A background check is a process that entails going through an individual’s past in order to determine if a person is a good potential employee. Employee background checks often involve the obtaining of classified information about a person. There are many reasons for an employer to check the background of potential employees. Additionally, there is a specific process for checking an employee’s background.
Employers check backgrounds in order to make sure that they have the best employees on hand. An employee who has a history for being uncooperative with management would probably not be a good hire. Background checks can also involve criminal records. Criminal records are also important to check because employers will most likely not want to hire someone convicted of a felony.
Employee background checks are done through agencies are then the business of employment. Businesses pay agencies to do background checks on their potential hires. This is done with the full knowledge of the candidate, and there are certain things that a potential employer is not privy to. Employers have the option of calling previous employers of an individual. Usually, these calls are merely for facts (such as employment dates), but previous employers have the right to share any information about a work record. For this reason, employers can get an accurate idea of what type of worker they will be hiring. Potential employers can also get in contact with character and personal references in order to gain an even more accurate idea of the potential employee.
Background checks include a plethora of information. Much of the information is on public record, however, some can be private. Employers are privy to certain private information. Some of the information obtained in background checks is driving records, credit records, workers’ compensation records, military records, social security numbers, drug test records, sex offender lists, and many more.
Is an instant background check even possible?
Background checks are utilized by many different institutions. Primarily, background checks are used by businesses in order to check for the history of potential employees. However, background checks can be used for a plethora of other reasons. Background checks can be done manually, or instantly. With the proliferation of the Internet, background checks are becoming easier and faster as information is more readily available.
An instant background check can be done online, or by phone. It is called instant because only a few key facts about a person need to be entered, and the program will return the desired background information. Instant background checks work to gather the information that is on the public record. Information about a person can be obtained from a variety of sources. Simple information such as a social security number, address, and criminal records can be obtained via these instant processes.
If the background check is being done via the phone, the individual being checked may have to state his or her name and social security number in the presence of an employer. Otherwise, the employer may make the call. In either case, a worker at an agency will do the background check by entering the information into the agency’s system. Depending on the speed of the system, the background information should be obtained almost immediately.
Instant background checks are great because they are not as time consuming as other types of background checks. They can even be done online in order to find out information about an individual. There are many web sites that have simple forms that can be filled out and sent in. Depending on the web site, information can be returned almost instantly, or within at least twenty-four hours. For people who do not want to have to find information from a variety of sources, instant background checks are a great option.
How do companies check Employee criminal background check?
All employers looking for new hires will most likely subject them to a criminal record background check. Many people becoming extremely nervous when they find out that their criminal record is being checked. Some may wonder what exactly will be checked and scrutinized. It is a good idea to inform these people of exactly what a business will be looking for. It is important to know, that when running a criminal background check, some information is protected by federal law, while other information is available to the public.
Felonies always show up on criminal record background checks. Convicted offenders will have their records made available to whoever requests them. Major felonies can include homicides, robberies, or certain types of drug possession charges.
Misdemeanors are not as harsh as felonies and are not considered to cause to immediately not hire someone. Some states have laws that can keep certain misdemeanors private from background checks. One of these misdemeanors is marijuana possession. For example, in states like Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, companies cannot find out information on marijuana possession and therefore use it as a reason to not hire someone. At the same time, other states are stricter about their policies with misdemeanors and may require residents to provide employers with as much information as possible. Finding misdemeanor information is easy, and it is up to one’s discretion to decide whether or not to hire someone with a misdemeanor.
Many potential employees are very concerned about criminal record background checks. However, it is important to know what information will show up on a criminal record background check so that employees can be told what will and will not be searched. Not all criminal record information can rightfully disqualify individuals from getting hired. Misdemeanors and felonies are taken very differently, and not all misdemeanors will be provided.
