learn how to find people
Several popular websites are available for background checks
online. A few of the most popular are E-Background Check, U.S.
Search, Net Detective Plus and Best People Search. These
websites offer a variety of levels of investigation, depending
upon the employer's needs. Some of the information gathered is
instant, however for more detailed reports, employers should
expect a wait from anywhere between 1 and 7 days. Most of the
major background search firms online understand the importance
of adhering to the strict laws outlined in the Fair Credit
Reporting Act. The Act prohibits certain information (i.e.
bankruptcies over 10 years old, criminal charges without
convictions, etc.) from being considered in the pre-employment
process.
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Employers Requesting Background Checks
This week's job searching tip addresses a question from one of our readers about about background checks. While many employers will hire people without them, some companies require background checks on some or all of their potential hires.
QUESTION FROM A SUBSCRIBER:
Q: If a person receives a job offer, and is told that there is going to be a drug test and background check, what are the items relevant in the background check? At what point can a prospective employer reject a person?
- M.B.
Dear M.B.,
When it comes to background checks, the general rule is the background check needs to be relevant to the position you're being hired for. If the background check being conducted is checking for information that is not very relevant to how well/competent the applicant is likely to be in the job, it could be challenged - especially if the negative results of such a check would tend to disproportionately affect a protected class of job candidates (e.g. women, minorities, etc.).
Generally, even if you have been convicted of a crime, that fact alone should not disqualify you from a position unless the crime you committed would tend to make you a less qualified applicant for the job in question. For example, if someone was convicted for child molestation, they would probably not be a good candidate for a child care position, and an employer would in most cases be fine with using that as a reason not to hire the person. On the other hand, if someone was convicted of failing to taxes, it would be more difficult for an employer to use that as a reason not to hire them for that same type of position.
Another area where employers can run into trouble is with credit checks. If an employer requests a credit check of an employee who will not have any fiduciary responsibilities, it could be difficult for them to show that it was truly warranted. As an example, if ABC Company institues a policy to require credit checks on all their job candidates before hiring and a year later it turns out that a disproprotionate number of the people they rejected were minorities, one of the minority candidates would probably be successful in suing the company for damages if they could show that credit worthiness is not a good predictor of job performance for the type of position they applied for.
To address the question about your specific situation: the company you applied for would probably be on solid ground to reject you on the basis of a positive drug test provided that the drug test is administered to all job applicants (and not just job applicants that would likely be in a protected class).
For information about reference checks on your prior employers, check out this article:
http://www.jobsearchinfo.com/refs.htm
About the Author
Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.
Everyday the news tells of violence in the workplace and sex offenders on the prowl. The scary thing is that you usually never know who these people might be until it's too late. How many times have you seen an interview of someone describing an accused criminal as the nicest person you could ever know? They would have never suspected this person of committing any crime until the crime had already been commited. A criminal background check could have easily put up a red flag about this person and it might have
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Scott Brown
public records vinemont alabama
In the aftermath of 9-11, and the growing problem of workplace violence, the demand and need for employee background checks and security checks are now greater than ever. Employers are turning to investigative companies in greater numbers to run employee background checks on new job applicants and existing employees, including positions where security may not have previously been given much consideration in the "pre 9-11" era. Many employers are now requiring security clearances for many non-defense related "high-tech" positions including computer programming. Employee background checks are required by Federal or State law for certain occupations such as jobs working with
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This week's job searching tip addresses a question from one of our readers about about background checks. While many employers will hire people without them, some companies require background checks on some or all of their potential hires. QUESTION FROM A SUBSCRIBER:Q: If a person receives a job offer, and is told that there is going to be a drug test and background check, what are the items relevant in the background check? At what point can a prospective employer reject a person?- M.B.Dear M.B.,When it comes to background checks, the general rule is the background check needs to be
Click here to read more from this article
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