Employee Background Investigations – Chilton Gibbs & Associates LLC, Augusta GA
When you think about employee background investigations, you likely think about employee criminal history checks. However, employee background investigations can be more than that. It’s a process to help determine if an applicant is appropriate for a position. It can look at employment history, education, references, civil records and more.
A background investigations and verification ensures your workspace remains safe with an employee criminal history check. It ensures that a candidate can do what they claim on an application by verifying prior employment and education. It verifies a candidate is whom he/she claims to be. You can even verify that a candidate isn’t wanted outside the country. Background Investigations help protect you, your company, your client and your employees.
What Shows on an Employee Criminal History?
It depends on the laws in your state. Some states prohibit companies from asking about any arrest records. Some prohibit using this information for employment-related decisions. Arrests are not proof of guilt. They tend to be unreliable and unfair as a barrier to a job. Therefore, many states ask only about convictions rather than arrests. This actually protects your company from using unlawful information when hiring someone.
Will a Dismissed Case Show on Employee Background Investigations?
These may show on a background check depending on the state. A criminal charge may stay on a record after charges are dismissed. They may show even if a criminal case results in a not guilty verdict. Employers should know the difference between a charge and a conviction. Charges that do not result in guilty verdicts may not always be lawful to use.
Sealed or Expunged Records
If an applicant has had criminal records expunged or sealed, those records should no longer show on a background check. An expunged record is deleted completely. If a candidate has had a conviction expunged from the record, he or she may lawfully answer “no” when asked about convictions.
Some private investigators may still be able to obtain data on expungements. This can give you additional information about a candidate, although some states may prohibit this practice. In many instances, if the background investigator is truly thorough, these records can be found at the clerk of court office and with the police jurisdiction that made the original charge.
Will a Traffic Infraction Show on a Background Check?
Some employers wonder about traffic tickets. Do they show on a background check? In most instances, you would need to obtain motor vehicle records to obtain an applicant’s driving history. Most traffic infractions do not appear on criminal history checks. Most are civil citations, which are not felonies or misdemeanors. DUI and/ or reckless driving citations are criminal traffic offense in some states. These convictions do show on a background check.
How Far Back in Time will a Criminal Background Check Go?
This depends on the state. Currently, there is no federal law governing this subject. However, the Fair Credit Reporting Act FCRA limitations mean that a credit bureau can include adverse information about a consumer on a credit report. This includes tax liens and bankruptcy. However, there is no similar regulation for criminal history checks. Most states passed laws to address these matters. The typical criminal background check will cover around seven years. Just remember that the Fair Credit Reporting Act FCRA limitations govern only credit issues.
What Are Verification Checks?
Criminal history checks provide only one piece of a pre-employment background investigation process. You will also want to verify other information provided by an applicant on a resume or job application. A criminal history check shows nothing about past education or employment. You must check these details through other verification methods. Most private investigators will check education, employment history, professional certification or licensing and reference checks.
How Will an Employment Verification Work?
An employment verification check should validate the work history data supplied by an applicant on their resume. It can be common for candidates to exaggerate their employment history to make it appear much more impressive or to obtain a job they are not qualified for. This can include altering a job title, listing job responsibilities outside the scope of the job or changing the start and end dates of employment. Employment verification checks include contacting the prior employers and verifying the accuracy of the information supplied by the candidate.
You might wonder what previous employers can or cannot say about employees. You may wonder what you can or cannot say about your previous employees. Contrary to popular opinion, no federal laws exist that restrict what an employer may say about previous employees. For example, if an applicant you are screening was let go from a previous employer, that employer can tell you this information. They can also tell you the reason behind the firing.
However, you might still be subject to a defamation lawsuit. As such, most employers have their own policies restricting them from divulging sensitive information. You may want to exercise caution when you have damaging information on a previous employee. You want to avoid a lawsuit for slander. Therefore, most employment verification checks will address objective specifics that are easy to verify, such as job title, employment dates, salary information, and duties or responsibilities. In some instance, it would be appropriate to ask if the employee is eligible for re-hire. At which time the former employer can simply say yes or no.
How Does a Reference Check Work?
When you want to check references on an applicant’s resume, you should expect that person to offer a subjective assessment of the candidate. Typically, recruiters will assume that references will give glowing reviews of a person. Otherwise, the candidate would not have listed them on their resume. A private investigator can find other people who can offer a more objective assessment of a candidate’s skills and work performance. They may also find information on personality and work ethics, which are all elements that will help you determine whether an applicant will fit into your work environment and perform well.
As an employer, you want to have a comprehensive overview of any issue that could impact your workplace. As an employee, you want to know in advance what kind of information would be developed during a background investigation. It is highly useful information when applying for a position.
Call Chilton Investigations in Augusta GA if you are a business that understands the importance and is in need of a proper, thorough background investigation for employees.
