One of the simplest ways of limiting problems with employees is by avoiding hiring problem employees. Carefully crafted applicant screening can help achieve this.
There are several stages to applicant screening. Among the preliminary steps include background check along with a criminal records check. It is only after a potential candidate has successfully cleared these stages will the interview be scheduled.
Background check is fairly simple to conduct. With the help of a social security number, an employer can find out about prospective candidate's name, age, educational record and credit history. A lot of this information is available online and most of the information can be obtained within 48 hours.
Conducting a criminal background check is a lot more difficult. This is why most large corporate organizations recruit the services of a professional employment screening company for the criminal check. Another advantage to employing a professional is that the employer does not have to spend time studying the different laws.
Criminal background checks can be done statewide as well as nation wide. It is faster and easier to conduct court searches for the state than a nation wide search as there is no national database of criminal records.
An employment screening company that is conducting a national criminal record checks needs authorization from the FBI before it can access the National Crime Information Center. It is illegal for private companies to obtain criminal information from the NCIC without government authorization.
Most pre employment screening services will search through criminal records databases for any information on potential employees. This makes the entire process of applicant screening go by much faster. However, a traditional criminal background check is conducted by searching through documents at individual courthouses.
Employers who request a criminal background check need to understand that criminal records databases could be incomplete. They also need to be aware that not al the information obtained through a criminal background check can be used for applicant screening.
A lot of employment screening companies will also run a social security trace at the same time as a criminal background check. This is to determine if the applicant has a criminal record under any other name.
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