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5 Reasons Startups Should Have a Hiring Plan

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A hiring plan can give a startup a leading edge over the competition and make getting the company off the ground smoother and easier.

Hiring Plan

The following are five key reasons why all startups should have a hiring plan in place before they launch:

  1. Financing Advantages

Establishing a hiring plan as part of a startup business plan well before the launch of a business could facilitate more interest from valuable funding sources. A hiring plan that includes specifics about staff and management can show lenders that the most important roles are filled by quality individuals who will get the business off to a strong start and help ensure a bright future.

  1. Quality Management Selections

Having key roles filled before startup is as essential as having a business plan and funding. Managers and other top positions as well as skilled staff require careful consideration and vetting before determining if they will be a fit. These are not decisions to be taken lightly, and a hiring plan can ensure that these positions are filled with the highest quality individuals with high standards.

  1. Employment Background Check Considerations

Using employment background checks should be a part of every new company’s business blueprint, and a formal hiring plan can help to ensure it is done thoroughly, correctly and in compliance with current Federal and state laws. A hiring plan can adequately cover all of these concerns so that background checks are not left to chance. Partnering with a professional employment background check service is an excellent way to outsource this important step.

  1. It’s All About People

A business might have the most innovative new product or service, but if they aren’t staffed with professional, personable employees and management, they won’t have much staying power. Customer service is key to success, and a strong hiring plan can help to ensure quality staff.

  1. A More Secure Future

Staffing and hiring for the business as it grows and matures is essential. A hiring plan will outline parameters and guidelines to be used initially as well as going forward. Having these considerations taken care of and well established before launch can assist a company in many ways, including having a firm foundation on which to build the business going forward.

Some startups become so focused on their product or service that they neglect the crucial area of staffing. These five points illustrate why every startup should have a high-quality hiring plan.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

U.S. Employment Trends To Watch In 2016

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Employment Trends

The employment trends to watch in the United States in 2016 will focus heavily on those within a few key areas. Because nearly all of these jobs are rich in access to sensitive information, ensuring that those people who are hired meet their exacting standards is crucial for the success of employers. Pre-employment background checks enable employers to hire with confidence.

Health Care Employment Trends

The health care industry is expected to continue its phenomenal growth — to the tune of seeing more than a 25 percent expansion. This figure represents the addition of about four million jobs due to the increasing demands for health care. Life expectations that are projected to continue to lengthen as well as a burgeoning elderly population are the primary drivers behind this growth. Because of the sensitive nature of the health industry — employees not only have access to private documents, but they are also providing care to some of the most vulnerable segments of the population — a comprehensive health care background check is extremely important.

Information Technology Employment Trends

Employment trends in the information technology sector will continue to expand, fueling the need for an additional 212,000 jobs over the course of the year. The top three sectors of this industry — internet publishing and broadcasting, wireless telecommunication and software publishing — are expected to make up 44.1 percent, 40.9 percent and 32 percent of the growth respectively. Access to sensitive information as well as the company secrets that could make a start-up the next big player in the field are key reasons for needing a criminal background check.

Business Service and Professional

There are a number of key industries that make up this segment of the employee base. With a growth of 23.3 percent that will result in the addition of more than 4 million jobs, key areas of employment trends include the scientific, administrative, management and technical services. Because the range of employment possibilities are extensive within this employment sector, a background check is always a wise decision to stay within compliance of the law and to ensure that a business thrives.

Employers can avoid tragedy and liability by investing in a comprehensive criminal background searches before extending an offer of employment to a new employee. Being proactive in this area helps ensure a business’ continued growth and success.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

How Are “Ban The Box” Laws Affecting Criminal Background Checks?

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Employers are getting mixed signals when it comes to criminal background checks. As always, human resources professionals are concerned about liability for not having adequate information to make good hiring decisions. Meanwhile, a number of states and municipalities are implementing “Ban the Box” laws that limit how criminal histories can be used.

Ban the Box

Nationwide, 18 states and 100 cities and counties have adopted “Ban the Box” regulations, the National Employment Law Project reports. “Ban the Box” rules aim to encourage employers to consider a job applicant’s qualifications before being influenced by the discovery of a criminal history.

What’s driving “Ban the Box?”

The international “Ban the Box” campaign began in 2004 and was named for the checkbox on job applications indicating a criminal background. The campaign has gained significant momentum in the past several years, in part spurred by federal government endorsement.

Trying to level the playing field

New Jersey’s version of “Ban the Box”, dubbed the Opportunity to Compete Act, restricts both public and private employers with more than 15 employees from asking about criminal records before an initial interview.

Like New Jersey, more states and local governments are considering “Ban the Box” regulations that would restrict private employers. For example, the New York City Council recently approved the Fair Chance Act, which requires employers to make a conditional job offer before asking about an applicant’s criminal history or conducting a criminal background check.

What actions should employers take?

While employers may have valid reasons for conducting criminal background checks even at early stages of the interview process, hiring procedures must comply with all local, state and federal laws. Many employers are acting preemptively and removing criminal background questions from applications regardless of current state and local laws.

Employers should ensure that all hiring managers have adequate training on procedures and that any hiring decisions involving applicants with criminal histories are fully documented, notes Small Business Trends.

“Ban the Box”: A new level of complexity

Hiring professionals already follow detailed procedures to avoid any discriminatory practices. “Ban the Box” adds complexity and cost to the process by delaying inquiries about criminal histories. But the burden of responsibility for bad hiring decisions still rests with employers.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

How to Minimize the Risks of Using Social Media Screening when Hiring Job Applicants

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While some employers scan applicants’ social media presence as a natural part of their screening process, many states are now enacting laws to protect applicants from discrimination based upon their personal postings. Employers must be vigilant in order to avoid potential legal problems down the road from conducting social media screening.

Social Media Screening

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that 77 percent of its members used social media to recruit and select employees in 2013, up substantially from past years. On the face of it, social media seems to be an ideal tool for job applicant screening. However, it’s not quite that simple; while using social media to recruit candidates is generally acceptable, conducting background checks based on social media can lead to some risks and hazards.

Here are four ways to maximize the benefits of social media screening while minimizing the risks:

  1. Stay Diversified

Believe it or not, there are people who are not very active on social media, and this includes job seekers. Those who are economically disadvantaged may have limited access to technology, and this can extend to certain minority groups. The best bet for employers is to diversify recruiting methods and use social media as just one of an arsenal of tools. This could include a professional criminal background check as part of employment screening with applicant permission.

  1. Be Consistent

If you are going to look at social media profiles as part of your screening process, attempt to do so for every applicant. Don’t just look at and consider select applicants’ profiles; doing so could leave you vulnerable to a discrimination suit if you decide not to hire based upon what you find.

  1. Consider Context and Source

When assessing social media as part of the hiring process, focus on the candidate’s own postings, not on responses or hearsay from other users. Be aware that there can be false or impostor accounts on social media, and users are not always who they say they are. Give the candidate the opportunity to respond to and defend themselves against negative findings.

  1. Document Your Findings, Thought Process and Decisions

Print the social media screening page(s) upon which you’ll be basing a hiring decision and take notes about your specific reasons for rejection. This documentation will help to protect you in the event that the content is deleted during a challenge or suit.

Using social media screening as part of background screening is valuable, but it must be done intelligently. Augment any social media screening with a professional background check for a comprehensive assessment of each candidate.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

EEOC: What Employers Need to Know About Background Checks

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There are certain federal laws in place that protect employees and job applicants from discrimination. They prohibit discrimination based on disability, religion, gender, national origin, color, race, age (40 or older), and genetic information (includes family medical history). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces these laws and ensures that employers comply with the EEOC.

EEOC

When employers make personnel decisions such as reassignment, promotion, or hiring, they often conduct background checks on the employee or applicant. In most cases, an employer or prospective employer can legally ask questions about a person’s background including their employment history, education, credit or financial information, criminal data, and even use of social media. They may require a background check as one of the terms of employment or promotion.

Employers who conduct background checks using any company that compiles background data as a business is required to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Any employer who conducts a background check on an employee or applicant must do so within the limits of these laws.

Key areas of EEOC and FCRA compliance include:

  • Equality – Employers must always ensure that they are treating all applicants or employees equally. It is illegal to conduct a background check only on applicants or employees who are of a specific race, gender, disability, or other specifications. The same process must be uniform across all applicants or employees. For more EEOC information, visit the website www.eeoc.gov.
  • Before initiating a Background Check – Employers are bound to laws under the FCRA to:
    • Inform the applicant or employee that the data may be used to make a decision about their employment
    • Inform the applicant or employee of their right to obtain a description of the scope and nature of an investigation when an investigative report is requested
    • Obtain the applicant’s or employee’s authorization in writing to allow the background check to be conducted
    • Provide to the company conducting the background check that the applicant/employee has been notified, the request is in compliance with all FCRA requirements, and no discrimination has taken place or will take place (or other types of inappropriate use of the data)
  • Disability Related Problem in Background Check – If the applicant or employee has a problem in their background check report that is related to a disability the employer should make exceptions if the person can adequately demonstrate their ability to do the job. Failure to do so could result in discrimination claims. There are also certain provisions for individuals who have a criminal report.
  • When adverse action is taken – When an applicant is not hired or an employee is terminated due to information obtained in their background check, the employer must inform them in writing of the information in the report led to their rejection/termination. Information on the company that created the report, including name, address, and phone number must also be given to the individual. Additionally, they must be advised that the company that generated the report did not make the decision and that they have the right to dispute the completeness or accuracy of the report.

Regardless of the decision, employers must retain the all employment or personnel records, even applicants who were not hired, as well as background checks and other application related material for a minimum of one year after the personnel action was taken or the records were created, whichever is later. The retention timeframe is two years for local and state governments, educational institutions, and federal contractors with 150 or more employees and a government contract that is $150,000 or greater. In the event of a discrimination lawsuit, the employer is required to maintain all records pertaining to the individual until the case is completed and closed.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

6 Reasons to Background-Check Every Potential New Hire

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New HireScreening each potential new hire offers a range of benefits including fraud/theft reduction, better compliance, a safer workplace, the creation of a higher quality workforce, and fewer lawsuits due to negligent hiring. Before hiring that new applicant, employers should know who they’re bringing on board. Here are six reasons to background-check each potential new hire:

1. Assists in Screening for Qualified Employees

Background screening can assist in verifying that an applicant truly has the experience, education, credentials, achievements and job history claimed on a resume and/or during an interview.

2. Increased Workplace Safety

Despite how they might seem on paper, disruptive or even violent behavior is a risk with some workers. A criminal background check as part of an employment screening background checks process can help with reducing workplace hazards by avoid hiring those with a violent past.

3. Reduced Risk of Theft and Fraud by Staff Members

Theft and fraud committed internally by staff members results in huge financial losses for many businesses. Employment background checks can help companies to avoid hiring workers with a criminal past and reduce incidents of fraud and inventory or monetary theft in the workplace.

4. Fewer Negligent Hiring Lawsuits

Negligent hiring lawsuits are expensive, damaging to a brand name, debilitating to a business reputation, and toxic for a workplace environment. Screening every potential new hire helps to lower the risk of such lawsuits and the resultant bad press that can be generated.

5. Assistance with Meeting Compliance

Whether it’s from the state or federal government, clients, vendors or business partners, most businesses have compliance requirements they must meet related to hiring. Performing professional background screening on each potential new employee will help to ensure due diligence and provide documentation that the rules were followed for each new hire.

6. A Stronger Workforce

Background checks assist employers in finding and hiring the highest quality applicants possible while screening out those with less integrity. This means that in the long term, the workplace will attract and maintain better quality employees and ultimately a stronger business.

Employment screening offers a multitude of benefits that both improve the workplace climate and reduce liability for companies. To reap these six key benefits (and more), employers should strongly consider performing a background check for every potential new hire. Keeping checks for each applicant consistent will also help to ensure each new employee is a positive addition to the workforce.

Disclaimer: The information on InstantCriminalChecks.com is governed by our Terms of Use and is never intended as legal advice.

Source: https://www.sba.gov/content/pre-employment-background-checks