In this ebook we have discussed the most important pre-employment screening best practices that an employer or a HR decision maker needs to follow. More Information visit our website - https://www.cfirstcorp.com/pre-employment-screening-best-practices-a-guide/

1. Pre-Employment
Screening
Best
practices
A Guide to

2. CONTENT
3
5
8
12
14
16
19
21
Introduction
Select The Right Background Screening
Be prepared in advance before conducting pre-employment
background screening of prospective candidates
Legal compliance is a must while conducting employment
screening
Leverage technology to build a scalable process that meets
global possibilities
Provide a positive candidate experience while conducting
pre-employment background screening
Conduct ongoing screening to maintain a safe and secure
work environment
Conclusion

3. The Case for Background
Screening
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There is a famous saying“Never judge a book by its cover”. This saying fits appropriately when it comes to settling on a candidate for a vacant position.
It is a harsh truth, but candidates do not always tell everything about themselves and the things that they tell are not necessarily true. Candidates often
lie in their resumes.
With the aid of an employment screening, recruiters can dig out even the minutest of details pertaining to the candidate before they join the
organization. It gives them confidence that the new hire is free from any murky past that can have an adverse effect on the brand image of the
organization and your current employees can work without any apprehensions as the workplace is comprised of employees with a clean past. It also
ensures that there is no negative impact on the client relationship.
Before you consider a candidate for a vacant position, it is recommended that you scrutinize each and every part of their resume including their past
employment status, the authenticity of their educational qualifications, the legitimacy of certifications held and many other details. On top of these
details mentioned in the resume, recruiters also have to scrutinize other factors, including criminal history, sex offenders list, drug test records and
identity verification.
Employment screening assists the organization to manage the risk during the hiring process. The extent and type of employment screening to be
conducted is contingent upon the country’s laws and regulations. It is even dependent on the nature of the employment. There is an increased
freedom given to organizations when it comes to scrutinizing employee records for jobs that deal with the risks to the public and high integrity risk
positions.
Although, you might have to spend some amount to conduct a professional employment screening it is totally worth it. Since, it can save you the
trouble from an unwanted termination and potential legal liability.

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Best Practices for conducting
employee Background
Screening Now, that you are aware about the importance of conducting pre-employment back-
ground screening it is important to look at some of the best practices that need to be
followed while conducting pre-employment screening for candidates.
In this ebook we have discussed some of the most important best practices that an
employer or a HR decision maker needs to follow to get the most out of their back-
ground screening efforts.

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First of all decide whether you have the acumen to carry out the
all-inclusive employment screening process yourself. If you are
not good at it, the best option is to outsource this task to an
expert background screening vendor. Here are some of the traits
of an ideal background screening vendor.
SELECT THE RIGHT
BACKGROUND SCREENING
vendor that can meet
your needs
1)

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Offers full background screening services
Your ideal background screening vendor should provide an all-inclusive screening solution taking
prior written permission from the individual and abiding by the FCRA or your country specific
guidelines. It provides detailed search results for the individual in question ensuring that the right
talent is selected. It does comprehensive research pertaining to online databases and conducting
personal courthouse visits to scrutinize the criminal history of the individual in question. It even
scrutinizes the past employment and educational credentials of the candidate.
Meets legal compliance
An ideal background verification company complies with the state, federal and local laws
governing your organization. It has a written guideline that ensures that the information that they
provide to you comply with the law in question. It is FCRA complaint and imparts the training and
procedures to its employees by following its rules strictly. It updates itself with the changes in the
laws related to background screening of an individual.
Gives Utmost Importance to Data Security and Privacy
An ideal background verification company will ensure that the data collected by them is highly
secure and is kept private so that the information is never breached. It has a written policy in place
in the form of a contractual agreement that binds them to never resell the information collected;
irrespective of whether it is client related or individual related. This ensures that the information is
kept under high security. It even follows the FTC guidelines while destroying the paper and
electronic records found during screening.
Ensures Fast Turnaround Time
A good background verification company understands the importance of conducting
employment screening of the individual in question on a timely basis. It does this without
sacrificing the quality of the screening. It has a written policy in place related to conducting the
background screening processes and TAT that assists in plan their processes to achieve the
promised TAT within the set deadline.
a).
b).
c).
d).
YOUR IDEAL BACKGROUND SCREENING
VENDOR SHOULD PROVIDE AN ALL-
INCLUSIVE SCREENING SOLUTION
TAKING PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION
FROM THE INDIVIDUAL AND ABIDING
BY THE FCRA. IT PROVIDES DETAILED
SEARCH RESULTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
IN QUESTION ENSURING THAT THE
RIGHT TALENT IS SELECTED.

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Has The Right Technology to Automate the Onboarding and Screening
Process As Far As Possible
An ideal background screening vendor is tech savvy and utilizes the technology to its best
advantage by saving time, efforts and costs. It provides a totally paperless mechanism to order
checks and track progress and view reports. It has an electronic portal or applicant kiosk that
assists in making the employment screening process easier for the candidate.
Delivers Quality Results
A good background verification company has the knack of delivering quality results by properly
analyzing the candidate information. It has a proven track record of providing high quality
screening reports with the help of a dedicated quality assurance team that works on screening
each and every report before it is passed to you.
Should Be Trustworthy
A good background screening vendor will be accredited by a professional organization which
will help it to demonstrate competence in key performance areas including legal compliance,
client researcher and data standards, information security, verification standards and overall
business practices.
Has Enough Experience and Expertise
An ideal background screening partner will have the right experience needed to carry out
comprehensive screening services. It will have a great reputation, excellent customer service
and excellent client retention capabilities to back their xperiences and expertise.
e).
f).
g).
h).

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Before conducting employment screening of
prospective candidates it is important to plan
ahead and ensure that you are able to take
effective steps in case of any discrepancy
found while carrying out the employment
screening process:Prepare yourself
BEFORE CONDUCTING
BACKGROUND SCREENING
2)

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Have a well-defined background screening policy in place
Every organization needs to have a consistent, compliant and cost-effective employment
screening policy. A well-devised employment screening policy will bring consistency and
efficiency into your hiring process. It is advisable to take the help of a legal counselor while
developing a background screening policy. It should consist the following components:
Define the purpose and scope of the background screening policy
Your background screening policy needs to define the purpose of conducting the employment
screening and also define the scope of the program, i.e.; the different types of positions that will
be subject to background screening.
Designate organizational responsibility and authority to conduct screenings
Your employment screening policy needs to designate the people or person responsible for
implementation and management of the program. It needs to define the types of employment
decisions that can be made by the designated person involved in the administration of the
program. There are certain situations where judgment call is required which makes it important
to define the person who is going to take the decisions.
Define the legal parameters and guidelines to be followed in the process
A background screening policy needs to take into consideration any federal, state or local laws
affecting your capabilities of conducting the screening. Specify clearly that you comply with the
FCRA act requirements, EEOC guidelines and anti-discrimination laws and any other related laws
pertaining to screening in your country. The policy should provide a guideline and clear
direction so that the employment screening process is followed in a uniform and impartial
manner across all candidates.
I).
a).
II).
III).
IV). Outline the process to be
followed for conducting
background screening
Define the process, including the type
of screenings that will be performed,
the frequency of the screenings, the
positions in the organization where it
will be applicable and the criterion
that will separate an acceptable from
an unacceptable screening result. It is
also extremely important to keep all
the data collected throughout the
process to be safe and secured so that
the privacy of the candidates is not
compromised.

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Standardize the employment verification questions that you are going to ask
If you are contemplating on conducting employment screening on prospective candidates, standardize your questions that you are going to
ask. This can include, but not limited to:
The information that you can get from the previous employers is totally contingent on their disclosure policy, but it is extremely important
to ask questions pertaining to the subjects mentioned above. Also, take a note of all the information collected as well as the questions that
they were not willing to answer.
b).
Take the consent of the candidate before conducting pre-employment background check on them
The hiring manager needs to ask for the written permission from the candidate before conducting employment screening to check their
background history.
Even though employment screening can be conducted without the consent of the candidate it will lessen the amount of attainable information.
Also, there are certain federal and state laws that limit the information when conducting employment screening without prior consent. If you do
not take the consent of the candidate before conducting the screening it can result in facing lawsuits.
c).
Start and end
dates of the
past three
employment
Reason
for leaving
the current
organization
Eligibility for
rehire (if not,
why not?)
Payslips
of the past
organizations
Jobs titles
held

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Be consistent with the years of past employment history to be verified for the candidate
There needs to be a consistency when it comes to verifying the past employment history of the candidate otherwise it can result in
allegations of discrimination. Decide in advance the range of the work history of the candidate to be verified. While there can be a
temptation to consider different parameters for different employees in the organization according to position or job level, refrain from
straying from the set guidelines on a person-to-person basis.
d).

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Background screening is becoming a standard item on the hiring
checklist. This makes it imperative for you to comply with certain
local, federal and state laws pertaining to conducting these
screenings on potential candidates. This includes the following:
Legal compliance is a must while
CONDUCTING EMPLOYMENT
SCREENING
3)

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Always be up to date with the global laws governing pre-employment
screening
In India, there is no specific law governing the employment screening of candidates. But, there
is a law : Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive
Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 (SPDI Rules) pertaining to the collection and use of
sensitive and personal information. However, these rules are limited to financial information,
physical, psychological and mental health condition, password, medical records, historic and
biometric information along with sexual orientation.
While in the US it is compulsory to follow these laws while conducting employment screening:
FCRA Act
It is mandatory to comply with the FCRA act which regulates how employers conduct
employment screening of candidates. It covers all the major background screening reports,
including driving records and criminal records obtained from a Consumer Reporting Agency
(CRA). The FCRA allows employers to carry out employment screening and use the information
to take the decisions related to firing, hiring, reassigning or promoting an individual.
The Americans for Disabilities Act
This law enables employers to ask about the candidate’s ability to perform a specific job
without asking for medical records.
The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act
It disallows any organization based in the US from taking the hiring decision on the basis of the
genetic information of the individual in question.
The Federal Privacy Act
Basic information pertaining to a person in the military service can be obtained. But, special
permissions are required to acquire the information.
a).
I).
II).
III).
IV).
V). EEOC
It is illegal to take the decision of
performing background screening
of an individual on the basis of the
person’s national origin, sex, race,
disability, genetic information, or
age. Never bar a candidate on the
basis of past criminal history.
Evaluate the job in hand and duties
to be fulfilled before taking the final
decision. But, always give a chance
to an individual to defend
themselves in case of a past
criminal record before taking
the final call.
VI). Ban the Box
There are certain new laws that have
emerged in the US that prohibit
employers from asking criminal
history questions early in the
employment application process.
This law ensures that there is no
discrimination made while taking
the hiring process before finalizing
the candidate for the vacant
position.

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Many large organizations are looking to capture
broader marketplace, it is important to build
scalability in the employment screening
processes. You can do this by:
4)Leverage technology to build a
SCALABLE PROCESS THAT
MEETS GLOBAL
POSSIBILITIES

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Build a scalable process that meets global possibilities
While building a scalable employment screening process that meets global possibilities, take
into account all the applicable laws pertaining to the type of screening to be conducted. These
are some of the prerequisites to building a global background screening program:
Some of the benefits of having a scalable employment screening solution include:
Handle sudden spikes in the search volume
A scalable screening solution will have the adequate resources to handle the sudden increase in
the search volumes. This can happen during the holiday periods when there is an increased
demand for staffing or after a merger when the employees must be re-screened for the
organization.
Accommodate
international
employment
screening, thereby
maximizing your
efficiencies
With organizations now
expanding their reach to
global workforce, a
scalable screening
solution can assist you to
screen domestic as well as
international candidates
with a single provider
rather than managing
multiple providers. This
will minimize your
accounting hassles.
a).
I).
II).
Responsibility
The program needs to
comply with all the
legal requirements
and limitations. Take
the help of a legal
counselor to
determine the laws
that are applicable
and how to follow
them.
Relevance
The employment
screening needs to be
relevant to the
industry and sector
of the organization
and the potential
roles and
responsibilities
of the candidate.
Requirements
Understand
the business
requirements for
conducting global
employment
screening and
turnaround time.

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As the global unemployment rates keep on diminishing, organizations are finding it difficult to hire talented individuals
for their business. It is no brainer that improving the candidate experience has become a prima facie mantra of success
for employers. If organizations do not consider the repercussions of a poor candidate experience it can contribute to not
only loss of best talents but also negatively impacting the brand of the organization. Therefore, employers are now
focusing their efforts on enhancing the interactions with the candidates i.e.; improving the communication methods,
better leveraging new technologies and simplifying the application process. Let us look at some of the ways organiza-
tions can provide a positive candidate experience while conducting employment screening services:
Provide a positive candidate
EXPERIENCE WHILE
CONDUCTING PRE-EMPLOYMENT
BACKGROUND SCREENING
5)

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Communicate with the candidates throughout the hiring process
As candidates advance in the hiring process, it is important to communicate with them on a
regular basis to impart a positive candidate experience. This is even more critical as
employment screening processes induce feelings of uncertainty in the most confident
candidate. With the help of regular communication and educating the candidates about the
process, you can deliver a positive candidate experience during the screening process.
Providing quick turnaround time results for better chances of meeting the
candidate’s expectations
In this fast paced recruitment market hiring decisions need to be taken quickly. If you have to
wait for the slow-to-arrive background screening reports it does not serve the purpose. It also
has an adverse effect on the candidate experience as no one likes to wait for the results for a
longer period of time. If you have a quick turnaround time it gives you the desired results in
record time meeting the compliance requirements to conduct the screening and ensuring that
you meet the expectations of the candidate also.
Never discriminate while carrying out pre-employment background checks
on candidates
While conducting employment screening on individuals ensure that the process is conducted
without discriminating against any particular segment or group. We have already discussed the
EEOC laws which are quite necessary to ensure that candidates are not robbed of their chance
to get selected in an organization based on their sex, caste, religion etc. They should also not
be discriminated based on past criminal records held against them. Once you ensure that the
pre-employment background screening will be conducted without any bias, it will result in a
positive candidate experience.
a).
b).
c).

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Run the background screening process after deciding to give a conditional offer of employment to the candidate
According to Ban-the-Box laws it is not allowed to conduct employment screening on a candidate till the first interview is over in selected US
states. Even if the law is not applicable in your state, you should not rush to run the screening. Delay the process till you decide to give conditional
offer of employment to the candidates. There are two reasons for the delay: i) It will reduce the accusations of discrimination against candidates
having a criminal history; ii) It will save you lots of money. The reason being, if you only screen couple of candidates instead of all the 20 candi-
dates applying for the position, you will save money that would have been wasted on unnecessary checks.
d).
Give a chance to the candidate to explain if anything wrong comes up in the background check report
There are chances that the information you derive from the employment screening reports can be incorrect. This makes it important for you to
give a chance to the candidate to explain their position pertaining to the information found. By giving them an opportunity you are enhancing
their experience during the screening process which is a big plus for your employer brand.
e).

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Although rescreening current employees is
a necessary task, it may not always be
necessary. Follow these best practices to
use the rescreening process judiciously:
6)Conduct ongoing screening
TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AND
secure work
environment

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Do not leave senior staff while implementing a rescreening program for the current employees working in your
organization
According to a Hireright,“24% of organizations admit it is possible that their board members have never been checked”. It is a common
perception that many CXOs go through less background screening than the average college graduate. So, don’t leave senior staff while
implementing a rescreening program for these employees.
Rescreen employees when they are promoted or given
additional job responsibilities to ensure that they are fit for the
role being offered
Employers need to make it a standard practice to rescreen employees when
they are promoted, transferred to another department or given additional job
responsibilities and duties. It might have been several years since any
background check was done on the candidate. On top of that, there can be
additional screening requirement for the new position which were not
considered at the time of their appointment. Before giving the additional
responsibilities to the employees, it is important to ensure that they meet the
screening standards and criteria that are applicable to the new hires for the
same position.
Rescreen contractual workers every time they are hired for work
Organizations need to rescreen contractual workers based on the relevant job roles. It is the right time to adopt“staged”screening as it is not
only cost-effective but also efficient. Implement a system that enables you to rescreen the contractual workers on a periodic basis. Educate the
contractual workers upfront about your expectations, which will assist you to complete the process quickly and they will be happy with the
overall process.
Reduce employee risk by rescreening all or selected staff annually by taking proper measures in accordance with
the rescreening program
If your organization wants to run screening on a continuous basis, it is best to let the employees know about it from the very first day of their
hire date. Implement a policy where each and every employee or a selected staff is rescreened on an annual basis consistently. This way the
employees in your organization will consider it to be a common practice in your workplace.
a).
b).
c).
d).

21. CONCLUSION
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In the end, organizations need to keep in mind that employment screening should be conducted by keeping in consideration the
job position applied by the candidate. The employment screening services need to be relevant and specific to the requisite skill sets
desired and associated risks of the designation in question. The best practices mentioned in this eBook can be summed up in the
following points given below:
Have a consistent and fair policy for employment screening that scrutinizes each and every candidate irrespective of the
designation applied for. There should be no bias or relaxation of rules for any candidate irrespective of whether it is for a leadership
position or a junior level position.
Take the advice from a professional legal counselor while conducting the pre-employment background screening process.
Remember, there are legal implications that need to be considered while conducting the screening process. It is best to be aware of
the local, federal and state laws affecting your screening process. This will make you save your organization from facing any legal
hassles.
Always conduct the employment screening process by taking into consideration the country specific laws and guidelines to ensure
that you do not end up in legal trouble.
If you are not able to conduct the background screening process comprehensively, it is best to take the help of a professional
background screening vendor that can take into account the quality and information security standards while conducting the
pre-employment screening process.

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There is no one size fits all approach. For the jobs that are more important like leadership roles there should a different
screening package than an ordinary clerical jobs. Remember, the higher the risk, the more comprehensive the background
screening should be.
If you find any information in the screening report that can have an affect on the candidate’s qualification for the job position, take
necessary action. Never conduct background screening just for the sake of it. Always take requisite steps to mitigate risks for your
organization.
Always let the candidates know the result of the employment screening irrespective of their status. Inform them about your
findings and if there is something questionable, give them an adequate chance to explain and justify themselves.
Finally, ensure that the employment screening that you are conducting provides a win-win situation for both the employer and the
individual in question so that there is a seamless experience for both of them!
FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT LIKE LEADERSHIP ROLES THERE SHOULD A DIFFERENT
SCREENING PACKAGE THAN AN ORDINARY CLERK JOB. REMEMBER, THE HIGHER THE RISK, THE MORE
COMPREHENSIVE THE BACKGROUND SCREENING SHOULD BE.

23. What is cFIRST?
cFIRST, based in Cincinnati, Ohio and Bangalore, India,
provides cost-effective and customized background screening
solutions. We are ISO 27001:2013 certified, NAPBS and
NASSCOM NSR empaneled and a trusted source of
background check information for organizations ranging from
small, local business owners to global Fortune 500 companies.
+91 953-889-5291www.cfirstcorp.comsales@cfirstcorp.com