Dive Brief:
- Employer reputation matters; therefore, conducting consistent background checks are a must. Brian McElwee, contributor for Business 2 Community, shares what to do if a candidate fails a background check during the recruitment process.
- Every company needs a policy on background checks so that all candidates are treated fairly. It's also important to evaluate the reasons that the candidate failed to pass a background check as some may not be deal-breakers. Make sure all data is accurate and correct any discrepancies. Keep in mind that not all government and law enforcement sources of data are 100% accurate, McElwee points out.
- Avoid discrimination claims by developing a formal corporate procedure that's legally sound that addresses candidates who have failed background checks. Make sure it's FRCA and EEOC compliant.
Dive Insight:
In the quest to place high-quality candidates into jobs, companies have traditionally used a variety of tools including criminal, career and credit background checks. This is a way to help safeguard companies from hiring otherwise unethical or unscrupulous individuals. Yet, human resource and recruitment professionals must carefully follow the rules regarding the use of background checks in the hiring process.
The best course of action is to have a written background check policy available that is easy for candidates to understand, get their permission before conducting any screening and have a system for evaluating the validity of any third-party background check companies.
