Pre Employment Screening
Services Information

What Employers are allowed to find out about applicants.

Employment Background Checks give employers peace of mind when it comes to hiring new employees. Increased risk of violence, theft and criminal in the workplace, has made it necessary for employers to conduct pre employment screening including criminal background checks in addition to asking about criminal records on job applications. Employers that fail to take reasonable precautions during their hiring process risk litigation if an employee with a criminal record harms someone in the workplace. A background screening company such as AAA Credit Screening Services (AAACSS) assist employers in the hiring process by providing data regarding employment and pre employment screening services in an easy, prompt and expedient manner.

Will running criminal background checks prevent individuals that has a criminal record from ever finding a good job, or does it ensure that employers never hire a person with a criminal record? The answer to both questions is no. Private employers that check an applicant’s background records normally do not have access to governmental criminal databases. Private employers can check criminal records by physically going to individual courthouses and looking through the records kept by each court. There are over 10,000 courthouses in the United States making a nationwide courthouse check for an applicant’s criminal record impractical.

Examining an applicant’s resume or job application will be an indicator as to which courts or areas of the country to search during background screening. Records kept by credit bureaus can also be used to review records, due to the fact that they list addresses associated with the applicant’s Social Security Number. Employers need to verify prior employment to be able to track where an employee has been and make sure there are no unexplained gaps in employment. If a prior address check isn't carefully examined, criminal records can be missed.

Employers that hire background check companies such as AAACSS should know that they are regulated by The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and will require an applicant’s written consent for searches to be conducted. If an applicant is found to have a criminal record, that applicant must be given an opportunity to question it’s accuracy and must receive a copy of their legal rights before the decision to deny the applicant the job is made final. Due to the manner in which public records are kept, errors are always possible, and cases of mistaken identity have occurred.

There are legal limits on how far back court researches can go in reporting convictions. Event with the limitations, it is still a valuable tool for employers to use during the hiring process. A search for criminal background records discourages applicants with something to hide and limits uncertainty in the hiring process.

It also provides proof that an employer exercised due diligence. Even if an applicant is found to have a criminal background record during background screening by an employment screening agency, there are legal limitations on what information can be used by an employer.

Criminal Records, Credit Reports & More

If a criminal conviction or pending case appears during a search, does that necessarily mean that an applicant is eliminated? The answer again is no. Automatically denying employment can result in court findings against a company for discrimination against certain groups. Employers must determine whether there is a sound business reason to not hire an individual with a criminal record, taking into account the nature of the offense, whether it is job-related, when it occurred and what the person has done since.

What can applicants do if they are concerned about a criminal matter?

1. An attorney if the criminal record can be expunged or set aside by going back to court, or whether it is the type of offense that an employer may legally ask about or consider.
2. Applicants can seek to rebuild their resumes by finding employment with people they know, or with employers in a tight job market willing to give them an opportunity.
3. Honesty is always the best policy. A criminal matter explained during an interview may have much less of a negative impact than hiding it and having an employer discover it later. The denial of a job could be based upon the lack of truthfulness, regardless of the nature of the offense.

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