A background screening can give you the scoop on a candidate if you’re an employer looking to hire new employees. Using these reports, you can verify social security numbers and employment details. You can also learn more about a person’s credit history and identify sex offenders.
Employment details
A background screening is a service that helps employers verify the employment details of an applicant. Most companies will run a background check on prospective employees to ensure they are honest and have a good track record.
Although federal laws do not restrict sharing information regarding past employers, many states have stricter requirements. To be compliant with state laws, employers should only request the information they need to make an informed hiring decision. In addition, employers should consult with a legal professional to ensure that they are not breaking any state laws. However, the following are some general guidelines for employers when using a background screening service.
Verification of employment details that a background screen provides to the employer: Before a background screening service can perform this type of check, the prospective employer must obtain the employee’s permission to verify their employment. The employer will use this information to verify their employment and income if the job applicant provides permission. This benefits both the applicant and the employer because it is a consensual exchange of digital employment data. Manual methods of verifying employment details involve calling current and previous employers to verify the information. However, this process is much more cumbersome.
Social security number
Verifying social security numbers as part of background screening involves comparing an applicant’s social security number to the social security administration’s (SSA) records. If the SSN matches, the applicant is considered eligible for employment. The process is called Consent Based Social Security Verification. It is used in adverse hiring decisions and widely across industries and job positions.
A Social Security Number is a vital piece of identification information. It unlocks a person’s entire residential history and confirms that the records belong to that person. Due to increasing instances of SSN fraud, the U.S. Social Security Administration has implemented significant changes to its process.
Social security number checks can help employers verify the applicant’s identity and flag fraudulent activities. They can also help identify aliases and previous addresses. While SSN verification isn’t directly related to criminal records, it can help employers perform a more comprehensive background check.
Credit history
Verification of credit history is a routine part of hiring and background checks. It may involve driving record checks, criminal records checks, and credit history checks. Although these checks give employers a good overview of a candidate’s financial history, they do not affect a person’s credit score. However, if you have a less-than-stellar credit history, you should conduct your background check before taking on a new position.
The laws governing background checks vary by state but generally prohibit discrimination. Credit history is critical information that can make or break your life. Many life goals require an excellent credit report, so maintaining a good one is essential. However, repairing your credit report takes time and discipline.
Background checks can include data from driving records, social media presence, and criminal records. Some background checks also check the applicant’s credit score. A good credit score makes it easier to obtain a loan and can help a person qualify for better interest rates and terms. A higher credit score also means a person will pay less interest over their lifetime.
Sex offenders
Identifying sex offenders through a background check is crucial for organizations dealing with vulnerable populations. This background check provides details such as the person’s name, physical description, photograph, and offense history. This information can also assess the sex offender’s risk level.
This database is searchable by the public, including employers. Although most employers do not use information from this database, they can do so when required by law or to protect vulnerable individuals.
Several websites provide access to sexual offender databases. One of these websites is crim check. This database stores information on convicted sex offenders in the United States and other countries. The information on sex offender reports includes the person’s name, physical characteristics, convicted offenses, and last known address.