Protect applicant rights when screening employees

Pre-employment screening raises the question of privacy issues, and it's important to understand your applicants' privacy rights before you conduct any applicant screening.

I recommend: At the U.S. Department of Justice website, download an employer guide that provides an overview of the legal requirements you must meet when you conduct pre-employment screening. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides information specific to California, but also has a useful guide for complying to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Understand how employment verification is linked to immigrant issues

Basic employment verification is necessary to ensure that the potential employee is legally qualified to work in the United States. However, you need to be aware that worker screening must be carried out without discrimination. Reading material directed to both employers and immigrant workers can help you understand the full scope of immigrant issues connected to applicant screening.

I recommend: Read an article at the Heritage Foundation to familiarize yourself with how the federal E-Verify program is designed to reduce employment of illegal immigrants. Then, review employment verification anti-discrimination protections in place for immigrants at the National Immigration Law Center.

Investigate using an employment verification provider to handle your pre-employment screening

Though you can certainly complete your own employment verification--especially if you don't need to conduct an extensive background check--it's often a better use of your resources to outsource your applicant screening to background screening companies or others who can provide verification of employment.

I recommend: Read the article at ESRcheck to understand what the benefits of outsourcing new employee verification could be for your company. If outsourcing looks like the right choice for you, check out the top-rated employment screening companies at HR Today.