Background Screening 101 - Summary

For the last 3 weeks, we have covered the main aspects of background screening. Now you know enough to be dangerous so to speak. I believe I have answered the different questions and covered the topics I have been asked about. If there's some burning question you want to know about background screening, just ask. I am happy to post additional topics and discuss any aspect of background screening that folks would like to hear about. More than anything, I want to help de-mystify background screening so that folks aren't afraid of it.

I wanted to summarize the information for you in this final post. Rather than regurgitate the content of all the different posts, below I have consolidated the top 10 key points.

1. Employers screen to minimize risk; they are trying to screen you in, not out; contractors are often screened just like employees
2. The primary law governing background screening is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA); same law that oversees your credit report
3. Besides their own desire to do the right thing, the two primary forces that keep employers from developing unfair policies are the EEOC and the fear of a class action law suit
4. The products purchased by employers are connected to the type of job, but criminal, employment and academic are almost always present
5. Not all employers do a comprehensive criminal screen (upper and lower court) and may have specific charges filtered so they never see them
6. Background screening companies not only verify what you provide, but also have a way of "developing" other information
7. Criminal histories don't automatically disappear the way bad credit does; it takes a judge or court order to remove information
8. Background screening companies label you based on an adjudication matrix as provided by the employer
9. For academic and employment history, background screening companies only verify basic demographic information; they do not verify contributions, but the employer might
10. Last but not least, the law requires that be notified if you are eliminated from a job based on a background report and you have the right to dispute that finding

I hope you have enjoyed reading these posts and they have provided value to you. I would appreciate any feedback you might have.