For those involved in hiring, the new year has brought with it many changes in a variety of sectors, and the background check industry is no exception. We have seen a number of trends emerging in 2017, trends that employers and hiring managers need to be aware of as they expand and manage their teams..
Attorney Lester Rosen listed his predictions for these top ten trends in a recent post, and we’ll expand on each in coming posts. The list includes predictions for 2017 on the growing adoption or prevalence of:
- “Ban the Box” legislation
- Re-entry and second chance programs for ex-offenders
- The expectation of stronger security measures from screening providers
- Adapting to on-demand workforce, or members of “gig economy”
- Post-hire due diligence in the form of continuous screening
- Innovative and progressive screening software
- Adapting to unique background and expectations of Millennials in the screening process
- FCRA lawsuits
- Adapting to legalization of marijuana in drug testing
- Increased scrutiny of potential discrimination issues
Best Practices for Employers and Hiring Managers
While the impulse might be to feel some anxiety about the changing face of the background check industry, it will be helpful to remember these best practices:
- Compose a thorough and clear background check policy for your company.
- Ensure that written authorization is always obtained before running checks.
- Ensure FCRA compliance with all policies.
- Avoid blanket policies that generally excludes candidates or employees based explicitly on their criminal records.
- Ensure that exclusionary policies based on criminal has direct relevance to job description.
- Invest in technologically current screening providers.
By adhering to these best practices, employers can avoid the headache and liability of FCRA infractions and protect their companies by finding and hiring only the most qualified candidates. VICTIG is proud to be an experienced provider of FCRA-compliant background policies. Contact us for more information.
