An employment background check is now usually done not only to potential employees but to current employees for promotion as well. It is usually done to validate information found on an employee\’s resume or application form. It is also done to identify the best suited potential employee among the applicants. Also with what has happened on September 11, 2011, employers are now very concerned with the type of employees they hire.

A background investigation consists of criminal, arrest, imprisonment, and sex offender documents. This is a type of check where state records are examined to investigate if a potential employee or current employee has been convicted or charged with any crime against the state.

Citizenship, immigration and legal working status checks are also done because American businesses are barred from hiring illegal workers by the Department of Homeland Security and its Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Division.

Litigation records are also checked. Employees who frequently file discrimination cases may be identified as a risk to a company thus employers resort to litigation checks. Also, those businesses who do business with the government do not want to hire whistleblowers who file qui tam suits.

Driving and vehicle records are also part of the background check, especially when a potential employee is applying for a driver position. Employers look for employees who have clean driving records or those who have no records of vehicular accidents or traffic tickets.

Drug test records are also being checked. An employer would not want to employ drug addicts in his company because of corporate ethics, employee performance will be affected and increase of workers\’ compensation premiums.

Education records are also part of the background investigation. This is done to verify educational attainment of the potential employee and sometimes to check if applicant has had misdemeanor records in school.

Previous employment records may also be checked especially if the applicant will fill a sensitive position in the company. This is usually done verbally.

Financial information is also checked especially if the position being filled requires somebody to handle huge amount of money.

For professionals, licensing records are checked for complaints, disciplinary actions and investigations.

Medical, mental and physiological files are also checked because a potential employee may not be fit to work for health reasons. A written consent from the applicant must be procured before going through the whole process.

Social security number check is also done because identity theft is quite rampant. A past life may be concealed or an applicant may not have fulfilled the citizenship requirement may be verified through the social security number.

Although most the above records are public records and can be procured from different government agencies in the United States of America, it is still very inconvenient for employers to do background check on its potential employees and even current workers. There are a number of private investigators who offer the service. Also, there are third party providers who also offer the same kind of service. There are also available online data banks which can provide the necessary information about people. What they do is they buy U.S. public records and provide them online for a fee.

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Category: Legal
Keywords: background check,potential employee,potential employees