Background Check Basics
Smart organizations know their people are their most valuable business asset. Each new hire requires an investment of time, training, money, and resources. Even the best interviewing skills cannot detect every risky candidate or ensure the best applicant is selected. How can a hiring manager know the person they hired is the right fit?
Conducting comprehensive background checks on all potential hires can identify red flags in an applicant’s past and is the best way to ensure your business is making informed hiring decisions. Your human capital is often your largest organizational investment, and just like any other financial investment, it is crucial to perform proper due diligence prior to making decisions with direct impact on your company’s bottom line.
At AccuSourceHR, we understand one size programs and services do not fit all companies, even within the same industry. That's why we offer extensive flexibility in program design, business rules, and account structure to match your exact needs. With our technology, you get fast, accurate, actionable, and compliant reports. Plus, our US-based staff quickly responds to support requests from clients and candidates alike to ensure timely processing and optimal overall experience—so you always have someone to turn to if you have a question about a report.
Drug & Alcohol Screening
AccuSourceHR provides nationwide testing to promote safer workplaces. Options include testing of urine, oral fluid, blood, and hair. EBT breathalyzer testing is also available.
Free Infographic on Pros & Cons of Drug Screening Methods
Occupational Medical Services
Keep workers healthier and improve productivity. Ensure staff is fit for duty, meet healthcare worker immunization requirements, and remain compliant with OSHA regulation and DOT standards.
Motor Vehicle Records
Be covered for all Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements at the state and federal level. Keep your fleet safer with thorough Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) screening and ongoing monitoring services.
Watch List & Compliance Database
Easy compliance for screening federal debarment databases (OIG/GSA), Federal Drug Administration (FDA), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), National Practitioners Database (NPDB), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), state-specific child and patient abuse registries, and more.
Court Records
Help ensure your candidate’s past does not adversely impact your company’s future. AccuSourceHR offers extensive county court, federal court, statewide repositories, multi-state/national databases, and the nationwide sex offender database searches.
Free Infographic on Criminal Records and the Adverse Action Process
Education & Employment Verification
Be confident your candidates have the education and experience necessary for successful job performance. AccuSourceHR can verify degrees, attendance, GPA, past employment, salary, disciplinary actions, license/certification status, military records, and personal references.
Identity Verification/ Social Security Number Trace
Identity fraud and alias use are rampant. Be sure you know who you are hiring.
AccuSourceHR’s Social Security Trace and Address History Validation provide the data you need. Consent-based SSN verification (CBSV) is also available.
Credit Checks
Honesty and integrity are key benchmarks for positions of trust . Employment credit history reports can reveal valuable information on payment records, child support payment history, debt levels and more.
International Background Screening
AccuSourceHR provides global screening support–from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. We are experts in international background checks.
Explore our interactive world map.
Specialty Programs
AccuSourceHR’s concierge-level service extends to helping you identify and support quality screening programs for all organizational populations. Screen your vendors, students, volunteers, or contingent labor. Easy solutions for Form i-9 and E-verify services.
Our large staffing firm uses AccuSourceHR because they produce results. They don’t just sell a service, they ensure it fits our business needs. Their technology integrates seamlessly with our workflow and desktop software so our team spends more time recruiting, and less time dealing with background checks. Our account manager is responsive and technology people proactively involve us. That makes them the standard by which others are measured.
Integration Fast and Easy
We partner with major ATS and HRIS providers so integration is easy. See the full list of our ATS and Strategic Partners. Don’t see your system on the list? Contact us to discuss custom integrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who runs pre-employment background checks?
Smart organizations looking for the most complete picture of a candidate.
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When is the background screening process initiated?
A background check should be done during the hiring process. Generally, an organization will extend an offer of employment to a candidate contingent on the candidate passing a background check.
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How does one order a thorough background check on a potential employee?The most important step in the background screening process is finding a thorough, legally-compliant, and trustworthy background screening firm. Once an account is set up, screens can usually be ordered through an online portal to expedite the process.
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How far back do background checks go?The depth of a background check search depends on the type of data returned and the location of that data. Criminal searches may be limited to 7 or 10 years depending on the jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions allow reporting of all available records. Certain searches such as verification of employment, education, or professional licenses may not have time restrictions and are defined by the organization requesting the background check.
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Who does the background check and how do they get the information?Most employers know the value and perform some form of employment background check. The employer decides what searches to include in the background checks performed on their potential hires. The type of business or the position to be filled are among the factors which may be considered by the employer in determining what is included in a background check. The risk and budget for any given position or industry helps determine the use of a Consumer Reporting Agency CRA (background company) or performing selected services in-house.
Regulated industries such as transportation and health care have very stringent screening and testing requirements dictated by various laws. Contrary to some common misconceptions about background screening, there isn’t a single centralized government database that houses information about you that is accessed by commercial background screening companies. Each service provided is accessed directly from the source that maintains the information. For example, criminal records are housed at courts, education records are housed with the educational institutions, and driving records are maintained through each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
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What are background checks?
The process of investigating an applicant’s background including criminal records, credit history, past employment and education verification, identity verification, driving records, and screening for drug use.
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Why do companies run background checks?
To ensure that a candidate is qualified for the job and does not pose any kind of threat to the company, its employees, or its customers.
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What is included in a background check?
A background check during the hiring process can investigate many different aspects of a potential candidate’s past depending on what the employer is looking for. Checking an applicant’s background might include past employment history, education history, credit reports, criminal records, motor vehicle, and license records checks. Each of these services will return unique information specific to the search being done.
Depending on whether the employer is hiring for a particular department or level of management a comprehensive background screening program would take into consideration questions such as: What is the level of risk? Is there a fiduciary responsibility in the job? Is there necessary training or education required? All of these considerations can help an organization decide which aspects of a candidate’s past are relevant and worthy of being looked into. -
How long does a background check take?
A typical background check takes between 1 and 3 business days. The nature and scope of the research can play a large factor in turnaround time. There are extenuating circumstances that can delay a background check. The list below will help you understand what causes delays and how you can help:
A delay may occur if AccuSourceHR has difficulty establishing contact with your former employers or educational institutions. In such cases, AccuSourceHR may ask you to supply a W-2 or additional information to help substantiate the information in your application or resume. Having this documentation handy and providing it quickly will help speed up the process.
Delays may occur if courts are inundated with requests which can cause backlogs.
If an employer is requiring drug testing, a Medical Review Officer may contact you regarding a sample’s results.
International background searches might require additional information which can delay the process. International criminal searches and employment or education verifications will typically require more time to receive a response. -
What information is required to run a background check on an employment candidate?
The scope of a pre-employment background check can vary widely from employer to employer. Even the type of position sought and the employer’s industry can impact the breadth of the screening components contained in a specific screening request. The types of services or products contained in each background screening request has a significant bearing on the types of information required to facilitate research.
In a standard criminal history background screen, most Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) begin with a social security trace (SST) or address locator search to identify any previous addresses or alias names associated with the applicant. The applicant’s social security number (SSN) is generally required to conduct this type of search. Additionally, applicants are asked to provide their full legal name, date of birth, and at least 7 years of address history. The address history (both developed by the SST and applicant-provided) aids in determining the courts searched for potential criminal records. Most criminal records are indexed by the defendant’s name and date of birth. Once a potential record match is located, additional information is sometimes required to confirm the record match.
Employers often request additional services to meet their specific screening needs. These services commonly include verification of employment and education history, verification of professional licenses, personal and professional references, and driving records. Each type of search has its own set of search data required to ensure a quality result. No two employers are completely alike in their program needs and organizational requisites are ever-evolving.