Regardless of whether yours is a small business, or a large IT company, you have to be sure about the people hired for specific roles. For that, an employment background check is absolutely critical. In simple words, employment background check is about verifying and confirming the commercial, personal, employment and criminal records of an applicant. This may also involve checking details related to credit checks. So, how long loes an employment background check take in 2020? What details must be checked? In this post, we are answering a few questions for businesses.
Information that can be checked
Sometimes, an employee background check can be about verifying social security number of the applicant, while for specific cases, the search could be extensive. From the work history and credit details of the person, to criminal records, driving records, and issues like bankruptcy, can be checked. Employers, if they have written consent of the applicant, can also check their medical records, real estate transactions, and details related to drug testing. Sometimes, employers even talk to people known to the person to do a character check. The basic idea is to do a background check that is relevant and pertinent to the role that the employee is being considered for.
Things employers cannot check
While you have the right to do a background check for your candidates, you cannot check for certain details under any circumstances. This may include arrest records after seven years, bankruptcies after a decade, or civil suits. Note that there are variations to this. An employer may be allowed to do such a check, if the concerned applicant is going to hold a big role in the company, or has an extremely high expected paycheck.
How long does an employment background check take?
Basic checks can be done in just a few minutes, while extensive search may need about five days. In many counties, there is still paperwork done, and therefore, the search may need manual work, which can add weeks to the entire process. If the background check involves fetching information from other countries, because the concerned person has been overseas for a few years, the time may be longer. To sum up, employment background checks don’t take more than five days in most cases.
Make sure that your company adheres to relevant terms and conditions for doing a comprehensive employment background check and all consent related forms are signed.
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