4 key considerations when choosing a background screening provider.

Background checks are a critical piece of the hiring process in any organization.  Employment history, education, past criminal behavior, and more, can help you identify the best candidates for the job before you make costly mistakes in filling your roles.

However, any time you use a candidate’s or employee’s background screen to make an employment decision, regardless of how you got the information, you must comply with federal laws that protect candidates and employees from discrimination. That includes discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, genetic information, disability and age (40 or older). These laws are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

On the flip side, when you employ a CRA in the business of compiling background information, you must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Additionally, you should be aware of State and local regarding background reports or information because some regulate the use of that information for employment purposes.

Between EEOC Guidance, FCRA, and State and local laws, staying up-to-date with compliance requirements can be difficult at best. Using an accredited CRA such as Vault Workforce Screening can help you stay informed and compliant, while reducing the time and resources you’d spend navigating these issues.

Although compliance is always the top concern when choosing how to best build your screening program, there are other areas you should consider as well.

So how do you decide which CRA to go with? When choosing a CRA, it is important to do some homework up front.  Below are four key considerations you should account for when choosing.

Experienced and dependable compliance team

Does the CRA have an experienced compliance team?  The background screening industry is small in comparison to many other industries serving recruiting space. Many compliance officers in the industry at this point have decades of experience dealing with these nuanced regulatory changes and have been part of it through much of its’ evolution. One of your first questions should be understanding the compliance team that will not only help guide you set up your program and processes, but one that you feel confident will communicate future changes in a timely fashion, so you can adjust accordingly.

Breadth of services

A second area you should focus on is breadth of services and ability to serve your needs.  Many CRA’s handle the criminal aspect of your background check, while partnering with other vendors to complement their offering. With CRAs such as Vault Workforce Screening, you’ll work with the same team for background, drug, and occupational health screening.  The consistency and familiarity of using one screening provider will benefit you in many ways, whether it be turnaround times, price, accessibility, support, and even candidate experience.

Technology and Integrations

A third consideration should be the screening platform itself, and how it integrates with the ATS system you already use. ATS integrations create workflow efficiencies that make your life easier as well as your candidate’s. With candidate data being input directly into your ATS, you’ll be able to store information such as past employment, education, and any criminal history in one location while reducing unnecessary administrative processing time. For candidates, such integrations eliminate the need for redundant data entry and mistakes, while offering a seamless experience tied to other areas within your recruiting and onboarding workflows. Vault Workforce Screening has 32 current integrations with the most popular ATS systems, and we’re always adding more.  

Dedicated, consistent and reliable support

Client and Candidate Support should also be considered.  Finding a CRA that offers timely support and solutions can sometimes be harder than you would imagine. There have been many CRAs with a poor track record in this area. Vault Workforce Screening has always differentiated itself from competitors by our dedication to personal service. All Vault clients have access to a dedicated, highly trained support team who closely monitor daily account activity, and our in-house expert advisors are available for consultation at any time. Candidates have access to status throughout their background screening process, as well as access to final reports. They’ll also have quick and easy access to dispute any incorrect information directly with us to expedite and corrections that may need to be made.  

Hiring candidates with criminal records or falsify employment or education history can be extremely costly. That makes choosing the best background screening provider a key piece of the recruiting optimization process for HR leaders.

Vault is currently offering a free 30-minute screening program review with our compliance experts. A clearly defined program and policy ensures consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in your process no matter what type of workers you’re hiring. There’s no better time than now to review your overall screening program and policy to ensure they’re providing the best experience possible, while mitigating risk. Schedule your free program review today.