8 Services for a Modern Employee Background Check
BLOGSeptember 24, 2024
Have your background check programs changed to meet the needs of the modern workforce? Gone are the days when a simple criminal background check or employment drug screening sufficed. As regulatory frameworks change and workplace safety becomes more critical, businesses must reevaluate how they allocate their screening budgets. Is your employee background check program keeping up?
Where Do You Want to Go?
Other Articles:
A Guide to Employee Drug Testing Service
Create your ideal employee drug screening program. Understand employee drug testing services with this helpful guide.
An Introduction to Social Media Background Checks
Reveal info about candidates with social media background checks. Social media screening uncovers racism, violence, and illegal activity.
An Introduction to Continuous Criminal Record Checks
Improve employee background checks with a continuous criminal record check solution. Learn about criminal record search monitoring.
Why You Need a Background Check with Social Security Number Search
Understand the benefits of a background check with social security number search for your employer background check program.
An Introduction to Post-Hire Background Checks
Understand a key part of workplace safety and compliance: a post-hire background check policy for employees.
Let’s explore how modern employee background check services can enhance your hiring process, ensuring security and compliance. By using these advanced tools in your employee background check process, you protect your business. You also improve your brand’s reputation and attractiveness in the competitive job market.
The Importance of a Modern Employee Background Check Program
Why should companies consider revamping their employee background check programs? A modern screening program is essential for maintaining workplace safety, compliance, and your competitive edge in the hiring market. As workplace standards evolve, so do the expectations from both employees and regulators. Candidates are now more informed, and they expect a level of transparency and diligence in the hiring process.
Tools like continuous criminal monitoring and driver record monitoring allows your company to manage risks more effectively. This is important not just at the point of hire but throughout the employee’s tenure. It’s no longer enough to conduct a criminal background check for employment once; businesses need to stay vigilant by continuously monitoring potential risks.
Criminal Monitoring: A Continuous Safety Net
Criminal background checks are essential, but they only provide information up to the point of hire. What happens after an employee has joined your team? A solid background check for employment looks past the first day.
This is where continuous criminal monitoring comes into play. You get updates on new crimes as they happen. This helps you keep your workplace safe and follow the rules even after hiring. It’s the safety net every employee background check program needs.
Why Criminal Monitoring is Crucial for an Employee Background Check
A traditional criminal background check for employment only tells you if a candidate had a clean record at the time of hire. But they may continue their employment for years after that, and they could face arrest a week after that background check.
Continuous criminal monitoring provides real-time updates. It notifies you if any employees get arrested or convicted after hire. This allows you to act quickly and mitigate risks, creating a safer work environment.
How Criminal Monitoring Works
Criminal monitoring is as simple as it is thorough. Here’s how it works:
1. Enrollment
Employees are enrolled in the criminal monitoring system during the onboarding phase. This ensures that the system can continuously track their status in nationwide criminal databases.
2. Continuous Scanning
The system regularly scans nationwide criminal databases, searching for any arrest information tied to your employees. This ensures that you are aware of criminal activity.
3. Alert Levels
If a match is found, we alert you. You can customize the type and severity of alerts you receive based on your company’s risk tolerance:
- Arrest Alerts: Instant notifications when an arrest is detected, allowing you to respond immediately.
- Verified Alerts: Before sending an alert, our analysts confirm the arrest details with the arresting agency to ensure accuracy.
- Court-Tracked Alerts: The system monitors the legal process of the arrest and tracks the case until it moves to court. At that stage, we notify you.
4. Actionable Reports
When an alert is triggered, you get a detailed report. This report helps you make informed decisions on what to do next.
Key Benefits of Criminal Monitoring
Continuous criminal monitoring supports your company’s legal compliance and safety policies and provides a host of benefits:
Criminal Monitoring 101: How to Proactively Approach Employee Safety & Security
“Once, I encountered a situation where an employee with a clean background check was later found to have committed fraud within the company during ongoing screening. This could have been avoided if the employer had implemented continuous screening measures, as it would have revealed any changes in the individual’s behavior or criminal activities.”
Enhanced Safety and Security
Continuous monitoring helps you respond swiftly to any new criminal activity, reducing workplace risks.
Legal Compliance
By keeping track of employees’ criminal records, you help your company follow state and federal laws.
Protection Against Negligent Retention
Monitoring reduces the risk of retaining employees with undisclosed criminal activities, safeguarding your business from potential lawsuits.
Customizable Alerts
Not all providers offer this, but InfoMart lets you set alerts to fit your company’s needs. You can choose from immediate arrest notifications to detailed, court-tracked cases.
Improved Workplace Culture
A proactive approach to criminal monitoring fosters trust and accountability within your workforce.
Cost-Effective Risk Management
Prevent costly incidents by addressing criminal activity before it impacts your business.
An Example from an Expert
“One general benefit of ongoing employee screening is that it can prevent unfortunate surprises, and can even help you to prevent other potentially damaging issues like theft, fraud, or discrimination.
The best example I can cite is from a few years ago, early in my tenure with Airswift. A routine screening came back with a red flag that an employee’s credit had recently taken a very significant hit. When we dug deeper, we discovered this individual also had taken on a substantial amount of new debt since the last time they were screened.
In speaking with the employee, it was eventually revealed that the individual was a problem gambler who had previously had their addiction under control but was going through a relapse.
Because we conducted regular screenings, we were able to help that employee to get into a treatment program before their situation became truly desperate.
This was beneficial for our company as well as for that employee—someone who has a gambling problem is more likely to steal from or defraud an employer down the line, but because of our screenings, we intervened before things could get to that point.”
Stay ahead of the curve: An Introduction to Continuous Criminal Record Checks
An Introduction to Social Media Background Checks
Learn the whys and hows in this quick guide
“An interview may only reveal certain traits of a candidate. A background check for employment may reveal a few more insights. But on social media, where people are more themselves and seldom pay heed to who’s watching, a person reveals more than ever.”
Social Media Screening: Beyond the Resume
In today’s digital world, a candidate’s social media activity can show a lot about their character. It can also help you see if they fit well in your company. That’s why HR professionals are adding social media screening to their employee background check program.
Social media background checks help us understand a person’s behavior and online presence. They can reveal potential issues that traditional checks might overlook. But how do you conduct these checks while staying compliant with hiring laws?
The Role of Social Media in Hiring
A candidate’s online presence can provide more insight than a resume ever could. Social media checks are now an important part of background checks. They help companies look beyond usual records, like driving history or an employment drug test. This can help HR teams assess a candidate’s cultural fit and uncover potential behavioral risks.
Can’t I Just Look at a Candidate’s Social Media Myself?
You must conduct social media screening carefully to avoid legal pitfalls.
Social media background checks should be done by a third-party service. This helps avoid accessing protected class information, such as race, religion, or sexual orientation. Accessing this information could lead to discrimination claims against your company.
The screening provider should look for job-related information. This includes hate speech, threats of violence, and criminal activity.
What Does Social Media Screening Flag?
Social media screening plays a crucial role in addressing workplace safety concerns by highlighting red flags that could pose risks to your company.
By examining candidates’ online presence, you can identify potential issues that may not be apparent through other screening methods.
Here are some key areas where social media screening can help:
- Racism/Intolerance: Posts or interactions that reflect racist or intolerant views can indicate a candidate’s potential to create a hostile work environment, affecting team dynamics and company culture.
- Violence: Evidence of violent behavior or threats on social media can be a serious concern, suggesting possible risks to workplace safety and the well-being of other employees.
- Potentially Illegal Activity: Social media profiles that reveal engagement in illegal activities, such as drug use or criminal behavior, can help avoid hiring individuals who may bring legal complications or security issues to your organization.
By addressing these concerns through social media screening, you can better ensure a safe and respectful work environment.
Benefits and Risks of Social Media Checks
Proper social media screening helps your company avoid hiring people who could damage your brand’s reputation. It gives a better understanding of a candidate’s character. Though it’s an important part of the employee background check process, it should be used carefully to avoid privacy issues and legal problems.
Safeguards your company from potential damage by identifying candidates who may negatively impact your brand.
Provides a broader perspective on a candidate’s character beyond what resumes and interviews present.
Helps uncover potential risks that may not be apparent through traditional screening methods.
Helps prevent legal and reputation issues from hiring individuals who may harm the company.
Have more questions? Here’s An Introduction to Social Media Background Checks
Employment Drug Screening: Quantisal, eCup+, and Marijuana Suppression
Employment drug screening is no longer as simple as offering a 5-panel drug test. With shifting regulations around marijuana and the demand for faster, more accurate testing, it’s important to upgrade your employee drug tests to meet the challenges of today’s workforce.
Services like Quantisal and eCup+ allow for more precise and rapid results, while marijuana suppression ensures compliance with new state laws.
The Benefits of Quantisal
As regulations around marijuana continue to shift, Quantisal has emerged as a top choice for detecting recent drug use. Unlike traditional employment drug screening solutions, which test for drug use from weeks ago, Quantisal provides a solution when you want to limit your drug tests to recent use. It’s an excellent tool for states with stricter employment drug test regulations, particularly for marijuana.
The Efficiency of eCup+ Drug Test
The eCup drug test has revolutionized urine testing, offering immediate results for negative tests. This streamlines the hiring process, especially for companies that need to make quick decisions. Negative results can be received in under 15 minutes, while non-negative results are sent for further lab analysis. An eCup+ drug test is particularly beneficial for industries that prioritize quick turnaround times without sacrificing accuracy.
Expanded Panel Options and Customization
Employers are no longer limited to basic 5-panel drug tests. Today’s employment drug screening solutions offer expanded panels, allowing companies to test for a wider range of substances, including opioids and benzodiazepines. Custom panels can be created to meet the specific needs of industries with higher safety concerns, like healthcare or manufacturing, ensuring comprehensive testing.
Managing Marijuana Testing in 2024
As marijuana laws evolve, companies must stay compliant by using marijuana suppression tools in some jurisdictions. This service helps HR teams avoid receiving marijuana test results in states where such data cannot legally be used to make employment decisions. It’s a critical component for businesses operating in multiple states with varying laws around marijuana use.
Keep Reading: A Guide to Employment Drug Test Service
annual cost of substance abuse on U.S. economy
A Guide to Employment Drug Test Services
Driver Monitoring: Keeping an Eye on the Road
For companies whose employees operate vehicles, driving records are critical to managing risk. Maintaining an employee’s driving history through MVR monitoring ensures that you are alerted to any issues that could impact their ability to safely perform their job. This continuous monitoring helps companies mitigate risks, avoid costly accidents, and remain compliant with transportation regulations.
Why MVR Monitoring is Necessary
If your employees operate company vehicles, their driving records are your responsibility. MVR monitoring provides ongoing updates on employees’ driving records, helping to identify violations or suspensions that could pose risks to your business. This is especially crucial in industries like logistics, where accidents caused by employees could lead to significant legal liabilities.
Similar to criminal monitoring, driver record monitoring continuously scans for new violations or changes in license status. If an employee receives a DUI or has their license suspended, the system sends real-time alerts, allowing you to take immediate action.
Industries that Benefit Most from MVR Monitoring
While all businesses with company vehicles can benefit, some industries are particularly dependent on the safety and reliability of their drivers. MVR monitoring ensures that these companies are alerted to any issues before they escalate into serious problems.
Ensures that drivers are compliant with safety standards, reducing the risk of accidents.
Maintains the reliability of drivers who are essential for transporting materials and equipment.
Monitors driving records to guarantee safe and dependable delivery operations.
Driver services have never been easier. Learn more about this important service.
SSN Trace Plus: A Deeper Dive into Candidate History
When conducting a background check for employment with a social security number, it’s important to go beyond the basics of verifying a candidate’s identity. With SSN Trace Plus, employers can access real-time incarceration data, helping them uncover any arrests or criminal activity tied to the candidate in jurisdictions they may not even reside in. This enhanced version of the SSN Trace adds a valuable layer of insight to your hiring process.
The Basics of SSN Trace
Imagine you’re hiring a senior executive for a critical role. The candidate passes the criminal background check in their home state and the jurisdictions where they’ve lived and worked.
However, during a vacation last year, they were arrested for a DUI in another state. This detail that could significantly impact their candidacy. A traditional background check wouldn’t catch this, but SSN Trace Plus ensures that even arrests in jurisdictions where the candidate was just passing through are flagged, helping you make a more informed decision.
A background check with a social security number allows companies to verify a candidate’s identity and trace their address history. This ensures that criminal checks are conducted in all relevant jurisdictions where the candidate has lived.
SSN Trace is a foundational step in any thorough background check, guiding HR professionals to where they should be searching for criminal records.
SSN Trace Plus: What Makes It Different?
- Beyond Address History: Unlike a basic SSN Trace, which only tracks a candidate’s address history, SSN Trace Plus includes real-time nationwide incarceration data. This means it identifies arrests and criminal records, even in jurisdictions the candidate hasn’t resided in.
- Real-Time Incarceration Data: By using a nationwide data network, SSN Trace Plus allows you to capture arrest records as they happen, rather than relying on delayed or incomplete reports from limited jurisdictions. This real-time aspect ensures that HR professionals receive the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Why You Need a Background Check with Social Security Number Search
SSN Trace Plus includes jurisdictions where the candidate was arrested, even if they were just passing through
Myth vs. Fact: How Well Do You Know SSN Trace?
A basic background check with a social security number is enough to uncover a candidate’s complete history.
Fact: While it verifies identity and provides address history, a standard SSN Trace only scratches the surface. SSN Trace Plus digs deeper by tapping into real-time nationwide incarceration data, ensuring you don’t miss critical information, even from jurisdictions where the candidate may have only traveled through.
If a candidate didn’t live in a jurisdiction, there’s no need to check it for criminal activity.
Fact: SSN Trace Plus captures arrests that occurred outside of a candidate’s address history. Whether they were passing through or visiting another state, this tool ensures that nothing slips through the cracks, giving you a comprehensive view of your candidate’s background.
Why You Need It: Discover the Benefit of SSN Trace Plus
The Government Accountability Office identified
SSNs associated with employment-related identity fraud (GAO)
Consent-Based Social Verification: Avoid Fraudulent SSN Use
Identity fraud and misuse of social security numbers can pose serious risks for employers, leading to hiring mistakes or even legal consequences. Consent-Based Social Verification (CBSV) directly addresses this by verifying the validity of a candidate’s SSN against Social Security Administration records, confirming whether the SSN is accurate and tied to the individual’s legal identity.
What is CBSV?
Consent-Based Social Verification (CBSV) allows companies to verify that a candidate’s social security number is accurate by cross-referencing it with records from the Social Security Administration (SSA). CBSV confirms whether the SSN provided matches the name and date of birth in the SSA database.
How CBSV Prevents Identity Fraud
This service is crucial in preventing identity theft and ensuring that candidates are not using stolen or fraudulent SSNs. For companies that need absolute certainty about the identity of their hires, CBSV provides peace of mind.
CBSV vs. SSN Trace
While both services are useful, CBSV is specifically designed to verify SSN accuracy, whereas SSN Trace Plus focuses on revealing past addresses and jurisdictions for criminal checks. Using both together ensures a thorough screening process.
Faster, Easier Employment Verifications
The Work Number by Equifax® is a widely used employment verification tool that pulls data from employers to confirm a candidate’s work history. While it’s convenient, its high costs — due to frequent price hikes — are forcing many companies to seek alternatives. Modern screening solutions help you get around this while still getting the information you seek.
True or False?
The Work Number is the only way to verify employment.
False. While The Work Number is a popular choice for employment verifications, there are cost-effective alternatives that provide the same data without the steep price tag.
Equifax’s frequent price hikes make it harder for companies to stay compliant.
True. Rising fees have become a strain on HR budgets, making it difficult for businesses to access crucial employment information without significantly increasing costs.
Affordable Alternatives to The Work Number
To help companies circumvent these increased prices, InfoMart offers two popular alternatives:
Applicant Documentation:
Candidates provide W2s, pay stubs, or other official documents directly, allowing for employment verification without the use of a third-party service. This cuts costs while maintaining accuracy.
Opt-Out Process:
Some companies choose to opt out of The Work Number’s services entirely. In this scenario, the background check is simply completed without employment verification.
When Should You Use Alternatives to The Work Number?
For high-volume roles or smaller budgets:
If your company is hiring for a high number of roles or needs to verify multiple candidates quickly, opting for applicant documentation might be more cost-effective than relying on The Work Number.
For critical roles where speed matters:
If the role requires quick verification, The Work Number may still be a suitable option, but for less urgent verifications, using W2s or pay stubs can provide a budget-friendly solution.
“Employees can change a lot in the months or years after being hired, especially if they fall in with the wrong crowd or get involved in activities that could limit their capability to do their job. Performing post-employment background checks is a simple way to guarantee that your business is aware of your staff’s criminal activities and legal disputes. Rest easy knowing that your workforce is being held to the same standards that you initially set when they got hired.”
“The larger the organization, the more opportunity there is for data breaches, misallocated revenue, etc. Doing consistent background checks among the employees who have access to this information is an excellent way to maintain a high level of security and protect the company.”
Post-Hire Screening Strategy: Stay Informed After the Hire
Negligent retention is a serious risk—keeping an employee with an undisclosed criminal record or substance abuse problem can lead to significant legal and financial consequences. By incorporating post-hire screenings, you can avoid these risks and maintain a safer workplace. Remember, your employees’ behaviors can change over time, and you need the tools in place to catch potential red flags before they turn into bigger issues.
Common Post-Hire Screening Services:
Continuous Criminal Monitoring
Keeps you informed of any new criminal activity involving current employees. This ongoing service ensures that no criminal offenses are missed, even after the hiring process.
Driver Record Monitoring
Ideal for businesses that employ drivers, this service tracks any violations, DUIs, or license suspensions that occur after the employee is hired, helping mitigate risks.
Periodic Employment Drug Test
Regular post-hire drug tests ensure that employees remain compliant with company policies regarding substance use, maintaining a safe work environment.
Professional License Verification
For roles requiring licenses (like healthcare professionals or electricians), post-hire verification confirms that certifications remain valid.
Best Practices for Post-Hire Screening
Always Obtain Consent
Post-hire screening requires employee consent, so be sure to follow state and federal regulations to stay compliant.
Document Everything
Whether it’s a failed employment drug test or a suspended driver’s license, keeping records of post-hire screenings and actions taken is critical in case of legal disputes.
Set a Screening Schedule
Decide how often post-hire checks will be conducted. For example, run driver record checks annually and conduct random drug tests based on company policy. Take the guesswork out of it by enrolling in continuous monitoring when available.
Partner with a Reputable Provider
Working with a trusted background check partner ensures that your post-hire screening remains compliant and effective, with minimal disruption to daily operations.
Dive into the specifics of post-hire screening: An Introduction to Post-Hire Background Checks
What to Look for in a Modern Screening Partner
Choosing the right background check service provider is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your screening program. A good provider will offer flexibility, legal expertise, and the tools to help you stay compliant and efficient. Here are some key features to look for when selecting a partner.
Real-time updates
Continuous monitoring for criminal activity and driver records.
Comprehensive options
Services that include social media screening, employment drug screening, and SSN Trace Plus.
Legal compliance
Expertise in navigating complex regulations like marijuana suppression and protected class information during social media checks.
Efficient reporting
Quick turnaround times for eCup drug tests, criminal monitoring, and background check programs.
Flexibility
Options for custom drug test panels and alternatives to services like The Work Number.
Rethink Your Screening Budget Today
In the evolving world of HR, staying ahead means investing in modern screening services that go beyond traditional background check programs. By integrating advanced tools like criminal monitoring, social media screening, and trendy drug testing solutions like Quantisal and an eCup+ drug test, you can safeguard your company, remain compliant, and build a workforce that supports your company’s values.
To ensure your company remains competitive and secure, it’s time to rethink where you allocate your screening budget. Embrace modern solutions and protect your future.