Why is NAPBS Membership Important for the Background Check Company You Choose? 25 Jan 2018

You wouldn’t want a doctor who doesn’t keep up on the most recent medical advances. You wouldn’t hire a contractor to fix your home if they don’t know the local building codes. You would never hire an accountant who doesn’t have high ethics and doesn’t act in your best interest.

And you shouldn’t hire a professional background check company if they aren’t members of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners.

Using a professional background check company is important, not only to protect your business, but also the people you work with. They help inform your hiring decisions so you can keep employees and the public safe. Professional background check companies are regulated by both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. These organizations must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act as well as a variety of ever-evolving state and city privacy protection laws.

“The profession employs thousands of people and invests countless dollars dedicated to ensuring that employers, landlords, and volunteer groups have a full picture of those that enter workplaces, lease their apartments, and care for vulnerable populations. Federal and state laws and regulations, along with competitive market forces, have combined to make professional background screens the most comprehensive, accurate, and fair way for employers, landlords, and volunteer groups to make informed decisions about prospective employees, volunteers, and tenants,” according to the NAPBS.

If you start reading about background checks, you’ll probably see the NAPBS mentioned frequently. Founded as a nonprofit trade association in 2003, they have helped advance the professional background check industry in numerous ways. One important function of the NAPBS is its membership option for professional screening companies. If you’re looking for a reputable background check company, browsing through the membership directory is a smart place to start.

Why is NAPBS Membership Important?

Trade groups exist in virtually every industry. Businesses that join them are taking the extra step to stay informed and often follow a code of conduct. Professional screening companies that join the NAPBS are going above and beyond to demonstrate excellence in the professional screening industry.

These member companies get access to a variety of benefits that help them be the best of the best. They receive legislation updates so they are always up to date on legal changes and new laws. The NAPBS also has a government relations program so they are aware of developments as they happen.

Continuing education is also important for companies to be their best, and NAPBS members have access to a variety of webinars, a weekly newsletter, and online discussion groups. These are all readily accessible so they can stay on top of important industry demands and ensure they are providing their customers (you!) with the best service possible.

NAPBS has a variety of committees working to uphold the mission of the organization:

• Advocacy Committee
• Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC)
• Best Practices Committee
• Educational Resources Committee
• Ethics Advisory Group
• Finance Committee
• Global Advisory Council (GAC)
• Governance Advisory Group
• Government Relations Committee
• Leadership Development Committee
• Provider Advisory Group

Bottom line: Having access to NAPBS is a valuable resource that helps make good background check companies even better. For the consumer, this provides peace of mind that the company where you work follows all current laws, is properly educated in the industry, and is highly ethical in how they conduct their screenings.

Finding the Right Screening Partner

Employers routinely request background checks for potential new hires and existing employees, particularly for positions where employees may work with vulnerable populations or have access to consumers’ financial information, notes NAPBS. To get started working with a reputable background check company, search the NAPBS directory. The association currently represents over 880 member companies engaged in employment and tenant background screening across the United States. Member companies range from Fortune 100 companies to small local businesses.

One of the companies you’ll find listed is Trusted Employees. We are a proud member of NAPBS and will continue to work hard to make the background check processes as easy as possible for our clients. When you request a background report through us, our system just doesn’t generate an automated database search like some other screening companies do. It’s a complicated process of gathering, checking, and rechecking both primary and secondary data and research. Every day, experts at Trusted Employees work hard behind the scenes to ensure your report comes back with accurate, trustworthy information — every time.