Unmasking the Mystery: Addressing HR’s Top 7 Employee Background Check Questions

Both – the depth and scope of employee background checks depend on several factors i.e., region, industry, and unique needs of the employers.

However, let’s talk about the major consideration which is government regulations.

Different countries have different regulations that control the depth of background checks.

For example, the majority of US states including Virginia, California, Kansas, Ohio, and New York have capped a 7-year limit for certain types of background check scope in their attempt to be compliant with Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

However, states like Kansas and Maryland approve background check extensions if the individual’s salary is more than $20,000 a year.

In essence, talent acquisition and HR teams must be aware of the jurisdictions they serve and the regulations that belong to those jurisdictions.

Typically, the aim of conducting an employee background check is to verify and assess whether an individual’s shared academic and past employment information is correct.

However, in the case of high-level positions, it goes beyond academic and past employment checks.

The following are some common elements employee background checks look for. 

It is worth mentioning that employers must always comply with regulations while deciding the depth and scope of background checks.

Thus, it is always advisable to work with a reliable employee background check services vendor.

An advanced background check or level 2 background check is a more detailed investigation into an individual’s past as compared to a standard or generic background check.

While the scope and depth of level 2 background checks are also governed by government regulations, it typically involves added screenings on top of basic checks.

These screenings include, 

• A criminal history check from county, state, and federal databases
• Fingerprinting for the highest-ever accurate screening
• Contacting a broader range of previous employers, cross-referencing job titles and responsibilities
• Contacting additional references beyond those provided by the candidate
• Contacting educational institutions directly and verification of academics and ethics beyond mere degrees and certifications
• Screening against government watchlists
• Verifying the authenticity and validity of professional licenses and certifications

For conducting advanced level 2 background checks, employers must go specific as not every background check services provider is equipped with tech to support this level of BGC.

Background check is very fascinating until you hit its gray side which is a long turn-around time.

Most basic and standard employee background checks take somewhere between 3-7 business days to be completed and generated the report.

In the case of a level 2 background check, turn-around time can be extended to as much as 30 days as it involves government entities.

There are a few background check service providers who offer instant BGC services, however, with a high risk of inaccurate or incomplete checks.

Azilen being committed to solving burning recruitment challenges with NextGen Solutions have a workable and reliable solution to get BGC report within seconds.

Velocity Network Foundation is an organization working relentlessly to reinvent how career records are shared and verified across the global market.

Leveraging blockchain technology, Velocity Foundation enables employers to turbocharge recruitment by instantly verifying career and academic data shared by candidates.

For higher agility, employers can integrate their system of records with Velocity’s blockchain network for issuing and verifying the credentials directly from their single system.

In most states and countries, conducting BGC without taking the consent of the candidate and/or employee is a violation of privacy laws and employment regulations.

Thus, it is mandatory to obtain the candidate’s permission before conducting a background check.

Not only this but in the case of turning a candidate down for a job based on a BGC report, employers are bound to tell an individual the following verbally, in writing, or electronically,

• Contact details of background check services provider
• That individual holds the right to get a free report from the background check services provider
• That individual has the right to dispute information on the report
• That the background check services provider didn’t make the decision about not hiring a candidate

If your BGC workflow is lengthy, expensive, and complicated for even applicants, you must make a call and optimize it.

The top KPIs for BGC workflow optimization practice must be reduced delays and efficient & thorough screenings.

The following strategies will support you in achieving those KPIs. 

However, one sure-shot strategy to optimize the BGC workflow is to go for HR Integration Services and execute background check API integration.

With this, TA and HR teams can get rid of jumping between BGC, ATS, and HCM systems, leading to faster operations that will ultimately enhance the candidate experience.

Not only this but it dramatically reduces the data entry or data migration required from one system to another, i.e., from ATS to BGC and again from BGC to ATS to HCM.