An essential part of any successful company is its workers. After all, they are the ones that complete the important tasks that make the day-to-day business go. At the most basic level, deciding on which candidates to hire to join the team is among the most important decisions a company can make. To that end, having consistent hiring practices will allow your company to make smart, well-informed hiring decisions that can save your company time and money in the long run. One of the most important aspects of the hiring process is performing background checks on potential candidates.
A background check can help employers not only reduce the risk of hiring a candidate but can also make sure that they will be a good fit with the company’s overall culture. More specifically, these screenings can verify a candidate’s information and history, as well as uncover any omissions or criminal history they may be trying to conceal. Conducting employment background checks helps you make smarter hiring decisions, but it’s important that your company’s background check process remains consistent, legal, and fair.
Every business is unique, and it’s important to choose a background check provider that best suits your company’s needs and requirements. Fleet Drug Testing offers flexible, tailored employment background checks that can ensure compliance with both federal and state laws. Working with our expert team will help you build and configure a comprehensive program to meet your organizational and industry-specific requirements. Contact us today to learn more about our services can help you.
A background check can help employers not only reduce the risk of hiring a candidate but can also make sure that they will be a good fit with the company’s overall culture. More specifically, these screenings can verify a candidate’s information and history, as well as uncover any omissions or criminal history they may be trying to conceal. Conducting employment background checks helps you make smarter hiring decisions, but it’s important that your company’s background check process remains consistent, legal, and fair.
Obviously, not every employer has to perform a background check. In fact, only certain industries actually legally require employers to perform background checks of potential employees. Not surprisingly, these industries often involve the highest levels of safety, security, and economic governance.
Still, these requirements can be somewhat confusing, with laws and regulations varying from state to state. As such, as an employer, you should always check to see if your specific industry is beholden to laws or regulations on background tests. Here are a few industries where employers are almost always required to conduct background checks on potential hires.
Employees in the healthcare industry have extremely high levels of responsibility, with doctors, nurses, and other professionals charged with maintaining patient safety. Because these employees often have to make decisions that can make the difference between life and death for patients, they are usually required to undergo strenuous background checks that confirm their certifications and education. Furthermore, healthcare workers often have access to extremely vulnerable patients who are young, elderly or living with a disability. Thus, employers in the healthcare industry often have more extensive background check requirements to satisfy than other types of employers. Frequently, these include criminal history checks, as well as checks that verify compliance with state medical boards.
Teachers and educators in public schools are required to undergo a background check to comply with federal law. Generally speaking, the background checks that are performed on those in the education industry are among the most strenuous in any industry. Interestingly, background check requirements are usually more relaxed at the higher education level.
Legal professionals have an extremely high level of power and responsibility. Lawyers are required to represent their client’s interests with the utmost ethical and professional responsibility. Moreover, they often have access to extremely sensitive information, like financial data, medical records, and highly confidential court documents. As a result, there are state and federal laws in place that require background checks for lawyers and other members of the legal profession to ensure that they can maintain this responsibility. Common background checks in this industry include criminal history reports, as well as education and professional license verifications to ensure the attorney has completed law school, is a member of the bar association in every state they practice in, and has completed the necessary legal education requirements.
Like the legal industry, employees in the financial services industry have access to some of the most sensitive data a client has. This includes tax information, social security numbers, and access to bank accounts and other financial data. Because of this access, the temptation to commit financial impropriety like fraud or embezzlement is very high. To combat this, federal laws like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) require background checks for most employees in the financial services industry.
Because of the immense danger of operating a vehicle, there are often laws that require drivers to undergo background checks. Specifically, taxi drivers and, increasingly, drivers for ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft are usually required to undergo a background check to ensure that they are properly licensed and insured. Furthermore, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires that trucking companies perform these checks on their drivers.
While these are some of the most common industries where background checks are required, there are a host of others. In instances where the law doesn’t require background checks, the company can still institute them through company policy.
Again, what your company looks for in a background check depends on the specific industry you are in. As such, not every background check will look the same. Still, every background check will contain a search for the following:
Facing a background check is a formality, especially if you are trying to get a job in a “safety-sensitive” industry. While there are certain misconceptions about undergoing a background check, the reality is that an employee does have an expectation of privacy in terms of what can be done when a background check uncovers information. At the same time, if a candidate refuses a background check, the employer can disqualify them from consideration for the role.
Conducting a background check is not only legally required in some industries, but the benefits can be extremely important for any business. On top of simply verifying basic information on a candidate, background checks can do the following for your company:
A background check is not only an essential part of building a high-quality team of employees, but can also be seen as a worthwhile investment that will help your company reach its goals. Thus, it’s important to make sure that your company tailors its background check process for potential hires and ensures compliance to maintain its reputation.
Fleet Drug Testing makes background checks easy. Our team of expert professionals offers a wide variety of different services for your company, including pre-employment background checks. We can save you time, money, and distress by ensuring that you can make the most informed hiring decision for your workforce. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.
