Employment Background Checks:
What Do We Recommend?
by Glenn and Rose Maree Hammer
From years of experience backgrounding prospective employees for our clients, we have identified certain background check best practices that maximize the probability of discovering problems. Information from multiple sources provides the clearest understanding of an applicant’s qualifications and prior history, thus reducing the risk of negligent hiring liability claims and the many other costs of a bad hire.
- We recommend that you background all your staff, including full-time employees, part-time employees, temps, contractors, and volunteers.
- We strongly recommend a Social Security Number Scan to reveal any jurisdictions the applicant purposefully or inadvertently failed to disclose to you.
- Because the Form I-9 and Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify) search is the most accurate and easiest to use method of verifying Social Security, Immigration "A," and I-9 numbers available to an employer, we recommend it to all employers for use in verifying every employee’s eligibility to work.
- We strongly recommend County Criminal Record Checks for any position. We recommend that, at a minimum, all counties of residence, work, and school be searched for a period of at least seven years. Additional county criminal court records may also be searched as requested by an employer or as determined by the details of a specific background check.
- We recommend Federal Criminal Records Checks to any employer who wishes to extend research into potential criminal activity from the state level to the federal level. Federal Criminal Records Checks cover jurisdictions that County Criminal Records Checks do not, and are thus an essential element of the criminal portion of a comprehensive background check.
- We recommend a Global Homeland Security Search as part of a quality, comprehensive background check.
- We recommend the National Wants and Warrants Search for all applicants. This search allows employers to better protect themselves from individuals who may be attempting to escape the law or who are trying to hide criminal records.
- We recommend a Sex Offender Registry Check on all employees who work with the infirm, the elderly, and children, as well as for all employees who have access to living quarters or residences. We also recommend a Sex Offender Registry Check for any employer who wishes to broaden the scope of Criminal Record Checks to the state level for this type of crime.
- We recommend State/Multi-State Criminal Database Checks for employers seeking to widen the geographical area being searched for criminal records. This allows employers to better protect themselves from individuals who may be trying to hide criminal records.
- We strongly recommend verifying each prior employer for the last seven years. Verifying prior employment claims is an essential element of a thorough background check. Employment Verifications should be conducted for all employees.
- Because of the large number of candidates who make false educational claims, we strongly recommend an Education Verification when a degree or certification is required or desired for a given position.
- We recommend a Motor Vehicle Report for all employees who drive company vehicles or will be driving on company business.
- A Professional Reference Check should be done on every job applicant. We are happy do this check but recommend clients do it themselves since they are most familiar with the unique requirements of their businesses. We believe the hiring manager is normally the best person to conduct this important element of a comprehensive background check.
- Because verifying a Professional License claim is essential when the prospective employee will be in a position that requires such a license, we recommend Professional License Verification for any comprehensive background check involving a license claim.
- We strongly recommend an Employment Credit Report for any potential employee who will have fiduciary responsibilities. It will outline habits with regard to financial management skills as well as reveal potential financial pressures.
- We recommend a Workers’ Comp History for any employer who wishes to use the information to determine whether the individual is capable of performing the essential functions of the job and to properly channel work assignments. This search can only be ordered after a conditional job offer has been made.
- Because candidates with sanctions are excluded from participating in any Medicaid, Medicare, childcare, social services or federally funded health care program, a Medicaid Sanctions search is a must for all employers in related industries.
- A County Civil Records Check can provide valuable character information concerning a potential employee. We recommend County Civil Records Checks to any employer who wishes to extend research from the criminal level to the civil level, thus broadening the scope of a comprehensive background check.
About the Authors: Glenn and Rose Maree Hammer are the principals of A Matter of Fact, a California-based employment background check firm. www.amof.info
