As a potential employer who is conducting and reviewing an employment background check report, trying to screen for applicants with a history of activity that is not conducive to employment with your company, it is important to understand that the employee who provided you with the information used in the background check is the best source for clarification.
In one example, the employee might report one address to you and the search results come up with another. Could be they just never changed their address, could be they still like to use mom’s address for their mail but live with their boy/girl friend or could be they don’t live at either location. Recently we had such an instance and the client called back asking why we reported the address our search uncovered, which was a retail business and not a residence. What is important to remember is that we conduct the right searches, but we do not know what those results will mean to you or the applicant. In some cases, it may not matter where they live, in others, it may indicate that there is more research to be done. The key is your review. We, like any firm conducting employment background checks, do not automatically see a new piece of information and act upon it. We would not automatically research that additional address. Think of it in these terms, a background is like and onion, it can have many layers, but exploration of those deeper layers has to initiated by you the client. In most instances, you the client would ask the prospective employee about the new or conflicting information. If further exploration is merited, you would ask that we do it. The same holds true for a different spelling to a name, a maiden name, a date of birth, education or any other information used in the background check.
Reviewing an employment background check is a crucial step. If you have any questions about the findings in the report, it is vital that you bring them up before you make the hire decision.
