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Background checks can be conducted in a
variety of ways. It's possible to run a number
of different types of searches, all with different
benefits and different types of records.
Although, at a minimum, a National Criminal
Database Search is recommended, County
Criminal or Federal Criminal Searches should
also be considered.
National Criminal Database Searches cast
a wide net, searching records from sources
across the U.S. However, this search is only
as effective as the information provided and,
unfortunately, not all counties and jurisdictions
choose to or are able to enter records into the
database.
That is why it's also recommended to run
a Past Address History and local County
Criminal search to strengthen your screening
program. Including Federal Criminal Searches
in your reports provides an additional level
of screening by specifically searching federal
district courts for federal crimes, such as drug
trafficking, bank robbery, and kidnapping.
5) Follow Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
guidelines to protect your organization from
legal sanctions.
FCRA compliance requires attention to
several different areas to ensure your
background screening program meets all
federal and state requirements. Although
laws do vary between individual states, three
topics consistently stand out:
1) Disclosure and Authorization - Make
sure everyone you screen has signed a
disclosure and authorization form prior to the
background check being run. Many vendors
have the ability to obtain authorization
electronically through online consent forms,
or you can ask USIndoor.
2) Notification Provisions - A candidate
must receive certain notifications in
connection to his or her background check.
These include a FCRA summary of rights,
the right to a free copy of the background
check, and the right to contact information
to dispute the results of a background
