The value of a good employee cannot be disputed. Both large corporate organizations and small businesses rely on their employees to be successful. That is why both of them spend considerable time in employment screenings.

However, unlike large corporate organizations, small businesses do not always have the resources to employ a pre employment screening service to help out in this task. This means that small business owners need to be aware of the rules and regulations that govern the pre employment screening process.

The techniques used for employee background check as well as the information that can be used are governed by the Fair Credit and Reporting Agency. Small business employers need to be aware of the Act so that they can find the best employees without violating privacy rights of individuals.

The first step in employee background screening for a small business owner is to check the credit report of the individual. The credit report will provide a great deal of information to the employer including whether the prospective employee has defaulted on some of the payments.

Most small business owners also tend to require potential candidates to go through drug screening. This is a contentious issue. While most employers request drug screening to prevent mistakes while employing, a lot of individuals consider drug screening as an invasion of privacy.

Most business owners also conduct a criminal background check on their potential employees. A lot of them do this by examining driving records and searching through court documents. However, this is a time consuming task.

Small business owners need to read the Fair Credit Reporting Agency to determine what information from the background screening that they can use in the hiring process. Some of the information that can be used varies by state. For example, employers in California cannot delve into the educational records of a prospective employee.

Small Business owners need to ask prospective employees for their permission before conducting any employee background check. Without prior permission, they cannot access any of the information. In addition, an employer who wants to check with the candidate's previous employer about work, need to get written permission from the candidate agreeing to this request.

An owner of a small business needs to take considerable time over the pre employment screening process. Time wasted in training the wrong candidate in a small business can make a big difference to the monthly finances of the company.

Back To Articles...