Dive Brief:

• Employers say the single most important employment screening-related challenge they face in 2015 is compliance with ever-changing laws.
• The primary reason employers conduct background checks is to protect their clients and customers.
• Companies continue to ask candidates to self-disclose criminal histories on employment applications despite the EEOC's guidance against this practice—and despite a growing number of state and municipal "ban the box" laws.

Dive Insight:

EmployeeScreenIQ's new report, Employment Screening 2015: Background Screening Trends & Practices, found that 37% of the 500 participants said their organizations conduct online media searches as a means of screening candidates in the hiring process, with LinkedIn (77%) by far the most popular site used in these searches. The survey polled a range of decision-makers and leaders from over two-dozen industries including technology, banking, healthcare, government/military, manufacturing and professional services.

Participants also reported that if marijuana use were to become legal in their state, more than half (54%) of their organizations would continue drug testing programs. However, only 2% said they would discontinue their drug testing programs and just 10% said they would overlook past convictions for minor marijuana offenses.

"This year's survey report provides a fascinating and educational cross-section of insights from professionals across the country," says Nick Fishman, chief marketing officer of EmployeeScreenIQ. "The findings also show that employers continue to conduct background screenings for a number of sound reasons but their overall approach to the process isn't always as sound—or as legally compliant—as it should be."