The Four Typical Types of Background Checks

They have been proven to be necessary for businesses to hire the right people the first time around. Various types of background checks have protected businesses against liability, showing a "reasonable effort" to protect current employees and customers. These checks fulfill due diligence and protects businesses from costly negligent hiring lawsuits. The background screening process is the first step in creating a financially and legally rewarding system that addresses businesses' greatest concerns such as:· theft and loss of property information,· training costs,· negligent hiring or retention claims,· productivity, and· violence in the workplace.

TypesThe most typical types of background checks are:

I. Criminal Background and Drug Screening: done at Federal, state and county levels.

II. Employment Screening: to verify employment history (work habits and skills) with previous employers.

III. Education and Licensing Screening: to verify education levels and degrees as well as professional licenses where applicable.

IV. Nationwide Tenant Background Check: by conducting an SSN trace, address history, 7-years national criminal database records and national sex offender registry checks.

Categories

These checks are typically completed by obtaining a name, social security number to validate identity by running instant check identity verification. For employment purposes, each job title fits into one of the following three categories of screening:

Category I: of individuals who have access to workspaces (contractors, vendors, or cleaning staff who do not have access to systems and operational processes. The screening process may involve an instant identity verification, drug screening and criminal background.

Category II: of regular or part-time staff with access to workspaces, systems and operational processes with screening process that involves instant identity verification, drug screening, criminal background, education verification, employee verification, and moving violation record.


Category III: of individuals with high degree of access to critical systems or information (department heads, corporate security, IT and finance personnel) and the screening process involves instant identity verification, drug screening, criminal background, education verification, employee verification, moving violation record, civil background and professional licenses.

Considering the legal restrictions of FCRA screening limitations, Americans with disability screening limitations and equal opportunity screening limitations for conducting checks is part of the process. It is therefore recommended to initiate and complete background checks only after a job offer is made and contingent upon passing the check before the person starts work.