprofit’s greatest asset. They can promote your purpose while giving your organization credibility. One Source’s comprehensive background check services help you choose your volunteers with confidence. Follow the link to learn more about One Source.