Background Check News

We all know that not conducting employee background checks can get us in big trouble.  Sadly, there are still lots of organizations that are not conducing quality background checks and are exposing themselves to risk of harm as well as legal trouble such as negligent hiring and negligent retention.

Navigating the highly unregulated volunteer background screening industry is extremely challenging for churches and ministries.  The screening industry has been less than transparent about the use of cheap criminal databases that have a high failure rate even for sex offenders.  The following Background Checks for Churches Webinar hosted by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance provides insight on background screening and a perspective on the legal aspects of background screening by BMI attorney Kay Landwehr.

I wanted to give you an update on SB 160 and HB 1160, companion bills in the Indiana General Assembly that would remove private vendors as an option for schools conducting background checks.

I wanted to give you a quick update and solicit your help on Indiana House Bill 1160 & Senate Bill 160, companion bills that would require schools go through the Indiana State Police and FBI for national background checks.  It would exclude private vendors of which 90% of Indiana schools use a private vendor.

There is no bigger issue for the background screening industry in 2013 than providing accurate employee background checks.  This is a paradigm shift because the screening industry has historically provided low quality products and services.

I have stared at this screen for the past 5 days, contemplating what value I could add to such a horrific tragedy.   But with every tragedy, there are life lessons.

There is a new sheriff in town.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken the enforcement reins of the Fair Credit Reporting Act from the Federal Trade Commission.

All too often employee background checks are synonymous with pre-employment background checks.  Unfortunately, if our criminal record check policy is a one-and-done process then we expose our organization to unnecessary risk. 

Volunteers can pose a significant risk to school districts so it is critical to conduct comprehensive volunteer background checks and not rely on incomplete and cheap background screening solutions which place our kids at risk.

I will admit that I don’t hand over my social security number very easily.  I want to know why somebody needs it and how they are going to safeguard it.