Top 5 Frustrations When Working with an Employment Screening Company 10 Dec 2018

Business owners already work too much. In fact, Inc. reported that over half work at least 50 hours per week, and 25 percent clock in over 60 hours every week.

With such a busy schedule, you need solutions that work right. You can’t afford to waste time with services that need to be hand held along the way.

You likely use an employment screening company to find the best new hire. Many businesses screen their new hires to ensure they’re safe to work with and able to do the job. Unfortunately, working with an employment screening company can be frustrating.

What are the most common frustrations, and how can you fix them?

In this article, we’ll look at the top 5 frustrations of working with an employment screening company. We’ll also see what you can do to fix them.

1. Staying Compliant Can Be Difficult When Laws Conflict

Many federal and state laws regulate how to run background checks. Some of these laws even conflict with each other. New York made a law that only allows you to run background checks on job applicants after you hire them. This conflicts with federal regulations that require banks to ensure their applicants have no history of fraud.

If your screening company doesn’t understand how to prioritize these contradictory laws, then they could get you in legal trouble. They also won’t be able to teach you what you need to do to be legally compliant as an employer.

Replace any screening company that doesn’t know how to comply with conflicting laws. Look for one that follows the FCRA and EEOC’s guidelines. You should also look for a company that gives accurate reports. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find an accurate screening company.

2. The Results You Receive Could Be Inaccurate or Incomplete

It can be difficult for screening companies to give accurate results every time. Many times the records needed include incorrect information or are only accessible in person. This leads to inaccurate or incomplete reports.

Getting an inaccurate report could make you decide not to hire someone based on incorrect information. It could also cause you to hire someone who is unsafe around your clients or employees. Both of these situations could end in a hiring lawsuit against you.

What can you do to ensure you receive accurate information?

• Use a screening company that employs multiple sources of information for reports.
• Ask the company to verify the information they find.
• Have them run several background checks to get the full picture of a candidate.

But, what if your screening company doesn’t offer all the checks you need?

3. They Don’t Offer the Background Checks You Need

Different industries and job positions require specific background checks. Your screening company may not offer all the options you need. They may also try to include more checks than you need to run.

If you’re hiring for a construction job, do you really need a credit history report? Or if you’re hiring a writer, is the applicant’s driving record a priority? These questions illustrate the dilemma business owners face when running background checks.

Your screening company may not offer all the checks you need, but they may be able to recommend a company that can. If your screening company customizes their background check packages, see if they can create a package just for you. Customizing the background check to your needs will keep you compliant and save your company time and money.

4. Background Checks Take Too Long to Run

Although most background checks are only supposed to take one to three days, many things can slow them down. Having to wait for a background check can stall the hiring process. You could also lose the candidate to a different job while you’re waiting.

To speed up the process, have the job applicant sign a consent form for the check as soon as legally possible. Also, see if your screening company offers online reports, which allow you to access the results once they’re available.

But, time is only one factor to consider. When you need to run background checks at scale, the price is also a factor. How can you keep the cost under control while ensuring you still get reliable reports?

5. Running Background Checks Can Be Expensive

The cost of running background checks can add up quickly. This is especially true if you need to run several. For example, let’s say the average background check costs $50. If you need to hire 10 employees, that’s $500. If some of those reports have red flags, you may have to spend more to run more checks. This cost can multiply when you need to run extra reports, like an international background check.

To reduce costs, ask if your screening company would be willing to tailor your background check package. You can also ask if they offer volume pricing for multiple checks.

As a business owner, you have limited time. Understanding the frustrations with running background checks is one step to avoiding the hassle. But, the best way is partnering with a screening company that takes the frustration out of running quality background checks.

Frustration-Free Employment Screening

At Trusted Employees, we work with our clients to create background check packages that fit their actual needs. To get you reliable reports that are legally compliant, we’ll walk you through the entire process. Don’t guess at what your company needs. Talk to one of our reps today to learn more about our customizable background checks.