RELIABLE BACKGROUND SCREENING INDUSTRY NEWS AND ARTICLES
Industry news, helpful tips, and valuable insight from the Reliable Background Screening Team.
The Importance of County Background Searches
Many employers assume that their pre-employment background checks include all criminal records associated with the applicant in question, but did you know that no criminal database exists that covers the entire country. Even the “FBI files” only have about fifty percent of all crimes in the country. Further, the original source of all crimes is typically the county courthouse criminal record. Of most importance, the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) requires that any record found in a criminal database be verified by the original source, i.e., a county criminal records search, before any adverse action can be taken. While certain crimes are [...]
The Impact of Removing D.O.B. from Public Records
REMOVING DATE OF BIRTH IMPERILS CRIMINAL RECORDS SEARCHES Did you know that certain states and counties are considering removing or redacting dates of birth (DOB) from public court records, which will make it nearly impossible to verify an individual’s criminal history? This is because criminal records typically have no social security numbers (SSN) attached to them. Without a date of birth as an additional identifier, it becomes extremely problematic to verify whether a particular criminal record, with a name match only, is your applicant's. This is placing companies and organizations at significantly greater risk. In Michigan, for example, a 2019 decision by [...]
Adverse Action Notices Become More Complex with Employee Screening
Adverse Action Notices Become More Complex with Employee Screening Adverse Action | An FCRA Requirement The FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act – the federal law that governs background checks) requires Adverse Action Notices for all types of background checks – whether it is tenant screening, volunteer screening, country club membership screening, franchisee screening or employee screening background checks. However, the FCRA places its most onerous regulations upon employee screening, both with its initial disclosure and authorization requirements, as well as with its Adverse Action Notices rules. What is Adverse Action? Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Adverse Action is defined as: A [...]
IF YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN®
IF YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN® Earlier this month, Hawaii's Department of Health Services came under scrutiny for hiring a convicted murderer into a role that directly interacts with young victims of domestic violence. The individual in question was found guilty of murder and was later paroled before relocating to the state of Hawaii. While reviewing the candidate’s application for a position within the Child Welfare Services division, Hawaii’s Department of Health Services neglected to complete an extensive background check, instead only checking local records for past criminal history. Hawaii’s Department of Health Services is fortunate their negligence was [...]
