Signet Screening President Matt Messersmith gives us his take on the answers to the most frequently-asked questions about pre-employment screening:
Q: What’s included in typical background checks?
Matt: There shouldn’t be a typical background check. At Signet, we offer customized screening packages that best meet your business needs. We work with each client to put together a package of screening services to specifically meet your business goals. This can include criminal checks, education and employment verification, drug screens, motor vehicle reports and social media searches.
Once we understand your custom needs, we’ll provide a cost-effective plan for your approval. The value of the information you receive from conducting background checks will be returned tenfold as you make important hiring decisions.
Q: What type of drug screening should we conduct?
Matt: Most companies request a 10-panel urine screening, which tests for cocaine, opiates, marijuana, PCP, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone, propoxyphene and Quaaludes. You can also choose saliva or hair testing options, depending on the situation.
Q: Can my company do our own social media checks?
Matt: We recommend that companies don’t conduct their own social media screenings to avoid potential legal issues. Signet performs legally attained searches that generate reports detailing content relevant to the hiring process, screening out discriminatory information regarding age, sexual orientation or pre-existing conditions.
Q: What do I do with the results?
Matt: If you receive background information that affects your hiring decision, you must send two notices to the job candidate:
- Pre-Adverse Action Notice: A brief letter that states a decision is pending their employment, along with the background report and a copy of the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) A Summary of Your Rights. This provides the candidate a chance to report that the information is incorrect.
- Adverse Action Notice: This letter details the name and address of the reporting agency along with the reason for denying employment and other clarifying information.
Signet Screening provides automated pre-adverse and adverse email notifications. Through our online portal, you can easily send FCRA-compliant correspondence with just a few easy steps.
Q: How do we get started with background checks?
Matt: Give us a call at 513-330-6695 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!
